Central Michigan University Athletics
John (left) and Susan (right) Bradac pose with their grandsons, Caleb (left) and Cooper during a CMU basketball game, circa 2012.
Donor Spotlight: John and Susan Bradac
4/30/2020 12:04:00 PM | Chippewa Fund
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – When it comes to Central Michigan supporters, they don't come much more loyal, dedicated or generous than John and Susan Bradac.
The Mount Pleasant natives have been major supporters of Central Michigan Athletics from the get-go, and they continue that steadfast support today as members of the Chippewa Athletic Fund. They are 1100 Club members and Chippewa Champions for men's basketball and baseball and have generously contributed to capital projects over the years.
"I remember in kindergarten, first grade, going to Alumni Field behind Finch (Fieldhouse), going to basketball games at Finch," said John, who recently retired from Robinson Industries in Coleman, where he worked in human resources.
John's father, Joseph, was a geography professor at CMU and his mother, Mary, was the director of the reserve library. Both Joseph and Mary, who came to Mount Pleasant in 1952, received emeritus status with the university when they retired. Susan's family is also rooted in Mount Pleasant going back generations.
Their pedigree is through and through CMU and the Bradacs have been season ticket holders since the beginning of their 44-year marriage. They have two adult children and two grandchildren, and it would not be a stretch to consider the likes of Kelly/Shorts Stadium and/or McGuirk Arena a second home.
"I'm upset if I have an extra ticket that isn't being used," John said. "I'll get on the phone and I'll drag somebody along. My wife's side of the family is very large and they're local; it isn't hard to grab a nephew or a cousin to join us in going to the games. (Susan) was very religious as far as attending sporting events until the grandkids started bumping her from the tickets.
"For those students (playing), they are giving it everything they have and I'm going to be there through rain, snow, sleet, whatever."
Having grown up in Mount Pleasant, and with John's late parents having been a part of the academic fiber of the university, the Bradacs offer a unique insight into the role that the university, and its athletics program, plays as an institution of the community.
"We've seen it for all of our lives and what the university does for our community," John said. "I've seen CMU for all my life, I've seen how CMU is run, I've seen how the athletic department operates and it's something that we support. They do an excellent job."
It goes deeper than game attendance for the Bradacs. It's about the relationships and the connections they have made with university personnel, coaches and student-athletes. John said they recognize the critical role that athletics plays and the lifelong lessons that they impart, be they on the student-athletes or the community at large.
"We've had the pleasure of attending events that deal with CMU athletes and it's refreshing to chat with them and see what's going on in their lives," John said. "Athletics isn't the total drive for them either. They're going to have a life after athletics and that's encouraging. Everybody we talk to, all the students, they've got a goal, they know why they're here, they're very positive.
"Over the years I've been actively involved in community organizations and I've had the privilege of working with university students. You see them doing reading programs at the grade schools, you see them at Earth Day or at cleanup weekend around Mount Pleasant, you see them doing bottle drives or can drives for the right reasons."
That inspires a benevolence in the couple, and John said the gracious reception that he and Susan continually receive in dealing with CMU Athletics is particularly encouraging.
"There's no shortage of worthwhile projects to donate to in Mount Pleasant, and we find CMU Athletics part of that," John said. "The Chippewa Athletic Fund does an excellent job covering all the areas of need in athletics – all the sports, male, female, everything. Living here all these years, having parents affiliated with and associated with the university, I look at Central's mission as providing opportunities and part of that is athletics."
The Mount Pleasant natives have been major supporters of Central Michigan Athletics from the get-go, and they continue that steadfast support today as members of the Chippewa Athletic Fund. They are 1100 Club members and Chippewa Champions for men's basketball and baseball and have generously contributed to capital projects over the years.
"I remember in kindergarten, first grade, going to Alumni Field behind Finch (Fieldhouse), going to basketball games at Finch," said John, who recently retired from Robinson Industries in Coleman, where he worked in human resources.
John's father, Joseph, was a geography professor at CMU and his mother, Mary, was the director of the reserve library. Both Joseph and Mary, who came to Mount Pleasant in 1952, received emeritus status with the university when they retired. Susan's family is also rooted in Mount Pleasant going back generations.
Their pedigree is through and through CMU and the Bradacs have been season ticket holders since the beginning of their 44-year marriage. They have two adult children and two grandchildren, and it would not be a stretch to consider the likes of Kelly/Shorts Stadium and/or McGuirk Arena a second home.
"I'm upset if I have an extra ticket that isn't being used," John said. "I'll get on the phone and I'll drag somebody along. My wife's side of the family is very large and they're local; it isn't hard to grab a nephew or a cousin to join us in going to the games. (Susan) was very religious as far as attending sporting events until the grandkids started bumping her from the tickets.
"For those students (playing), they are giving it everything they have and I'm going to be there through rain, snow, sleet, whatever."
Having grown up in Mount Pleasant, and with John's late parents having been a part of the academic fiber of the university, the Bradacs offer a unique insight into the role that the university, and its athletics program, plays as an institution of the community.
"We've seen it for all of our lives and what the university does for our community," John said. "I've seen CMU for all my life, I've seen how CMU is run, I've seen how the athletic department operates and it's something that we support. They do an excellent job."
It goes deeper than game attendance for the Bradacs. It's about the relationships and the connections they have made with university personnel, coaches and student-athletes. John said they recognize the critical role that athletics plays and the lifelong lessons that they impart, be they on the student-athletes or the community at large.
"We've had the pleasure of attending events that deal with CMU athletes and it's refreshing to chat with them and see what's going on in their lives," John said. "Athletics isn't the total drive for them either. They're going to have a life after athletics and that's encouraging. Everybody we talk to, all the students, they've got a goal, they know why they're here, they're very positive.
"Over the years I've been actively involved in community organizations and I've had the privilege of working with university students. You see them doing reading programs at the grade schools, you see them at Earth Day or at cleanup weekend around Mount Pleasant, you see them doing bottle drives or can drives for the right reasons."
That inspires a benevolence in the couple, and John said the gracious reception that he and Susan continually receive in dealing with CMU Athletics is particularly encouraging.
"There's no shortage of worthwhile projects to donate to in Mount Pleasant, and we find CMU Athletics part of that," John said. "The Chippewa Athletic Fund does an excellent job covering all the areas of need in athletics – all the sports, male, female, everything. Living here all these years, having parents affiliated with and associated with the university, I look at Central's mission as providing opportunities and part of that is athletics."
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