Dear students, faculty, and staff of the University of Michigan,

As we swiftly move through the fall semester, the University of Michigan is preparing for a new era of impact. Today, I’m proud to announce the Look to Michigan campaign, our most ambitious fundraising campaign to date.

With a goal of $7 billion, the Look to Michigan campaign will raise private support for four collaborative priorities, areas where Michigan is uniquely positioned to impact global challenges:

• Life-changing education: Elevating the educational landscape by providing solutions to the acute shortages of well-prepared educators, addressing resource disparities, and giving all learners the opportunity to succeed
• Health and well-being: Tackling critical health challenges both locally and globally, improving affordability and access to quality health care, advancing preventative health, and generating innovative discoveries that improve patient outcomes
• Democracy, civic & global engagement: Reinvigorating community participation and critical thinking, expanding knowledge of democratic practices and principles, and strengthening local, national, and international connections and collaborations
• Sustainability & climate action: Mitigating climate change through research and education; empowering students, faculty, staff, and community members to find innovative and equitable solutions; and collaborating with partners to create long-term change

We are also pursuing advances in core commitments and key university priorities: supporting students with the resources and wraparound services they need to become tomorrow’s leaders, engaging with the arts as a creative catalyst for learning and growth, fostering inclusivity on our campuses so each member of our diverse community has equitable opportunities to thrive,and increasing our impact through innovation, partnership, and economic development.

Look to Michigan will bring to life our Vision 2034 plan, which guides our efforts, focuses our impact, and empowers us to dare greatly and act boldly — to be the defining public university, to redefine the power of higher education, advance society, and to make groundbreaking discoveries that impact the greatest challenges facing humanity.

This is truly a transformative moment for Michigan as together we discover, innovate, and create solutions for a better tomorrow. Through our interdisciplinary excellence, our commitment to the public good, our culture of collaboration, and our dedicated partners, the solutions to these challenges are within our reach.

This is such an exciting time for all three U-M campuses, Michigan Medicine, Athletics, and all university schools, colleges, and units. I’m thrilled to have you on the journey with us. As we look forward to what’s next, let us Look to Michigan. 

Santa J. Ono
President