Spring 2007 - College of Education - Michigan State University

A
facility
of
OPPORTUN
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ALUMNUS BUILDS MEXICAN
Shinsky gets hands-on with the construction of the new facility, which will house
120 Mexican children. “I know the potential of these kids,” Shinsky says of his
dream project. “This will foster change for generations to come.”
The images are beyond most Americans’
comprehension. Barefoot children
playing in garbage. Shacks with
gaping holes. Poverty at its worst.
But that’s only the beginning said
John Shinsky, who is currently leading
a project to build an orphanage in
Matamoros, Mexico.
Shinsky is a three-time graduate of
MSU’s College of Education. In 1974,
he received his bachelor’s degree in
elementary education, and proceeded
to receive both his master’s degree
and his doctorate in special education.
While at MSU, he was a star football
player for the famous coach Duffy
Daugherty, serving as captain of the
team in 1973.
His experience at MSU was unforgettable.
Academically and athletically,
Shinsky is a true success story. But it
could have turned out so differently.
When Shinsky was 7 years old, his
father died. He and his mother were
left to navigate the rough streets of
his neighborhood, barely able to make
ends meet. So she made the heartwrenching
decision to place Shinsky
in Parmadale Orphanage, located in
Parma, Ohio. There, Shinsky’s mother
hoped he would get the guidance he
needed and deserved.
After four years, Shinsky was
placed into a loving foster home,
attended high school and became an
instant football celebrity. He received
a football scholarship to MSU, where
he was such a star that he turned
down the opportunity to play professional
football to pursue a career in
education.
“It was the best move I ever made,”
he said proudly.
After graduation, Shinsky worked
for 20 years as Lansing Public Schools’
director of special education. He
retired from that position and is now
associate professor and chair of the
department of education at Grand
Valley State University.
Shinsky is proud of his accomplishments,
and credits them to the
decision his mother made. When he
turned 18, Shinsky returned to Ohio
to meet his mother once again, only
to discover she kept the newspaper
headlines of his football and wrestling
successes. Shinsky and his mother
rebuilt their relationship, and in 1983,
Shinsky brought his mother to his
Ph.D. graduation ceremony. Sadly, the
next day, she passed away.
When she died, there were no
regrets. No unspoken words. Shinsky
was grateful for the blessings he received.
And it was then that he found
his calling: Shinsky would give other
children the same blessings.
Thus the inspiration behind Cuidad
de los Niños—Shinsky’s second
orphanage project. It has been in the
works for five years and the official
groundbreaking occurred in September
2005.
So why Matamoros During a business
trip, Shinsky visited the horrible
conditions of Matamoros. He saw
the homeless children, whose smiles
revealed such bright potential, but
whose bodies were tired from living in
such filth. Shinsky then decided this
was the place to fulfill his dream.
The dream began with a local
businessman’s generous donation of
17 acres, on which the orphanage is
currently being built. Shinsky developed
a board of directors—comprising
local business people—and an advisory
board. The 33,000-square-foot
orphanage is scheduled to open in
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