Apr 02, 2026
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — Lake Superior State University will welcome longtime conservation leader Thomas C. Bailey as the commencement speaker during the upcoming graduation ceremony. Bailey will also receive an honorary doctorate in recognition of his decades of leadership in environmental conservation and outdoor recreation.
Bailey served as Executive Director of the Little Traverse Conservancy for 34 years, helping guide the protection of approximately 60,000 acres of land for conservation and recreation. His work has supported projects impacting the Conservancy as well as state and local park systems throughout Michigan.
Throughout his career, Bailey played a key role in shaping policy and expanding outdoor access across the state. He co-founded both the Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy and the Top of Michigan Trails Council, organizations focused on strengthening land protection and trail development throughout the region.
Bailey has also served in several state leadership roles. He was appointed by former Michigan Governor John Engler to the Michigan Water Resources Commission and later served on the Technical Advisory Board of the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund. Former Governor Rick Snyder appointed Bailey to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Michigan State Parks and Outdoor Recreation and later to the Lake Superior State University Board of Trustees, where he served an eight-year term and chaired the board for two years.
His passion for conservation began early in life. At just 17 years old, Bailey testified before the U.S. Senate Interior Committee as part of the effort to include Isle Royale National Park in the National Wilderness Preservation System. He would go on to work as a National Park Ranger at Isle Royale and Grand Portage National Monument.
Bailey earned a Bachelor of Science in Park and Recreation Resources from Michigan State University and completed graduate studies in land use, resource economics, and environmental law. He later spent six years with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, working in water pollution control and hazardous waste management.
He also authored A North Country Almanac: Reflections of an Old-school Conservationist in a Modern World, a collection of essays reflecting on his career.
In recognition of his contributions, Bailey received the Thomas L. Washington Award for Lifetime Commitment to Conservation and Outdoor Recreation from the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in 2019 and was inducted into the Michigan Environmental Hall of Fame in 2012. Bailey, now residing near Petoskey with his wife, artist Heidi A. Marshall, continues to advocate for conservation across Michigan.
Lake Superior State University’s commencement ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the graduating class and recognize leaders who reflect the university’s commitment to education, stewardship, and community impact.
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