University of Michigan

President Coleman challenges donors to advance The Student Global Experience

January 1, 2009

With the new year, President Mary Sue Coleman has launched a new donor challenge to expand opportunities for Michigan students to study abroad and gain critical international perspective.

The President’s Challenge for The Student Global Experience provides a $1 match for every $2 in endowment gifts of up to $500,000. With available matching funds of $5 million, the challenge will leverage donor gifts to raise $15 million in support for critical foreign study experiences.

“Living and learning in a different culture is an invaluable experience that prepares students for the global economy,” said Coleman, who recently made a gift with her husband, Kenneth Coleman, to kick off the Challenge. “I want to encourage students to visit other countries, particularly developing nations, and challenge themselves in their new surroundings. Increased financial support will make that possible.”

The new match program helps fulfill a goal previously announced by Coleman to double U-M student participation in study abroad programs. More than 1,800 Michigan undergraduates and roughly 670 graduate students annually study abroad. The drive to increase participation by U-M students complements an earlier call by a bi-partisan congressional commission for 1 million American students to be studying abroad by 2017.

The President’s Global Experience Challenge supports educational and learning abroad programs for graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in Ann Arbor. The programs must be conducted by the UM-Ann Arbor, or by another university in partnership with UM-Ann Arbor. To qualify for the Challenge match, gifts must be at least $25,000 with all pledge payments made by 2013. The Challenge continues until the $5 million in matching funds have been exhausted or until December 31, 2009, whichever comes first.

The program follows Coleman’s three previous, successful donor challenges for endowed professorships, need-based undergraduate scholarships and financial aid for graduate and professional students.