With Our Appreciation

September 1, 2018

As we approach the end of the Victors for UM-Dearborn campaign, we say thanks to you, our generous supporters, for the impact you have made. Our donors, alumni and friends are truly extraordinary.

Group of students dressed in U-M closing holding a thank you banner of balloons.

With a passion for this campus and all it can be, and the selfless dedication to put that passion into action, you are making great things happen at UM-Dearborn! Thousands of scholarships have been issued, hundreds of academic and research projects supported, and major improvements made to facilities. Together, we are truly transforming lives and powering the region. 

It would be impossible to list all the ways this commitment has made a difference on our campus, but here’s a look at some of the highlights.

Expanding Student Support

Your generosity has provided countless talented students with access to transformational educational opportunities that many would not otherwise have been able to afford. 

  • “The Kochoff Scholarship has meant so much to me. Every encounter on this campus has allowed me to grow and nourish — and I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without this scholarship.” — Camille Rice, International Studies and French Studies, Class of 2020; One of 760 Kochoff Pathway to Success Scholarship recipients
  • “I have gumption and I worked very hard to make it to where I did. But without this fund, I have no idea what I would have done. When I had fallen, the university lifted me up.” — Saleemah Morris (’17 B.A.), Get to Graduation Fund Scholarship recipient, whose medical condition caused a financial hardship that threatened to derail her education 

Camille Rice and Katrina Stack
Camille Rice and Katrina Stack have made the most of their college experiences thanks to your generous support.

Developing New Educational Initiatives

Your support strengthens and enhances our academic programs with experiential learning and inventive initiatives, adding critical perspective and context to students’ education. 

  • “In the four weeks I was in Poland, I learned more than any book could ever teach me ... I was challenged to see things in new ways and question the things I thought before.” — Katrina Stack (’16 B.A.), Student Study Abroad in Poland Scholarship recipient
  • “When I transferred to UM-Dearborn, I wasn’t interested in getting involved because my confidence was low. But I got so much from the Talent Gateway challenges. If you give a person the means and the support to face their fears, they can conquer anything — and I am proof of it.” — Octavia Edwards, Communication and Media Studies, Class of 2019; Talent Ambassador for Talent Gateway, a donor-supported initiative that prepares students for the 21st-century workplace

Transforming Learning Environments

With your help, we’re creating educational spaces that foster interdisciplinary study, collaboration and student-directed learning, giving students the skills and experiences they need to succeed. 

  • The new Engineering Lab Building will provide a framework 
for innovative academic programs, collaboration and student project space, and expanded research partnerships with industry. 

  • Research and training equipment in the Natural Sciences Building is helping us develop the next generation of scientific leaders. 

  • The new William and Electra Stamelos Gallery Center will provide greater access to the university’s art collection and more opportunities for educational programming. 


By the Numbers

 

Strengthening Faculty Support

Academic excellence requires outstanding faculty who are innovators and scholars, teachers and mentors. Your gifts help us attract and retain top-tier faculty and support their pioneering work.

  • College of Engineering and Computer Science Professor Yi Lu Murphey is discovering technologically advanced safety features for vehicles thanks to an industry gift. Her team of student researchers are working to perfect a car with 360-degree vision.

  • The Richard E. Czarnecki Collegiate Professorship is funded by a number of alumni, many of whom attribute their career success to the late professor. The award supports research and teaching excellence in the College of Business and most recently was awarded to Accounting and Finance Professor Brian Green.

We Still Need Your Support

We are heartened and inspired by the amazing support our donors have given since the start of the campaign. And yet there is still critical unmet need on our campus. Student scholarships, faculty support and facility upgrades continue to require further assistance.

There’s still time to give — for the first time or to make an additional gift. Become a Victor for UM-Dearborn today. You will ensure our students have access to a transformative UM-Dearborn education and help us end the campaign with a flourish.

Visit umdearborn.edu/giving or call 313-593-5130.