'A mentor, a guide, a beacon of hope'
CMU honors the life of James Span Jr.
Portraits of Central Michigan University's Executive Director of Student Inclusion and Diversity James Span, Jr. were placed around the Office of Multicultural Academic Student Services at a reception after his remembrance ceremony on Dec. 5. (CM Life | Blace Carpenter)
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the title of Emma Massey. She currently serves as assistant director of mentoring initiatives within the MASS Office.
A leader, mentor, brother and son are just some of the titles that were given to James Span Jr. during his remembrance ceremony on Dec. 5.
Span was the executive director of the Office Student Inclusion and Diversity and died on Nov. 23. For the past week, he has been honored at several events across Central Michigan University's campus.
Damon Brown was one of many speakers who told the story of Span during his remembrance ceremony. He met Span during their time in college. He said Span's “passion for students was unmatched” and that he was always someone people could count on.
“He was a friend when I needed it, he was a shoulder to cry on,” Brown said. “There was always Dr. Span but there was also Reverend Span, and he provided lots of spiritual guidance and inspirational moments.”
According to CMU, Span came to the university in 2005 and served as a residence hall director in Campbell Hall. He then became a pre-major advisor from 2016 to 2019 and earn a Master of Science in Administration (MSA), majoring in leadership.
He became CMU’s associate director of cultural programming in the Office of Multicultural Academic Student Services that same year and shifted into the director position in July 2020.
Alejandro Gradilla has been serving as the senior director of the Center of Diversity and Inclusion and the MASS office during Span’s absence. During the ceremony, Gradilla thanked Span for everything he had done for CMU.
“I have had the honor of working with James for the past three years in the MASS office,” Gradilla said. “During that time, I had the opportunity to witness someone truly extraordinary.”
Emma Massey, assistant director of mentoring initiatives within the MASS Office, worked alongside Span as well. She said that she will remember Span for his leadership.
“I really want to just emphasize his leadership, his mentorship and the love he poured into others,” Massey said. “I think even for my own experience and how influential he was for me staying involved as a student but focus on my education and my academics.”
Span is survived by his mother Martha Hudson, his siblings and a number of family members and friends.
Hudson concluded the ceremony by thanking everyone who had been involved with her son’s career and personal life.
“He was a mentor, a guide, a beacon of hope for students,” Hudson said. “He was compassionate, full of wisdom and self-determination. He carried the values that made still to him and expanded them into a legacy of service, empathy and kindness.
"Rest in power, my dear son, you will always be loved, always be missed and always remembered.”
