For Christine Hinkle – daughter of immigrants, career woman before there was such a thing, and community volunteer – living the American dream isn’t enough. She wants to ensure that Schoolcraft College students have the same opportunity. And she hopes that others will follow her lead and give generously to the college’s scholarship fund.

Hinkle has created an endowed fund which, when fully funded, will be the largest scholarship fund in the college’s history. Named for her and her late husband Lawrence, the fund could support as many as 30 full-tuition scholarships per academic year in perpetuity.

Hinkle wants to help because she understands the challenges people face when they try to make their own way. Her parents were Scottish immigrants who were building a life in Detroit when tragedy struck. Her mother died when Christine was 14; her father passed away four years later. Starting at age 15, Christine worked at several jobs, including as a server at the soda fountain in a Kresge’s store. It was when she got a filing job at Employers Mutual Insurance, however, that her career began to take shape. Starting in the 1940s, when career women were not all that common, Hinkle began a 40-year affiliation with the company, being promoted to correspondent, then supervisor, and then into management. At one time she supervised 36 people.

Her husband, Lawrence, was an attorney. The couple lived in Detroit until moving to Northville in 1971. After retiring from the insurance company, Hinkle focused more of her time on community volunteerism. Then a friend who volunteered at Schoolcraft introduced Hinkle to the college, and over the years Hinkle became increasingly impressed with how Schoolcraft changed people’s lives. This led to a meeting with representatives from the Schoolcraft College Foundation, which raises funds to support Schoolcraft’s students and programs.

“Everything fell into place because everyone was on the same page,” said John Walsh, the college’s executive director for development and governmental relations, and member of the Foundation board. “When we met we talked about the American dream and how education is the pathway to that dream.

“She also told us that she hopes this gift will inspire others to give,” he added. “She feels she has led a normal life and wants others to realize that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Of course we would welcome that. We have many generous donors but every year there are more deserving students in need of help. So we would welcome new donors at any level of giving.”

Anyone wishing to learn more about the Schoolcraft College Foundation can call (734) 462-4501.