Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Retired Brigadier General Michael McDaniel Honored by Center for Homeland Defense and Security

LANSING, Mich. – Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Retired Brigadier General Michael McDaniel was honored by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Naval Postgraduate School for his commitment to homeland security education. McDaniel received the Christopher Bellavita Educator Award during the 2026 CHDS Alumni Professional Exchange Continuing Education Workshop in February. Named after Christopher Bellavita, former CHDS director of academic programs who was instrumental in developing the Master's program, the award recognizes individuals for innovation in advancing the homeland defense and security mission and is a distinction within the CHDS at the Naval Postgraduate School. McDaniel, who retired from Cooley in 2025, served the law school as professor, dean and director of Cooley’s Homeland and National Security Law LL.M. Program for 13 years. As a former state Homeland Security Advisor and member of Michigan’s National Guard, he was named co-chair of the state's task force on terrorism by Governor John Engler and Attorney General Jennifer Granholm following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Additionally, McDaniel’s leadership and homeland security knowledge was paramount in the Flint Water Crisis, as well as helping Lansing restore power to 96,000 residents – 40 percent of Lansing’s Board of Water and Light's customers – who had been without power for 11 days following a massive ice storm in 2013.