Hail to the Victors: Victors for UM-Dearborn campaign reaches its halfway mark

On October 24, 2014, University of Michigan-Dearborn publicly announced the $50 million Victors for UM-Dearborn campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history.

“We hope people will imagine doing things they never thought possible—for our students, our campus and our community,” said Mallory Simpson, vice chancellor for institutional advancement. “At UM-Dearborn, you can be directly involved. Here, you can make a big, big difference.”

More than 4,700 donors already have committed more than $25 million toward the campaign, achieving half of the university’s $50 million goal, including $17 million for student support. Donors are supporting student scholarships, faculty and student research, study abroad opportunities and innovative learning environments at UM-Dearborn.

Chancellor Daniel Little, addressing the crowd on the night of the announcement, said the Victors for UM-Dearborn campaign will support the next generation of metropolitan leaders.

“For more than 50 years, UM-Dearborn has worked for the greater good—transforming lives, creating victors to help shape the region,” he said. “Looking ahead, we see a UM-Dearborn that continues to play a vital role in developing the leaders of tomorrow—men and women able to address the complex challenges of southeast Michigan and other metropolitan areas across the nation.”

The campaign has received several standout pledges from notable UM-Dearborn alumni:

• The late Arthur (’92 B.A., ’96 B.A., ’09 Hon. LL.D.) and Mary Kochoff left behind an endowment gift of an estimated $12.5 million from their estate in support of student access to higher education. The bequest is the largest gift in UM-Dearborn history.

• Edwin Huang (’13 B.B.A.) established the Edwin Huang Endowed Scholarship in the College of Business to support supply chain undergraduates with financial needs. After receiving a scholarship and completing an internship with Ford Motor Company, Huang finished a degree in supply chain management and accepted a position at Ford. He established the endowed scholarship in his own name at age 22.

• John Junge (’64 B.S.E.), established the Junge Family Endowed Engineering Scholarship, which will provide two students who have graduated from the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) with a full scholarship from enrollment to graduation to study engineering at UM-Dearborn. One JRLA student will enroll this fall, and the second student will start in Fall 2016.

• Karen Holland (’82 B.A., ’96 M.P.A.) established the Holland Family Scholarship to recognize students performing community service. Holland endowed the scholarship with a stipend she received from the 2014-2015 Susan B. Anthony Campus Award.

The campaign—which will continue through the end of 2018—offers alumni and friends the opportunity to make a real and lasting difference in the future of UM-Dearborn and, in turn, the future of our region, our nation and our world.

“Our vision will be achieved with the committed and generous support of alumni, business partners and friends who share our goals, and who are willing to invest in the future of our region and the success of our future graduates,” said Little.

To learn more about the Victors for UM-Dearborn campaign and its priorities visit the Giving website.