President Emeritus Donald Carlyon
D. J. Carlyon was originally from Nebraska, then in 1960 he was hired as the business manager of Delta College and moved to Michigan with his family. In 1964 when President Samuel Marble left for the presidency of Saginaw Valley College (Saginaw Valley State University today), Carlyon was named the acting president and eventually named president in 1967. During his tenure he shifted the focus to be half vocational, half transfer, he added many programs including allied health and a partnership with General Motors, a relationship was built with Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology--Delta's Sister College--and many off campus centers were added. He was known for being innovative, one of his most ambitious projects being the Summer Project where he sent a dozen faculty members to community college campuses across the nation.
After serving Delta College for 32 years, 28 of those as president, he decided it was time to retire. He was given the honorable title of President Emeritus, and a tribute celebration to honor his and his wife, Betty's, contributions to Delta and the surrounding community. Even after retirement he stayed active serving on boards and committees just as he had during his career. After a long life of serving Delta and the community he passed away on May 26, 2025, at 100 years old. He left a lasting legacy on Delta and will be greatly missed.
Today an oil portrait gifted to him at the 25th celebration of his presidency, painted by a Delta alum, hangs in the Delta College library overlooking the D. J. Carlyon archival collection that he and his family generously donated to the Delta College archives.
For more information about his time at Delta check out the Digital Display