[President Ono] Hello colleagues and friends across the U of M community! 

We’re approaching the beginning of the holiday season, and all that we’ve achieved together is truly a reason for celebration and thanksgiving.

This is a time for us to  reflect on all we have accomplished and look with clear eyes to what we can achieve together in the new year. 

We have so much to look forward to as we follow the path illuminated by Vision 2034 – making groundbreaking discoveries, advancing society, and becoming the defining public university. 

As we do so, we will continue to look at our investments, our commitments,  and what we aspire to achieve. We will examine areas where we can strengthen effectiveness and increase efficiency. And we will remain committed to a culture of continuous improvement and an ethos of learning and opportunity for all our students. 

Our core values will be the foundation for all that we aspire, pursue and achieve. Those values of integrity and respect, inclusion and equity, innovation and diversity are at the heart of everything we do together as a university. 

Each value is a glittering facet of who we are as a community – shining, sparkling, illuminating. 

For instance, diversity has always been important to our university, our culture, and our country. 

Among our students, diversity dispels stereotypes, promotes understanding, changes perspectives and increases learning. 

For that reason, diversity of thought is enshrined in our University of Michigan Principles on Diversity of Thought and Freedom of Expression, which declares “The progress of society is inextricably linked to a diversity of opinions and beliefs and the freedom of expression.”

In business, groupthink may lead to bad choices, while critical thinking may open blue oceans of opportunity. In science, diversity of peer review reduces biases and improves quality. And research has shown that the more challenging the problem, the greater the results when a diverse range of actors tackles the problem.

We’ve seen the importance of diversity to battlefield victory. Black soldiers were a critical force for the Union in the Civil War, winning glory and sixteen Medals of Honor. The Union’s regiments were also filled with European immigrants, who  served heroically, in fact one of every four soldiers were immigrants. In World War II, the celebrated Navajo Code Talkers created an unbreakable code to communicate operational plans and participated in every major Marine operation in the Pacific Theater. 

We also see the power of diversity in the natural world, where monocultures degrade soils, disrupt ecosystems, and increase vulnerabilities to pests and diseases. In contrast, biodiverse ecosystems are more resilient, more adaptive, and richer in possibilities for wildlife and humans. 

We even see diversity celebrated in Normal Rockwell’s famous painting, Family Tree, which shows how an unlikely line of immigrants and itinerants shaped the increasingly diverse country we cherish today. 

So let us turn together to the season of celebration, gratitude and giving. Let us celebrate the diversity in our midst and the spirit of generosity in our collective DNA.

The Maize and Blue Cupboard is one important way we can support the U of M community.

Now in its 12th year, the Maize and Blue Cupboard was established to address food insecurity among members of  our community. It provides compassionate support, but just as importantly, immediate resources for those in need. 

For that, the members of the Maize and Blue Cupboard are December’s Portrait of a Wolverine. Here to talk more about it is Kelly O’Mara, Manager of the Maize and Blue Cupboard. 

[Kelly O’Mara] Thank you so much, President Ono.

The mission of the Maize & Blue Cupboard is to ensure that all members of the university community, whether on a tight budget or unable to get to the store, have equitable access to nutritious food and the ability to prepare it for themselves.

One in three college students are food insecure, which I think is a big blind spot for a lot of people in this community. We think of Ann Arbor as a very affluent place, and so they’re very much a hidden population. Food insecurity is one of those things that affects all aspects of your lives, and so it’s really hard to study. It’s really hard to think about other things when you’re hungry.

We are a resource for anyone on this community, students, faculty, and staff. And so right now, we’re serving about 700 shoppers per week, so our reach is pretty good, but we know that there’s more people on campus we could be connecting with.

All that’s required to shop here is just an appointment and the university Mcard, and after that, we check you in and show you how to shop. We primarily have canned goods, fresh produce, dairy, other items as donated. Folks are welcome to take what they need, but are encouraged to eat what they take.

At the Maize & Blue Cupboard, we say, “If you don’t need the resource, be the resource.” So the most impactful thing that folks can do for us is to donate, and that means donating their time, donating items. We have helpful lists of things that we’re always looking for, and we encourage folks to donate money if they can because we can stretch the money farther when purchasing from a food bank, so anyone looking to get involved can coordinate a donation drive. We have helpful donation drive guides that we can provide. That’s for on-campus departments, student orgs. We also accept any donations, anything that people can donate to us is very impactful.

[Video clip of Maize and Blue … ]

[President Ono] Thanks so much Kelly. 

As you said, if you don’t need the resource, be the resource. And there are so many meaningful ways to give this season. 

Money is important, but many other times, what is most needed is a listening ear, an encouraging voice, an uplifting smile.

Each of us has the opportunity to give in that way. So this season, let us give, and let us give generously. 

Thanks again for joining me. I hope you have a happy and memorable holiday season, and I’ll see you in 2025.