You are on page 1of 3

1

Social Welfare Policy 314


Seeketa Schimmel
Professor Diane McMillan
Adopt a Legislator
March 12, 2015

2
My Michigan State Senator is Vincent Gregory, who is the Senator from District 11,
which covers the following municipalities in Oakland County: Farmington, Farmington Hills,
Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant
Ridge, Royal Oak Township, and Southfield. Michigan State Senator Vincent Vince Gregory
graduated from Dundee Public Schools and attended Washtenaw Community College before
enlisting in the military. He is a Marine who served in Vietnam from Thanksgiving Day, 1969 to
Thanksgiving Day, 1970. He received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corp in April of
1971. In 1973, Vince Gregory joined the Wayne County Sheriffs Department, where he
achieved the ranks of Corporal and Detective. He also served as Vice President and President of
the Wayne County Sheriffs Local 502. He retired from the Wayne County Sheriffs Department
after 30 years of distinguished service. He also served as an Oakland County Commissioner in
the 21st District for ten years. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice
in 2007.
He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2008 and to the Michigan
Senate in 2010. He served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and was a member of the
Subcommittees of the Departments of Community Health, Human Services and State Police and
Military Affairs. He was also Minority Vice Chair on the Senate Families, Seniors and Human
Services Committee and Minority Vice Chair of the Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland
Security Committee. Senator Gregory was selected from among his peers in the Senate
Democratic Caucus to serve as Associate President Pro Tempore and Democratic Caucus Whip.
He also served as a member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission, a Joint Senate and
House Committee. He was elected to a second term in the Senate in 2014. Senator Gregory is
married to his wife of over thirty years, Yvonne, and they reside in Lathrup Village, Oakland

3
County, Michigan. The Gregorys have six adult children and six grandchildren. Senator Vincent
Gregory is a champion for legislation, policies and programs that positively impact veterans,
children and youth, and senior citizens and the disabled.
One of Senator Gregorys passions is advocating for rights of veterans. He sponsored the
Hire Michigan Heroes bill that would provide tax credits to employers who hire and train
veterans. He has also sponsored or supported bills regarding homeowner flood insurance and
regarding increasing time limits for Michigan Psychology doctoral programs to attain
accreditation or national registration.
This writer experienced empathy for Senator Gregorys commitment to causes that
affected him personally. He was a veteran and police officer who completed his college degrees
later in life. These life events have clearly inspired him to focus on legislation that helps people
with similar backgrounds, e.g. changes in higher education programs and maintaining veterans
rights with educational, health, and occupational support.
I could identify with these interests since, as a social work student ands future social
worker, I am interested in and passionate about issues that affect people who need someone in
the welfare system and the legislature who would advocate for them and for programs that would
improve their daily lives, e.g. improving child welfare policies, maintaining strong intact families
(especially in the African-American community), and improving the welfare system in general so
that it is transformed from a multi-generational entitlement program into an educational support
and job training program.

You might also like