Dear Friends,

I am often asked, “Why should I send my child or grandchild to U-M? What’s special about a research university?”

My answer to questions about U-M’s value has three parts.

• We prepare many of the most talented students to succeed and fully participate in a global society, through a staggering array of top academic programs and opportunities unique to a public university of our breadth and scale.
• As a research university, we make the state, nation, and communities we serve more prosperous, through discoveries and innovations that drive economic growth and create jobs.
• We make the quality of life better – not just for our graduates, but for everyone, and not just through research and education, but also through our galleries and artistic performances, the cutting-edge health care provided by Michigan Medicine, and our outstanding athletics teams.

As an example, consider the job prospects of our graduates. Our Ross School of Business reports that more than 190 companies hired the school’s graduates in 2017. The report shows that 97 percent of full-time MBA graduates and 98 percent of BBA graduates from the class of 2017 had received at least one job offer within three months of graduation.

Graduates of our College of Literature, Science and the Arts, do just as well. Ninety-six percent of graduates are either employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation in fields such as education, research, nonprofits, health care, consulting, law, and banking.

• U-M student project inspires home sharing in Traverse City, Charlevoix
• Going the distance to save 15-month-old from Boyne City
• Using fire, logging to recreate a century of forest history at the U-M Biological Station
• Students in Escanaba learn about accepting differences in others
• Great Lakes waves can make lake viewing dangerous

• U-M secures grant to assist Detroit entrepreneurs
• Detroit-area middle school students will have access to STEM engagement opportunities
• Advanced manufacturing lab opens in Detroit
• ‘Sensors in a Shoebox’ empowers Detroit youth to rediscover their city
• U-M Ross students teach leadership lessons in a Detroit high school

• U-M Tech Transfer reports record number of new inventions
• U-M program has its finger on the pulse of biomedical and life science innovation, commercialization
• Industry partners investing $11M in second phase of Mcity funding
• New map offers snapshot of poverty, well-being in Michigan
• Statewide survey explores election problems, potential reforms
• U-M’s Fast Forward Medical Innovation receives EDA grant