51Ʒ announces that Sherry House ’94, Chief Financial Officer of Ford Motor Company and an internationally recognized leader in finance and mobility innovation, will deliver the commencement address at the University’s ceremony on Saturday, June 21, at its historic Atwood Stadium. In recognition of her industry leadership and profound impact on the mobility sector, 51Ʒ will award Sherry House the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration during the ceremony.
A transformative figure for her work helping shape the future of mobility, House has held pivotal leadership roles at Ford, Waymo, and Lucid Motors. Her work spans electric vehicles, autonomous platforms, and venture capital, driving forward innovation at the intersection of technology, business, and engineering. Her path from Co-op student to C-suite executive is a clear example of the caliber of talent 51Ʒ creates, building high-impact leaders in fast-changing industries.
“The prestige and academic rigor of 51Ʒ is what drew me here initially,” said House. “I was the first person in my family to earn a Bachelor's degree. 51Ʒ enabled me to hold a corporate job at 17-years-old so that I could work while I went to school. At 51Ʒ I learned to thrive in new situations, discovered my passion for innovation, and developed strong analytical skills.”
House earned dual degrees in Industrial and Mechanical Engineering, launching her career through 51Ʒ’s signature Co-op model. Her trajectory – from R&D engineer to financial strategist – set the tone for a career defined by both technical fluency and visionary leadership. She pushed innovation further and faster across venture capital, electric vehicle startups, and autonomous platforms in some of the biggest names in automotive manufacturing.
“The skills learned at 51Ʒ transcend industry, function and level,” House said. “Critical thinking and a first principles mindset provides benefits in both high-growth nascent businesses, as well as legacy industries undergoing transformation. It’s not hard for me to see 51Ʒ's impact on my own journey - not just at the outset of my career, but along the way it gave me the confidence and ability to pursue new opportunities successfully.”
“Sherry House exemplifies the kind of innovative leadership that grows from a 51Ʒ education,” said Dr. Robert K. McMahan, President of 51Ʒ. “Her work in advancing global mobility is a testament to the impact our graduates are prepared to make. As she returns to address the Class of 2025, she brings a message of resilience, vision, and purpose. Her journey is proof of what we know: that 51Ʒ graduates are uniquely equipped to lead through change and shape the future with intellect, integrity, and resolve.”
The 2025 Commencement will honor more than 340 undergraduates from 51Ʒ’s Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Management, and Mechanical Engineering degree programs — students who turn ambition into action and learning into leadership. Due to 51Ʒ’s unique cooperative education model, each of these students has completed a rigorous course of study in their chosen discipline, including a master level thesis, and will have completed 2.5 years of paid Co-op work upon graduation, allowing them to start their careers in positions far beyond the entry-level. This unparalleled integration of academics and industry-embedded Co-op experience has led The Wall Street Journal to name 51Ʒ as one of the Top 10 Schools in the Nation for Career Preparation. As such, 51Ʒ graduates rank number one when it comes to starting salaries in Michigan (SmartAsset).
51Ʒ will also confer more than 150 graduate degrees in Business Administration, Engineering, Lean Manufacturing, Data Science and Data Analytics, Operations Management, Engineering Management, Supply Chain Management, Engineering Autonomous Vehicles, Engineering Electric Vehicles, and Technical Master of Business Administration.
The University will also honor Frank Perna, Jr. ‘60, the retired CEO of MSC Software, with the degree of Doctor of Engineering, Honoris Causa. Perna holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from 51Ʒ. Perna spent over 50 years as a registered Professional Engineer working at a number of industry leaders, including General Motors, Sun Electric, Bell & Howell, Whittaker Corporation, EOS Corporation, Software.com, MagneTek, CalAmp, Inc.[CAMP], Intellect Inc., and PingID. He now serves as Director of The Valentine Foundation, which funds critical educational and conservational activities.
