Black History Month: Sheila Patterson

Black History Month is an opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of African-Americans in our nation. This February, Spring Arbor University will take this opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of many prominent African-Americans in history, specifically four of our own African-American alumni, as part of the month-long celebration.

Sheila Patterson has worked for Consumers Energy since January 2002. A 1987 graduate of Lumen Christi High School in Jackson, MI, she earned a bachelor of arts from Spring Arbor College in 1993 and a Master of Business Administration from Spring Arbor University in 2001. She currently works in Supply Chain as a Performance Management Lead.

Committed to her community, Sheila has been a Trustee at Jackson College since 2008, and has served on the City of Jackson’s Civil Service Commission since 2006. She is a member of GENERGY and the CMS Club of Consumers Energy. She continues her leadership activities, holding positions on the Salvation Army Board, NAACP and the Jackson Community Foundations Grant Committee. She has been a member of the Michigan Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy from 2002 – 2018. Sheila served on the National Scholarship Committee and acted as the Mid-west Regional Coordinator until August 2015. She served as the local chapters Vice President from 2008-2014 and the Chair of the Scholarship Committee from 2006-2014. Sheila previously served on the Jackson Public School Board from 2004-2012 and was the board’s President in 2012. She has also served on the Family Services and Children’s Aid and City of Jacksons’ Parks and Recreation Board.

In 2016 Sheila received the Professional Excellence Alumni Award and in 2015 was the keynote speaker for SAU’s Commencement for Graduate Programs. She was the recipient of Jackson College’s 2013 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Service Award. She received a community service award in 2009 from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Jackson Chapter, and received a Prism Award for exemplary achievements in diversity from Consumers Energy in 2005. She was a Young Careerist Nominee from the Jackson Business & Professional Women’s Organization in 2004.

Sheila is a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, friends and her dogs, Miles and Jaxon, and enjoys traveling.