Since the Michigan Difference Campaign began in 2000, alumni, friends, foundations, and corporations have given over $51 million to the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, helping the school to surpass our campaign goal of raising $42 million. Here is what our donors’ generosity has accomplished at the school:
1 new home, Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, made possible by $16.8M in gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
45 public lectures held in the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Auditorium since the 2006 grand opening of Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, many of which were supported by endowed donor funds.
1 endowed deanship, the Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy, which provides discretionary funds to be used by the dean to support important underfunded programs and initiatives.
4 endowed faculty chairs
- The Walter H. Annenberg Professorship of Education Policy.
- The J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professorship of Public Policy.
- The Allen Sinai Professorship of Macroeconomics, a joint appointment between the Ford School and the Department of Economics in LSA.
- Gail Wilensky Professorship of Applied Economics and Public Policy, a joint appointment between the Ford School and the Department of Economics in LSA.
15 named fellowships created for graduate students, 13 of which are endowed. Only 2 fellowships existed prior to the campaign.
78 graduate students received fellowship support fom the Ford School’s named fellowships since the beginning of the campaign.
145 graduate students received summer internship support from donors over the life of the campaign.
5 million dollars donated to support research conducted by faculty and post- doctoral fellows at the Ford School.
View the Michigan Difference video, featuring Ford School MPP student Matthew Alemu. The video highlights the most successful fundraising campaign in the University of Michigan’s history. The campaign raised $3.1 billion, enabling the university to greatly increase student financial aid; create new student programs; hire and retain outstanding faculty; support groundbreaking research; and provide new buildings for health care, public policy, arts and entertainment, and more.
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The campaign celebration video: