The John Paul Hartwig Literary Prize

A Scholarship Competition for Members of the Peninsular Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi.

The literary prize came about at a dinner attended by John’s ADPhi classmates the night before John’s funeral.  Pledges were made to create a scholarship fund in John’s name.  This group and others of his Alpha Delt brothers and John’s wife Patti gathered over $40,000 and found a permanent home for this award through the University of Michigan Office of Financial Aid and constitutes a gift for endowment.  The Prize will last, forever. 

The competition involves submitting an essay/research paper surrounding the life and contributions made by graduated members of The Peninsular Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi. Winning submissions will become a permanent record of members of the Fraternity. The obvious subject for the first competition had to be John Paul Hartwig P’67.

John Hartwig was born on February 9, 1945 in Adrian, Michigan.  Active in endeavors at Adrian High School, John played football, baseball and basketball and was involved in student government.  He also displayed talents with a leading role in his senior play.  An accomplished student, John received a UM mechanical engineering degree in 1967, an MBA from Wayne State University in 1969 and law degree in 1972.

John pledged ADPhi the second semester of his freshman year, partly as a result of recruiting by other active fraternity members from Adrian.  He became an active participant in all the events of the fraternity as a continuous house resident.  His future wife Patti was almost an Alpha Delt as well, being his constant date during those years in the 60’s.  John and Patti were married in 1969, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary shortly before his unexpected death on July 30, 2019.

As the fraternity encountered troubled housing and financial issues, John involved himself as a member of a small group of dedicated alums who worked to initiate a Capital Campaign to reconstruct the physical structure of the fraternity house as well as pave the way for a vibrant future community of Alpha Delts.  He helped to resolve long standing legal issues and to provide a vision and recruitment program for the fraternity for generations to come.  John had the ability to bring people together and provide encouragement and support for those around him.  John’s alumni members recognized him as a “playmaker” who delivered guidance and unwavering support to all brothers every step of the way.  These qualities were not limited to his fraternity experiences but were evident in his civic and philanthropic activities as well.

John had an interest in the literary heritage of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity of old.  He hoped to rekindle an interest in the literary competitions and traditions of the fraternity as part of its rebuilding.  Those wishing to continue this tradition may support The John Paul Hartwig Literary Prize with contributions to:

The Peninsular Foundation of Alpha Delta Phi
c/o The John Paul Hartwig Literary Prize
222 N. Clinton Ave., Suite 556
St. Johns, MI 48879