Go Blue Goes North!
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Summer is a special time of year here in Michigan.
From the beauty of the windswept sand dunes along Lake Michigan’s shore to an exciting night out at a festival or ball game in Detroit to a quiet trek amid the vast wilderness of the Upper Peninsula, so many of our state’s greatest assets are available for us to explore.
I look forward to enjoying some of our state’s beauty this week as the Board of Regents hosts its July 21 meeting in St. Ignace, marking the first-ever gathering of the university’s governing board in the U.P.
The meeting is a good reminder that the University of Michigan’s impact stretches well beyond our campuses in Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint to every corner of the Great Lakes State. It can be found in the students we educate and the patients we treat. It can be found in resources like the U-M Biological Station near Pellston and programs like Project Healthy Schools, which works in collaboration with community partners in more than 20 Upper Peninsula and seven northern Michigan schools. It can be found in our research that addresses some of the state’s most pressing economic, environmental and public health issues while contributing tens of millions of dollars to Michigan’s economy each year.
Since 2017, Michigan-based companies have received more than $517 million to supply goods and services for U-M research projects. That includes more than $9.4 million to support employment across large and small businesses in northern Michigan.
We are proud of that impact. From Ann Arbor to Detroit, Dearborn to Marquette, and Flint to Traverse City, the University of Michigan is committed to the continued prosperity of our state and its people.
Have a great summer,
Mary Sue Coleman
University of Michigan President
Board of Regents Northern Michigan Visit
U-M Regents will travel to northern Michigan this week, strengthening the binds that tie the university to all corners of the Great Lakes state. The northern Michigan visit will include stops at the U-M Biological Station in Pellston, Camp Michigania at Walloon Lake and a Board of Regents meeting in St. Ignace. Learn about the public events in St. Ignace on July 21.
U-M Awarded $53M to Expand Great Lakes Research
The $53M renewal is the largest sponsored award in U-M’s School for Environment and Sustainability history and will expand CIGLR, the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, where researchers work with NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory to help conserve Michigan’s natural resources.
Leadership Q&A: Elevating U-M’s Impact in Northern Michigan
Ahead of the Regents’ meeting in St. Ignace on July 21, Chair of the Board of Regents Paul Brown discussed the importance of U-M’s longstanding commitment to addressing challenges facing northern Michigan communities, ensuring U-M campuses are welcoming for everyone, and emphasizing that U-M belongs to all Michigan residents.
Space Startup Success in the Upper Peninsula
From the company’s headquarters in Houghton, the Orbion Space Technology team—led by U-M alumnus Dr. Lyon (Brad) King—has developed revolutionary small satellite propulsion systems designed to make spaceflight more simple, affordable and reliable.
Project Seeks to Improve Health for Michigan Farmworkers
The Michigan Farmworker Project is a community-based participatory research initiative led by School of Public Health epidemiologists aimed at improving the social and environmental health of Michigan’s farmworkers, who play a critical role in the state’s food supply chain.
Inspiring College Plans
An essential first step in going to college is filling out applications and securing financial aid. Through the Michigan College Advising Corps program (MCAC), recent U-M grads work as college advisors across Michigan to help first-generation and low-income students, and those from underrepresented communities, navigate the process.
