Students thank faculty, staff for successful 2011 'Give the Difference' campaign

September 26, 2011

Students signing Faculty/Staff bannerFaculty and staff members who participated in the 2011 Faculty/Staff Campaign will receive a personal visit by a member of the Student Philanthropy Council this week.

Philanthropy council members are hand-delivering mementos to each donor who participated in Campaign.

As a member of the Student Philanthropy Council, Sabrina Ali (SOE ’12) will be one of those delivering mementos.  “I cherish and appreciate my experience at UM-Dearborn, and knowing how much our faculty and staff have given back during this campaign reaffirms my belief that they are both connected and committed to our campus community.”

In addition, a thank you banner, signed by students on Tuition Freedom Day in April (shown above), will be on display this week in the University Center and Fairlane Center.

UM-Dearborn faculty and staff generously contributed to the 2010-2011 “Give the Difference” campaign. Faculty and staff gifts to a specific school, college, department, program or scholarship play an important part in the success of every student who comes to UM-Dearborn.

The campus reached this year’s goal of 20 percent participation, which means more than 200 faculty and staff members contributed a total of just over $40,000 to the UM-Dearborn “Give the Difference” Faculty Staff Campaign.

Contributions of UM-Dearborn faculty and staff members are very important and directly fund innovative academic programs and research, support top-tier faculty and provide scholarships to the best and the brightest students. Funds raised through the campaign also provide the university with the means to respond to day-to-day demands, as well as those mandated by future growth. Employee giving sends a strong message of support and belief in the university’s mission to those that the university wants to support UM-Dearborn – alumni, friends, corporate partners and foundations.

UM-Dearborn applauds the enthusiasm of campaign co-chairs Ellen Judge-Gonzalez, director of the CASL SOAR program; Richard Moyer, professor of science education and natural sciences; and Chris Samfilippo, lecturer in the Department of Management Studies.

“I would like again to thank the campaign co-chairs. We would not have been able to run such a successful effort without these key volunteers. Thank you to every member of the campus community that helped make the University of Michigan-Dearborn-2011 “Give the Difference” Faculty/Staff Campaign a remarkable success,” said Cecile Aitchison, associate vice chancellor, Institutional Advancement.

The 2012 Faculty/Staff Campaign will kick off March 13, 2012. For more information, contact Kristin McDonough at [email protected] or 313-583-6428.