Michigan Matters: The Thompsons pay it forward and election issues

Michigan entrepreneurs Bob Thompson and his wife, Ellen Thompson, have been living the American Dream as they made a fortune selling their company, Thompson McCully, and then a second enterprise.

They then quietly gave away a huge chunk of the hundreds of millions they made from those sales to their employees and since then have been giving away millions more to young people for education through the Thompson Foundation.

They appear on Michigan Matters this Sunday to talk about it, higher education and why they are working with four colleges as they support young people who would not have been able to afford it without their scholarships.

Grand Valley State University President Philomena Mantella also appears, as the school is one of four colleges involved.

Then the focus is on politics, civility and issues that will resonate this fall in various elections as the roundtable of Matt Grossmann, director of the Michigan State University's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, former state legislator Tonya Schuitmaker, now co-director of MSU's Michigan Political Leadership Program, and Ned Staebler, president/CEO of TechTown in Detroit, appear.

The trio talks about data centers, the economy and inspiring voters in key races.

They also talk about MSU's unique Michigan Political Leadership Program, which is accepting applications through the end of September for the upcoming class. They select 24 fellows to attend the yearlong nonpartisan program.

Grossmann, a political scientist, discusses trends in Michigan voters and what makes them unique.

(Watch Michigan Matters at its new time: 5:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit and 9:30 a.m. Sundays on CW Detroit 50 WKBD). 

(Carol Cain is the 13-time Emmy-winning senior producer and host of Michigan Matters).