Dear Friends,

As we embark on the University of Michigan’s third century, I believe our future success will be defined in part by our ability to contribute to the solution of society’s most daunting problems by bringing to bear the full intellectual might of our academic breadth and depth.

Our aspirations for positive societal impact are deeply embedded in our mission as a public university – your university – to advance the good of society through research, education and service. We are also committed to affordability for all Michigan residents through initiatives like our Go Blue Guarantee and You Can Go Blue.

At my annual Leadership Breakfast earlier this month, I shared several announcements and updates that advance our two-centuries-old partnership with the people of Michigan.

• Precision Health at the University of Michigan is a new initiative that will provide unprecedented insights into human health and disease and lead to better treatments for patients. The initiative will support U-M researchers using large amounts of detailed genetic, physiological, behavioral and environmental data to predict and prevent disease or optimize individual treatment.

• Federal grant will help UM-Flint School of Nursing increase rural health care providers
• How the U-M Biological Station utilizes new student-built straw bale building
• Alumna serves working-class communities in Petoskey through occupational health

• Festival highlights U-M’s connections and commitment to Detroit
• U-M Center on Finance, Law and Policy secures grant to assist Detroit entrepreneurs
• U-M Ross School of Business and Detroit entrepreneurs join forces to create social and economic value for food ventures

• U-M programs spur job growth, receive economic development award
• Pure science, pure Michigan
• Medicaid expansion helped enrollees do better at work or in job searches
• U-M invests $600,000 in advanced transportation technologies