Scholarships

'A once in a lifetime experience'

stuxbury — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:38:28 +0000

'A once in a lifetime experience' stuxbury Fri, 07/25/2025 - 17:38

Intrigued by movies and books that featured the Eiffel Tower, senior Bryanna Worthy wanted to go to France. Learning more about the country, she saw something special in the architecture, the food and the culture. She started taking language lessons as a high school freshman and continued through college. But she didn’t know if or when she’d ever visit.

Earlier this year, thanks to UM-Dearborn’s faculty-led “France Sites of Memory” Study Abroad experience, Worthy spent a week traveling the country while earning course credit. She saw castles, World War II sites, famous paintings and — of course — the Eiffel Tower.

Director of Global Engagement Scott Riggs said the university wants any student who wishes to study in another country to have that opportunity. There are both exchange programs and faculty-led study abroad programs available for interested students on the M-Navigator website. Upcoming experiences include travel to Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

Scholarships help students afford the travel — and the sooner students apply, the earlier they can learn about covered costs. “Applying does not mean you are committed to going — but it does start the process of seeing what scholarships and funding you qualify for,” Riggs said. “Last academic year, about $60,000 in aid for study abroad was given to 22 students. So it is not an insignificant amount.” A signature scholarship is the Go Global Guarantee, which is need-based support of up to $4,000. Interested in UM-Dearborn’s Study Abroad programs? Reach out with questions.

Bryanna Worthy, right, got to see the Eiffel Tower with her UM-Dearborn friends.

Worthy, who had her trip partially funded through the Go Global Guarantee, said her time in France was “a once in a lifetime experience.” And the communications major wanted to share it with readers in her words. Worthy is a blogger for the UM-Dearborn Admissions’ student blog. Below is an entry she wrote about her time in France, which is lightly edited for style and to add details.

Nothing is better than falling in love with a country after spending years learning the language. Over spring break, I had the opportunity to attend the France Sites of Memory 2025 study abroad. This experience was life-changing. I was able to connect with my professors, students and even the locals. As a student with eight years of experience learning French, here's a day-by-day rundown of how my journey went.

Day One: Bonjour, Paris
Our first day in Paris was short, but fun. We landed at the Charles de Gaulle airport around seven in the morning. Afterward, we headed straight for the hotel. Once we arrived, the rooms were not ready yet, so we headed to a nearby café, Le Bistro, for a coffee and lunch. I ordered a BLT with fries and everything was so fresh and amazing. After our petit lunch, we headed to see an antique chapel, Parisse Saint Merry, that was quite extraordinary,and went to Père Lachaise Cemetery where some of the most prominent French writers were buried. To top the night off, we headed to a quaint restaurant that had the best French onion soup I’ve ever tasted in my life. It was warm, rich and delicious.

The students explored the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Day Two: Bienvenue au palais de Versailles
During our trip to Versailles, we learned a lot about why the palace is built the way it is. Although the palace is 356 years old, it still holds its glory today. With an astonishing 357 mirrors in the hall of mirrors alone, the Sun King, Louis XIV, created a space that resembled the true French identity. For the duration of my visit, each and every corner of the palais left me in awe. From the jardins (gardens) to the private estates, Versailles won my heart. With the Greek and Roman influences, the palace has such a rich historical connection and display. King Louis XIV really demonstrated his power and achievements through the 357 mirrors in the “salle de glace” — hall of mirrors — which reflected the painted walls that displayed his achievements through Greek, Roman and Christian references. One day was not enough to see everything that Versailles had to offer.

The students saw art, like the Mona Lisa, while on a guided tour at the Louvre.

Day Three: Paris, Je t’aime toujours
Our third day in Paris was magical. We started our morning with the most perfect petit déjeuner (breakfast) that had croissants, fromage (cheese) and assorted fruits. In one word, it was parfait! After breakfast, we headed to Le Louvre, which had so much art history about France and other countries. Our guided tour provided stories behind these great works of art, one of which was the Mona Lisa. Leonardo da Vinci created it between 1503 and 1517 — and it was stolen from Le Louvre in 1911, returning a couple years later. Before leaving Le Louvre, we were able to stop at the iconic Laduree Patisserie, which had the best macarons and cutesy gift items a person could imagine. After our trip to Le Louvre, we visited an area in Paris not far from Notre Dame that had small cafés, shopping and plenty of sightseeing. We also had a movie-esque outdoor lunch with a view of the quaint streets of Paris. Once we finished our lunch, we headed to the Latin Quarter, where students of Paris have studied for many years. In this part of the voyage, we were able to witness beautiful architecture that was hundreds of years old. Afterward, we had dinner at Les Noces de Jeannette (the Weddings of Jeannette). This restaurant has every bit of elegance and composure that one could have imagined. The restaurant, located near the Opera, had timeless decor that brought the scenery to life. When our night came to an end, we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower. The tower is embedded with approximately 20,000 lights that sparkle over Paris. Every student that attended this part of the trip was blown away. We were taken aback by its beauty, by its culture and by its history. All in all, day three was most definitely my favorite!

When in Tours, the students visited several castles, including Château de Chambord.

Day Four: Les Châteaux
Day four was a sweet memory as well. Monday morning, we woke up early and headed to Tours, France, where we went to tour the castles. Upon arrival, Provost (now Chancellor) Gabriella Scarlatta gave us the historical background of the castle we visited. After the guided tour of Château de Chambord, we had lunch right on the premises. Then once we were finished, we headed to our second castle, Château D'amboise, which was — in one word — magnifique! It had the most gorgeous small chapel on its grounds, as well as a beautiful view from the top of the castle that overlooked the town and river. For dinner, we went to a fun and elegant restaurant called Bistro Rossini, where I ate a chicken and potatoes dish that went along with a tomato sauce on top. When the day came to an end, we headed to our hotel, aptly named Le Grande Hotel De Tours. A hotel that was, in fact, grand.

Bryanna Worthy saw the sea for the first time when at the Gulf of Saint-Malo.

Day Five: St. Malo
Day five is another one of my favorites. We started the day early and took a walk around the city of Tours, where we saw ancient buildings, many from the medieval period, that were still intact. Then, after visiting a few hidden gems, we visited our last castle, Château d'Azay- le-Rideau, which was one of my favorites. It had a beautiful, serene stream running through it and a gorgeous, petite garden all around. The castle itself was small, but had a demanding presence. After our tour (which had a guided speaker phone), we headed to St. Malo, which is where we saw the sea. This was my first time seeing the sea, and I have to say, it was magnificent. As the day was winding to a close and the sun was setting on the horizon, it was a moment I will never forget.

Students took photos as they approached Mont St. Michel.

Day Six: Mont Saint-Michel
Day six was probably one of our busiest days. We headed to the tidal island of Mont St. Michel, located off the coast of Normandy, to visit the monastery, which is hundreds of years old. The monastery was massive and currently houses 10 monks and 10 nuns. The building has had many uses since it was first built, including its original purpose as a monastery and as a prison cell in the 17th century. This gothic site of memory left many students astonished. Also, in order to visit the monastery, you must walk up the steps to the top and, once you leave, you have to pay to return. Although this site involved a lot of cardio, it was still a cool experience. To end the evening, we had dinner in an old farmhouse that’s now a restaurant, La Ferme Saint-Michel, and finished off our feast with a game of Uno.

Day Seven: Bayeux
For day seven, we made our way to the Utah Beaches located in Normandy, where WWII took place. Here we had a tour guide who took us through the Utah Beach Landing Museum and gave us a historic lesson on what happened during WWII, and the Utah Beaches, specifically. Our tour guide even gave us time to look inside the building, which had various WWII machinery and artifacts. We also had a chance to visit the beaches themselves, which were gorgeous. After our trip there, we took our bus to Bayeux. Since we only had the chance to spend half a day and the night in Bayeux, we stayed in this beautiful hotel called Lion d’Or (which several celebrities stayed at). After we received our rooms, we headed out for lunch and went to visit this very ancient cathedral, the Notre Dame de Bayeux (during Lent). The cathedral there was one of my favorites because it was so dark and medieval, yet it still had so much history behind it. To end the night, we separated into three main groups. Those who were tired could rest at the hotel, those who wanted to visit more historical sites, and those who wanted to go shopping. I was in the shopping group and got a purse, shirt and a dress.

Day Eight: Au revoir à France
Our final day in Paris was divided up between travel and exploring. We took a bus from Normandy, France, down to Paris. We arrived around noon and strolled the streets of Paris and ate lunch near the Eiffel Tower. After our lunch, we headed to the Catacombs of Paris. Although the experience as a whole was quite intriguing, it was probably my least favorite. We walked 100 steps underground to reach the catacombs. It's so far down that it is underneath the metro. You also can't return the way you came in, you must continue straight out of the underground. Since the last day was unlike the rest, we did have more time to go shopping in Paris, where we went to the Opera shopping district, which was exhilarating. Finally, to end the night, we had an “Au revoir” dinner at this amazing Italian restaurant, Les Rupins, and we watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle one last time.

Story by Bryanna Worthy and Sarah Tuxbury. Photos courtesy of Bryanna Worthy.

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Fri, 07/25/2025 - 21:36

Communications senior Bryanna Worthy, who traveled to France for a 2025 Study Abroad program, shares what it was like to explore a country that she's always wanted to see.

In spring 2025, UM-Dearborn students — including Bryanna Worthy, third from right — experienced France through a Study Abroad excursion.

News

UM-Dearborn named an Opportunity University

stuxbury — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:18:27 +0000

UM-Dearborn named an Opportunity University stuxbury Mon, 07/21/2025 - 07:18

At UM-Dearborn, 50% of students are Pell-eligible. The university has the second lowest tuition among the state's 15 public universities and ranks No. 4 for student earnings after graduation.

As a result of numbers like these, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education recently named UM-Dearborn a top-tier “Opportunity University” through their new Student Access and Earnings Classification. UM-Dearborn is one of four public Michigan universities on this list, along with Central Michigan University, Ferris State University and UM-Flint.

The Student Access and Earnings Classification is based on data from universities across the U.S. indicating the degree of access for students from lower socioeconomic and historically underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds, as well as the wages of Pell-eligible students eight years after enrolling. Here's the methodology.

Annesha Hardy

Annesha Hardy, a Fall 2024 alum who majored in marketing, said she’s not surprised to hear this news — it reflects her story. Hardy, a Pell-eligible student who grew up in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood, landed a technical business developer role at Amazon Web Services in Seattle immediately after graduation. “Growing up, you hear the phrase ‘dream big’ — but that’s hard to do when you live in an environment that’s disadvantaged and you don’t know what’s possible for you,” Hardy said. “The people at UM-Dearborn are focused on helping you learn how to do that — and then work to reach what that means to you.”

Hardy — who noted that Amazon was impressed by the AI knowledge she gained through her College of Business curriculum — said that, from the beginning of her educational journey until her graduation, people were there to help. She had mentors from student organizations, like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Hardy received career coaching and sought internships through Career Services. And, right before graduation when Hardy struggled with financial hardship, UM-Dearborn staff members connected her to a scholarship opportunity. “I was working almost full time and going to school full time, but it wasn’t enough. I was running out of resources. When I shared with Dean of Students Amy Finley that I was worried, she told me about the Edward J. Bagale Difference Makers Scholarship — it couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Hardy, who was a 2024 UM-Dearborn Difference Maker.

When it comes to the accessibility part of the Opportunity University designation, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Melissa Stone said UM-Dearborn’s accessibility and affordability mission is affirmed through the data that the Carnegie Foundation reviewed.

To increase access, the university reworked its financial aid program in 2021 to open doors for more students. The UM-Dearborn Go Blue Guarantee Program, which offers free or reduced tuition to high achieving students from low-income situations, started in 2021. And, in 2025, GBG expanded the scholarship to students whose families make up to $125,000 a year.

“There is immense value in education. There’s the critical thinking skills you gain that will be beneficial to you throughout your life. Education opens doors for career and increased earning opportunities,” Stone said. Among people ages 22 to 27, the average median income in the U.S. is $60,000 for someone with a bachelor’s degree, compared to $36,000 for someone with a high school diploma.

“Looking at lifetime earning numbers, data shows the impact of a college degree can change the trajectory of someone’s life and the lives of people around them. And this extends to their community, region and our state,” Stone adds. And a vast majority of UM-Dearborn students stay in Michigan: 95% of students who accepted employment in 2023-24 remained in the state.

Fatmah Saleh

Alum Fatmah Saleh, a Pell-eligible student who graduated in spring 2025, grew up, went to school and continues to live in Dearborn. Prior to commencement, she accepted a full-time international accounting analyst position at Stellantis. “My degree has helped me build a life where I have a job at a company I care about while living in a community I love. And I’m able to work hybrid, so I have the opportunity to be home with my mom, too,” she said. Saleh, an accounting major, has worked full time since her high school graduation to help support her mom, who has a long-term illness. Saleh is her mom’s caregiver. Her father passed away when she was six.

While the cost of attending UM-Dearborn is among the lowest within Michigan’s public universities, UM-Dearborn grads’ annual earnings are very competitive. According to Student Access and Earnings Classification data, UM-Dearborn Pell grant recipients go on to earn a median income of $57,847, while median earnings in the region are $37,232.

When including both Pell-eligible and non-Pell-eligible students at UM-Dearborn, the average salary earned is just above $62,000, said Career Services Director Laurel Draudt. The Career Services team surveys graduating undergraduate students six months postgraduation for the annual National Association of Colleges and Employers First Destination self-reporting survey.

Both Saleh and Hardy are pleased with the jobs they landed after earning their degrees and the earnings that come with those. They credit UM-Dearborn’s career support offerings — as well as their own tenacity and drive — as instrumental in their achievements. Both had internships that they found after attending career fairs: Hardy at ADP and Amazon, Saleh at Yakuzi and Stellantis.

Draudt says internships are key because employers use them to find top talent, as was the case for Hardy and Saleh. She says UM-Dearborn makes an effort to get the message out to all students to get involved in internship fairs, mentoring programs and resume workshops starting the first year. “The sooner you get involved, the more competitive you will be,” she said. Draudt said Career Services has had 931 interactions with Pell-eligible students since they began recording student interactions in Fall 2022.

The success of the Pell-eligible students they have worked with is reflected in student testimony and the data gathered in the Opportunity University designation. But Draudt wants to do more: “We need to continue getting the word out to our students, many of whom are first in their families to go to college. It’s especially important to reach them because they may not have someone at home to let them know that these opportunities are right here,” she said. Career Services holds internship and job fairs twice a year, and offers job outlook resources that include average salary numbers, networking events, virtual interview coaching and more.

Hardy said UM-Dearborn offers a supportive community that helped build her skill set, resume and confidence. She’s now eyeing graduate school to understand the more technical side of her field.“I’m dreaming big. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time at UM-Dearborn,” she said. “Getting into UM-Dearborn got me into the rooms — classrooms, interview rooms, board rooms — that changed my life.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

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Mon, 07/21/2025 - 11:17

New Carnegie designation recognizes schools with high access and post-grad earnings.

Alum Annesha Hardy, pictured above, said she’s not surprised to hear that UM-Dearborn was named an Opportunity University for its work with Pell-eligible students — it reflects her story. Photo by Derek Juntunen

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Athletics are a big driver of Canadian undergraduate enrollment

lblouin — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:06:31 +0000

Athletics are a big driver of Canadian undergraduate enrollment lblouin Mon, 07/14/2025 - 09:06

Senior Cadence Pero, an Ontario native who’s one of the captains of the UM-Dearborn Women’s Ice Hockey team, never thought she’d be playing collegiate hockey. In Canada, the competition is stiff for rosters on professional teams or at Canadian universities, and Pero assumed she simply wasn’t good enough or wouldn’t get noticed. But when she was 16 years old and playing in a league in London, she ended up chatting with one of her teammates, who had just signed to play at UM-Dearborn. Following her teammate’s lead, she set up a profile on a recruiting site, where she discovered that she might have a lot more opportunities to play in college than she thought — if she was willing to go to the United States. There were dozens of schools, both in the NCAA’s Division III and in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, the league in which UM-Dearborn plays, that were looking for players.

To her surprise, Pero started getting recruited by several American colleges and reached out to several more, including UM-Dearborn, which showed interest in her. She eventually narrowed it down to UM-Dearborn and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where her uncle played NCAA Division I golf and her cousin is currently playing golf as well. Pero says UM-Dearborn won out for a few reasons. For one, it’s only two and a half hours from her home, so her family could “be part of this experience with me.” (Pero says her grandparents come to almost every game.) She was also impressed by the athletic and residential facilities. The women’s team had its own locker room and UM-Dearborn had its own rink, so she could practice anytime. And the Union, where many student-athletes from outside the metro area choose to live, had full apartments rather than the one-room dorms and communal bathrooms she was expecting. Pero also says the University of Michigan name carries more weight back in Ontario. “The Michigan degree, that was a big thing for my parents,” she says. “I thought about schools like Indiana Tech. But if you’re going back home with a degree from Michigan or Michigan State, you’re going to have more opportunities.”

One other big factor was affordability. Pero had excellent grades in high school and thus qualified for UM-Dearborn’s merit-based international undergraduate scholarship, which “basically knocks off the out-of-state fees.” Women’s Ice Hockey Head Coach Carrie Sirola says that’s something she hears a lot from her Canadian players. “We’re not able to offer them athletic scholarships, but the international scholarship that UM-Dearborn offers, which is based on high school GPA, can make a huge difference,” Sirola says. “So if a kid has a 4.0, I know they're going to get $12,500 a year. I can tell them, if you want to play, you’re going to get a fair bit of financial aid here.” Sirola says that scholarship — along with the high level of hockey that the women’s team is earning a reputation for — has been a big reason she can now court more Canadian players. Back when the team was founded in 2019 and Sirola was an assistant coach, she says the team was filling the roster mostly with student-athletes from the metro Detroit area. But she could foresee that building the team would likely require recruiting in Canada. “I would be doing recon on our opponents and every single team in the U.S. now has Canadian kids,” she says. This past year, UM-Dearborn’s team featured 14 Canadians and 10 Americans — the first year the team has had a Canadian majority. Because of the scholarship, Sirola says she’s started to become more “particular” about who she recruits. “I’ve started to mostly recruit kids who have a 3.0 or higher, because I know we’re going to be able to offer them financial aid,” she says.

Sirola says her recruitment doesn’t always resemble how it’s often portrayed in movies or TV, where eager coaches come watch from the sidelines and make a pitch to kids and parents. For starters, Sirola says most of her recruitment activity is online now. Athletes use recruiting websites or YouTube to upload their highlight reels, and if there’s a mutual interest, a lot of the subsequent communication happens via email before the students come for a tour. Interestingly, Sirola says a lot of the Canadian players who end up on the roster actually find her rather than the other way around. She says this is largely due to a substantial supply and demand problem: Because hockey is so popular in Canada, there are simply more players in Canada, especially at the mid-level talent band, than there are spots on Canadian college rosters. So college-bound students who want to keep playing find they have many more opportunities if they reach out to teams in the U.S., where hockey isn’t as popular but college teams are more plentiful. “Occasionally, I’ll find a kid and reach out to them. But it’s going to be harder to get them to come because they’re going to have offers from other coaches,” Sirola says. “I find it’s easier for me to sign kids that really want to come here.”

That an American university close to the Canadian border would be drawing hockey players from Canada, where hockey is a national obsession, isn’t all that surprising. But Craig Cotter, head coach of the UM-Dearborn Baseball team, says a lot of Sirola’s experience rings true for him, too. Cotter and his assistant coaches started to notice more Canadians on their opponents’ rosters, and so they started scouting Canadian kids on recruiting sites. A couple guys from the coaching staff even attended some combines in Canada to scout potential recruits in person. This year, UM-Dearborn had three Canadians on the roster — including a first-year student who Cotter says was the standout player for the team. Cotter says the selling points that seem to be drawing hockey players are pretty similar for his players: Ontario kids like that UM-Dearborn is just across the border (although one of his players came all the way from Alberta); students love the accommodations at the Union; and the international undergraduate scholarship makes the out-of-state tuition much more affordable for students who did well in high school. Interestingly, the supply and demand dynamic that brings hockey players to the U.S. works a little differently for baseball, though it still seems to benefit American colleges. “Baseball in Canada is just not that big a deal compared to a sport like hockey,” Cotter says. “So kids at that sort of mid-talent level, if they want to keep playing through their college years, are going to find way more opportunities in the U.S.”

UM-Dearborn doesn’t keep stats on countries of origin for its student-athletes. But using some back-of-the-envelope math, athletics seems to be driving undergraduate enrollment from Canada, which is now the university’s second-largest source for undergrads, and very close to overtaking the top spot, now held by India. Francisco Lopez, UM-Dearborn’s director of international affairs, says there were 26 Canadian undergraduate students enrolled in 2024-25. So adding Sirola’s 14, Cotter’s three, and the five Canadian student-athletes on the men’s ice hockey team, it’s safe to say that athletes account for the large majority of Canadian undergraduates. Which begs the question: Will the university continue to experience growth in this area? Cotter and Sirola aren’t bullish about that forecast, at least for their teams. One thing that’s on both their minds: the current exchange rate. The Canadian dollar has fallen to its lowest level in a decade relative to the U.S. dollar (right now, it’s 72 cents), which puts Canadian families at a disadvantage when paying for college. Because of this, Sirola says she’s thinking of shifting her recruiting focus away from Canada and to communities in Michigan outside of the metro area. (Interestingly, she says she has trouble recruiting kids in the territory where most of UM-Dearborn’s undergrads hail from.) Meanwhile, Cotter is looking to recruit more out-of-state students, especially in southern states, where baseball can be a year round sport and there is a lot of mid-level talent. As with his Canadian athletes, he says his best recruiting tool is often an academic scholarship the university offers to high-achieving high school graduates from out of state. “The Michigan degree is desirable throughout the country,” Cotter says. “So I’m hopeful we’re going to get kids that, yes, want to keep playing, but come for that degree.”

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Story by Lou Blouin

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Mon, 07/14/2025 - 13:05

Canada is now the university’s second-largest source for international undergraduate students. Sports are often the draw. But coaches say academic scholarships are greasing the wheels.

With stiff competition in Canada, Ontario native Cadence Pero never thought she'd be playing collegiate hockey. She found many more opportunities on the American side of the border. Photo by Annie Barker

News

UM-Dearborn FY26 budget approved at June 12 Regents’ meeting

stuxbury — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:02:14 +0000

UM-Dearborn FY26 budget approved at June 12 Regents’ meeting stuxbury Thu, 06/12/2025 - 12:02

The Board of Regents approved UM-Dearborn’s $184 million fiscal year 2026 general fund budget proposal at its June 12 meeting.

The FY26 budget allocates nearly $30 million in institutional financial aid. Led by the Go Blue Guarantee, this figure accounts for half of the scholarships and grants awarded to UM-Dearborn students. Additional sources of aid include the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Pell Grants.

Through these and other sources, 1,600 UM-Dearborn students received enough scholarships and grant aid to fully cover their tuition and fees in 2024-25 and 94% of first-time students received enough aid that their unmet need was less than $2,000 a year. With the University of Michigan’s recent expansion of the Go Blue Guarantee to include Michigan families with annual incomes up to $125,000, even more students are expected to receive full tuition coverage in the coming academic year.

The budget includes an undergraduate tuition increase of 3.9%, equating to $300 for in-state students and $636 for out-of-state students, per semester. The increase is below Michigan’s tuition restraint amount of 4.5%. Increases for many students are expected to be offset by the university’s expanded full-tuition assistance programs.

Graduate student tuition is being restructured starting in the 2025-26 academic year — all graduate credit hours, across colleges, will now have a consistent per credit rate. Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Melissa Stone said this new fee structure will simplify tuition planning and payment for graduate students and that cost impacts will vary. Visit the graduate tuition website for more information.

Scholarships will reduce the impact for the majority of students who will see an increase, Stone said. “We have increased our scholarships and grants to mitigate this change,” she said. “Our goal was to create a simplified fee structure that was transparent so that students know up front what the costs will be.”

Undergraduate upper division course premium assessments in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters and the College of Education, Health, and Human Services will also increase by $4 per credit hour. The upper division course premium assessments are unchanged for the College of Business and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey said all efforts were made to keep the tuition increase as low as possible. Factors impacting the decision include escalating inflation, an expected flat state appropriation compared to last year and insurance increases.

University health care costs are increasing nearly 8% and dental costs are rising more than 12%, in addition to significant increases over the last two fiscal years. Other insurance costs, such as property and casualty insurance, will increase by as much as 9%, and utilities are increasing by 4%.

The FY26 budget also includes merit increases of up to 3% for employees, following more modest increases in previous years. The increases will take effect July 1.

“An annual merit increase is part of our concerted effort to retain the dedicated faculty and staff who support our students,” Dadey said.

The budget also accounts for the renovation of the Social Sciences and the Administration buildings to accommodate the closing of the Fairlane Center and consolidation of all four colleges on the main campus — a move that will ultimately reduce future operating costs. CEHHS will be moving to the AB in fall 2026 and COB will be moving into the SSB in fall 2027.

“Our FY26 budget is designed to keep a UM-Dearborn education accessible and affordable to students across southeast Michigan and beyond, while keeping in mind fiscal realities,” said interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta. “In the coming year, we look forward to helping even more students earn practice-based college degrees, study with world-class faculty and graduate into rewarding careers.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

Administration & Governance

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Thu, 06/12/2025 - 16:01

Expanded Go Blue Guarantee to provide free tuition to growing number of students.

Photo by Emily Barrett-Adkins

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Make your Destination Dearborn

stuxbury — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 03:23:17 +0000

Make your Destination Dearborn stuxbury Mon, 06/13/2022 - 23:23

The southeastern Michigan percentage for job growth is higher than the national average increase — with large gains in business, manufacturing and professional services.

With many high-wage career paths requiring knowledge and networks that are gained through earning a Bachelor’s degree — thanks to the lessons learned through internships, co-ops, course capstone projects, research work and more — people are continuing to look for bridges to strengthen their skills and career prospects.

UM-Dearborn, with its strong industry connections and Block M name, knows how important these experiences — and access to these experiences — are. That’s where Destination Dearborn comes in.

Destination Dearborn is for undergraduate students who begin their higher ed careers at two-year colleges, but plan to continue toward a four-year degree.

UM-Dearborn Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Melissa Stone said students often say they want to continue their education after earning an associates degree. But the process can be frustrating if the transition to earning a bachelor’s degree isn’t clear. Destination Dearborn is our renewed commitment to provide resources and support to students on what they’ll need for a bachelor’s degree at the beginning of their college career instead of waiting until their two-year degree is nearly complete.

“We want to remove obstacles and guide these students from the beginning so that they take the right classes early for their chosen major, which will save time and money,” Stone said. “We also want students to have the experiences in a two-year college — like making sure they have the foundational skills needed for their dream job — that will help them succeed at UM-Dearborn and beyond.”

A Partnership for Strengthening Education and the Region

For 60-plus years, UM-Dearborn and Henry Ford College (HFC) have provided the southeastern Michigan community with knowledge and skills needed for top-level careers.

The long-standing history and close proximity — the campuses were recently connected by a new walkway located near UM-Dearborn’s parking structure, further eliminates barriers between the two schools — makes HFC the ideal Destination Dearborn partner for the Destination Dearborn’s program launch.

“By leveraging the strengths of our two campuses, we are able to provide enhanced access opportunities to our southeast Michigan students,” said UM-Dearborn Undergraduate Enrollment Management Director Urana Pridemore.

Beginning with the Fall 2022 semester, Henry Ford College students who indicate on their admission application their plans to transfer to UM-Dearborn will be contacted in the Fall to determine interest in the program. In addition, current HFC students will have an opportunity to complete a “Declaration to Transfer" form to indicate their interest in a Dearborn Wolverine degree. This can be done up to completion of 30 HFC credits to ensure a beneficial and efficient degree plan.

Here’s how Destination Dearborn works:

Students interested in transferring will have a dedicated team to make sure every credit counts. They will receive specialized support in developing a clear degree plan. This guidance and aligned curriculum ensures all credits transfer toward your selected degree program.
There’s a seamless application process and guaranteed admission once an associates degree is completed, if a student meets program requirements.
Students become a part of ÿ�մ��’s campus before enrolling. They will have access to the campus’ recreational facilities, connect with key library resources and research support and get support with job, internship and co-curricular experiences.

In addition, Pridemore and Stone said that all students who participate in the program — which include developing and staying on track with their four-year degree plan, engaging with UM-Dearborn on events designed to support early engagement, and completing their associates within three years with a 2.75 cumulative GPA — will be eligible for UM-Dearborn’s top transfer student funding awards for up to four semesters.

Preparing Michigan for the Future

Between these enhanced transfer student financial aid awards and the UM-Dearborn’s Go Blue Guarantee, UM-Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso says many of Destination Dearborn’s students have the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree at a very low cost.

Continuing the community education mission UM-Dearborn has had for six-plus decades, Grasso said it’s important to help the state of Michigan reach its goal of creating a stronger economy by increasing the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree from 45% to 60% by 2030.

Grasso said the university will continue developing ways to support highly qualified, talented and motivated students to succeed in a 21st century workforce because college education reaches beyond just preparing one individual — it is a transformative experience that impacts families and communities.

In addition to this new program, UM-Dearborn also has several inclusive financial aid programs available to benefit transfers interested in completing their Bachelor’s degree, such as Focus on the Finish, that supports working adults who complete their associates under the State of Michigan Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs or our Dearborn Comeback for students who may have left without their degree and can receive funding to help complete their degree.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

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Tue, 06/14/2022 - 03:23

Destination Dearborn — a new program for transfer students from two-year colleges — guides prospective UM-Dearborn degree seekers through enhanced academic advising, increased financial aid, career-ready resources and more.

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Regents approve UM-Dearborn budget and extension of Go Blue Guarantee

lblouin — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 15:17:10 +0000

Regents approve UM-Dearborn budget and extension of Go Blue Guarantee lblouin Thu, 06/17/2021 - 11:17

Chancellor's Pond in the summer

The Board of Regents affirmed ÿ�մ��’s commitment to student success, academic excellence and creating access and opportunity for qualified students, with the approval of the university’s $155 million 2021-2022 general fund operating budget on June 17.

The FY '22 budget includes a 1.9 percent tuition increase, which aligns with the Higher Education Price Index and is well below what the state of Michigan is expected to set as a cap on how much universities can increase tuition this year. Campus leaders said the increase is the lowest possible to maintain the academic excellence expected at UM-Dearborn.

“As UM-Dearborn continues to be challenged to serve students with limited state support, maintaining the excellence of our education programs and ensuring access to the university are among our top priorities,'' said Domenico Grasso, chancellor, UM-Dearborn. “Accordingly, we continually increase financial aid awards for students for merit and demonstrated financial need with approximately 88 percent of our state of Michigan appropriation going directly to students via financial aid.”

The Regents also extended the Go Blue Guarantee – U-M’s landmark promise of four years of free tuition for high-achieving in-state undergraduate students from low-income backgrounds – to the Dearborn and Flint campuses.

Beginning this fall, full-time, high-achieving undergraduate in-state students attending UM-Dearborn will automatically qualify for the award if they have a family income of $65,000 or less and assets below $50,000.

In addition to meeting the income and asset provisions, incoming first-time college students need a high school GPA of at least 3.5 to qualify for the Go Blue Guarantee and will be eligible for up to eight semesters of free tuition. Incoming transfer students need a transfer GPA of at least 3.5 and will be eligible for up to four semesters of free tuition. Returning students at UM-Dearborn who have not exceeded the semester limit as noted will be eligible starting this fall and must have a GPA of at least 3.0. Program specifics are available on the UM-Dearborn Go Blue Guarantee website with additional information added as it becomes available.

The initiative is supported at UM-Dearborn by a lead gift from Kathy and Jim Hackett.

“Our campus has been piloting this program for the past year. Today’s announcement of the extension of the Go Blue Guarantee to UM-Dearborn will allow us to continue our efforts to focus on providing an accessible University of Michigan education to high-achieving students throughout southeast Michigan,” said Grasso. “We are grateful for the leadership of President Schlissel, the Regents and our philanthropic partners on bringing this important initiative to our campus.”

“The Flint and Dearborn campuses are incredibly important to the university as a whole, and the extension of the Go Blue Guarantee to these hardworking and intelligent students is very well deserved,” said Michael J. Behm, regent, University of Michigan. “Thanks to President Schlissel and Chancellors Grasso and Dutta for working tirelessly to make a U of M education a reality for so many young citizens of the state of Michigan.”

Last year, UM-Dearborn introduced a block tuition structure to encourage undergraduate students to take increased course loads and graduate more quickly and economically.

With the 1.9 percent increase in tuition, full-time, in-state, undergraduate students will see a $264 annual increase to $13,816. Out-of-state undergraduate students will see tuition and fees at $28,048, or about $528 more than last year. Graduate students will see an increase of about $180 annually, for in-state students, or $336 annually, for out-of-state students, for the typical part-time (6 credit hours per term) graduate rate.

The university will continue to charge the reduced registration fee of $200 per semester introduced last year.

“The university community has worked hard throughout the past year to be more efficient, reduce expenses and keep our tuition increase as low as possible,” Grasso said. “These changes enabled us to successfully manage our resources during the pandemic and present the Regents with a balanced budget for fiscal year 2022 with a focus on student success.”

The Understanding Tuition area of the UM-Dearborn website has been updated to reflect the 2022 budget information.

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Members of the media can contact Communications and Marketing Director Beth Marmarelli at bethmar@umich.edu or 248-752-8586.

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Thu, 06/17/2021 - 15:14

The Go Blue Guarantee will be available for qualifying current and new students beginning Fall 2021

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March 10 is Giving Blueday

stuxbury — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 18:43:00 +0000

March 10 is Giving Blueday stuxbury Mon, 03/08/2021 - 13:43

Living in a Los Angeles mid-century modern home surrounded by palm trees, Alumnus Gary Wohlleben’s life today looks almost nothing like it did when he was a UM-Dearborn student.

And that’s why he gives on Giving Blueday.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here in this beautiful home in California if it wasn’t for the campus internship program, so I make a point to support it every year,” says first-generation college student Wohlleben, ‘66 B.B.A., who went out to California after graduation and used his UM-Dearborn business degree to start his career in Hollywood as a producer and financial controller. “When I went to NBC for my interview, luck would have it that the person interviewing me was a Michigan graduate too.”

Giving Blueday 2021, which will take place all-day Wednesday, is an opportunity for the UM-Dearborn community to come together and support what they love about campus. During the last Giving Blueday, nearly $100,000 was raised for campus causes like scholarships, centers, student organizations and more.

"Giving Blueday is a chance for a lot of people to make a difference together," said Annual Giving Director Eva Gogola. As an added incentive, there are social media challenges and gift matches. "Philanthropy is personal, but I think it should also be fun. We've really embraced that at UM-Dearborn."

For example, Gogola said there is a Giving Brewday Alumni Challenge where people post a photo on social media of themselves with a favorite brew (coffee, tea, beer, etc.) and use #GivingBrewday2021. Each hour from 4 to 7 p.m., one participant will be selected and will win $1,000 directed to the UM-Dearborn fund of their choice.

Photo of Gary Wohlleben, Bert Meza and pup Guinness

If Wohlleben — who’s worked on television shows like Little House of the Prairie and animated movies like the Shrek and Despicable Me series — participates in the challenge, he and husband Bert Meza could take a photo with Guinness, their pint-sized Welsh Corgi pup that’s a favorite in their home.

Over a Zoom call, Wohlleben shared interesting behind-the-scenes stories from popular movies and shows. The donkey in Shrek was modeled after a miniature one in Palo Alto named Perry. Wohlleben said the late actor Michael Landon was inspiring in how he balanced family, filming and growing his career into writing and producing: “He told me, ‘If you don’t put yourself out there and try, how will you know if you'd be any good?’” And when Wohlleben was tasked with finding ways to make the most out of the production budget, which was often his role in the operation, he relied on his education from UM-Dearborn.

“In all steps of my career, I always went back to one class in particular, The Theory of Accounting. So much of what I needed to know on making things financially work came from that class. My education has helped me for 50 years. That’s a pretty good return on investment,” said Wohlleben, who recently retired.

Knowing the doors that education opens, Wohlleben and Meza make it a point to connect with campus on Giving Blueday. They give to areas that promote experiential learning like COB’s Internship and Career Management Center and that support identity affirmation like UM-Dearborn’s LGBTQ+ Programs and Initiatives.

“I want students to continue to have these opportunities. We need to support what once supported us so it doesn’t go away,” Wohlleben said. “We all start from somewhere. And I consider Michigan as the place that helped me get to where I am today. That’s why I give.”

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Mon, 03/08/2021 - 18:40

For 24 hours, the entire university will come together and support the causes that make us the leaders and best. One of campus’ Wolverines — who’s worked for NBC, Dreamworks and Illumination Entertainment — shares why he gives.

Giving Blueday 2021

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College of Business center focuses on connecting students with mentors, industry

stuxbury — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 18:26:08 +0000

College of Business center focuses on connecting students with mentors, industry stuxbury Wed, 11/04/2020 - 13:26

Michael Porter credits his successful business career — with roles like DTE vice president of corporate communications and The Stroh Brewery Company vice president of marketing — to a connection he made at UM-Dearborn as a student.

Porter, ‘75 B.B.A.,recalls first stepping onto campus and meeting John Wessinger, who was head of the Internship Program at the College of Business. Porter says Wessinger’s fervent dedication at developing a widely respected internship program attracted him to campus. “UM-Dearborn students were recognized as mature, highly prepared and motivated.”

Photo of John Wessinger

And the experiences Porter gained from Wessinger’s connections and mentorship gave him the knowledge needed to transition from student to professional.

Through the program, Porter landed an internship at Ford Motor Company and says it opened doors for him. “Back then, Ford was still in the tractor business and I got an internship with them in the sales and marketing area and had a really wonderful experience. It certainly helped me when the time came to interview for jobs and gave me a leg up on the start of my career,” says Porter, who retired from DTE in 2011.

Today the COB Internship and Career Management Center might look a little different — especially with its evolved name and virtual services — but it continues to serve the campus and community as a talent pipeline.

Interim Director Tuere Wheeler says its purpose remains focused on preparing business students for what’s next, and for cultivating relationships with industry. Prior to COVID, Wheeler traveled the country scouting out placement opportunities for students. She was in New York City last spring with COB faculty member Nick Vlisides to network with connections at Moody’s, Royal Bank of Canada and S&P 500. And in the remote-first world, she regularly meets with potential corporate partners via Zoom to create new experience pathways.

“The goal of the office has always been to help facilitate relationships between industry and our students. We feel that providing our students with access to experiential learning opportunities where they can practice and demonstrate what they are learning in the classroom, as well as develop networking and mentoring relationships, is key to their career development and success.”

Senior Faris Ajluni is one of the students who has benefited from these connections. The finance major attributes his previous roles at Ford Motor Company, Zeal Credit Union and with a tech startup to landing a risk management analyst internship last summer with S&P 500.

“S&P called me because of my internship experiences and leadership roles,” he says. “It’s important to look for opportunities and put yourself out there. Keep building your resume.”

And Wessinger, through a recent gift given by his wife Lelahni Wessinger (‘75 B.A., ‘83 M.A.), will continue to help students get connected to these needed experiences. The former COB faculty member, who passed away in 2010, had a scholarship established in his name to financially help students who may not otherwise be able to accept an internship. Hear Porter and Lelahni Wessinger discuss the scholarship.

When Porter reflects on his time at UM-Dearborn, he says internship opportunities were an important step in his success — as was Wessinger’s guidance. And that bond created at UM-Dearborn is something that’s always stayed with Porter.

“John had great passion for the students that he was mentoring and certainly I was a beneficiary of that,” says Porter, who has served as a COB mentor. “Business internships are a hugely valuable piece of the overall education and UM-Dearborn has an unparalleled history in terms of helping their students find valuable internships. John’s leadership helped countless numbers of young men and women find themselves professionally.”

In addition to the COB Internship and Management Center, UM-Dearborn also has resources and mentoring opportunities for all majors and alumni through Career Services and the Talent Gateway. If not ready to apply for a position yet, consider writing or updating the resume.

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Wed, 11/04/2020 - 18:24

The COB Internship and Career Management Center and the mentors met within it have a lasting legacy.

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