V. Lane Rawlins Distinguished Lifetime Service Award

Honoring those who have dedicated their careers to advancing WSU

Recipients of this award have demonstrated great personal commitment to the university and community. Their excellent service in administration, teaching, research, extension, or a professional field has had a profound influence on the University’s direction and progress.

Michael David Griswold

Regents Professor Emeritus, School of Molecular Biosciences

Michael Griswold has spent 47 years on the WSU faculty, and has been a Regents Professor for the past fifteen. Griswold is the founding director of the School of Molecular Biosciences and was a Dean of the College of Sciences. Through his leadership and expertise, his department was able to create several new undergraduate programs while expanding existing programs. His dedication to his research and to the University has brought in over 20 million dollars in federal grants and has led to the establishment of the Center for Reproductive Biology. This research facility, one of the largest of its kind, trains the next generation of experts in the field and has established WSU as a leading institution for research in reproductive sciences. Michael’s primary National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant has been active for 45 years and is extended through 49 years- the longest running NIH grant ever at WSU.

In addition to his professional contributions to the university, Griswold shows a strong personal commitment to scholarship and his faculty. His extensive insight and strong leadership skills allow him to mentor his faculty while encouraging and promoting their careers; he has nominated several faculty members for awards to highlight their achievements. Griswold’s career is marked not only by his own achievements, but by his ability to uplift and encourage others.