Our Priorities

Eastern Michigan University is dedicated to helping students find their passion and purpose. Our strategic fundraising priorities reflect our commitment to our students, faculty, staff, and community.

  • Student Support

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    Many Eastern Michigan University students struggle to meet the financial challenge of getting their degrees. More than 60% receive some level of scholarship aid. More than 75% must work part-time or take time off to meet financial obligations, often delaying their dreams of a college degree.

    Facts about Student Aid at EMU

    For generations, Eastern's value has been access to a high-quality education without having to mortgage the future. We open doors to deserving students from modest backgrounds, and provide support for students who could not otherwise afford to attend. With tuition on the rise, scholarships are essential in attracting the best students.

    • Each year, Eastern Michigan awards more than $49 million annually in financial aid.
    • More than 76% of EMU students receive some type of financial aid, including scholarships, grants, loans, work studies and assistantships.
    • EMU currently ranks fourth highest out of the Michigan four-year public institutions in the number of undergraduate students with high need.
    • In 2017-18, 41% of EMU undergraduate students were eligible for a federal Pell Grant.
    • The 2016 senior class at EMU graduated with an average of $29,565 in loan debt, just slightly under the national average of $37,172 and comparable to the state of Michigan average of $29,450.

    In the face of a recovering state economy — and narrowing opportunities for those without college degrees — the needs of deserving students are expanding beyond our ability to meet them.

    Building upon a proud tradition of national leadership in the preparation of teachers, EMU is committed to sustaining this level of excellence but to do so, we need your help. A major effort is underway to increase our number of scholarships.

    Scholarships may be funded on an annual basis with the entire amount of the gift used to provide financial assistance, or they may be endowed. Endowed funds are critical to the future of EMU. An endowment ensures that scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity.

    Priorities for Scholarships and Financial Aid

    To keep Eastern affordable for the increasing number of students who need financial support to participate at Eastern, and to ensure that the University can continue to attract and retain the strongest possible student leaders, we seek support from our alumni and parents, faculty, staff, and friends for the following priorities:

    Need-based Financial Aid

    To offset the education costs for deserving students and to accelerate their academic experience.

    Merit-based Scholarships

    To help Eastern attract, compete for, and retain high-achieving students.

    Study Abroad Scholarships

    To address the financial challenges of study abroad initiatives that develop increasingly important global perspectives and language proficiency.

    Financial Aid Beyond the Classroom

    To offset the costs of research projects or professional conferences for qualified students who might not otherwise be able to participate.

  • Academics

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    Academic Program Support

    As the world shifts and the global economy grows — as innovation accelerates and the need for knowledge-based jobs increases — Eastern Michigan University continues to offer the promise of education to deserving students of all backgrounds. Through its five colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Health and Human Services and Technology), EMU provides a world-class education and an array of majors, allowing every student to find their path and create their future.

    Each college offers unparalleled access to world-class faculty who nurture our students and shape their learning, engaging them in research projects and mentorships. Our faculty teach a wide variety of programs, from Information Assurance to Supply Chain Management, to Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology. With over 200 majors, minors, and concentrations, Eastern provides a diverse education to its students, and there many academic programs in need of your support.

    Support to a college or any one of our dozens of programs at Eastern provides the needed financial assistance to help fund faculty research opportunities, send our students and staff to professional development conferences, bring speakers to campus, and much more.

  • Athletics

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    What is the Eastern Athletic Fund?

    Mission

    The Eastern Athletic Fund is the fundraising initiative through which alumni, friends and fans of Eastern Athletics can bolster the championship efforts of more than 450 student-athletes competing in 18 varsity sports here.

    Eastern Athletic Fund efforts include:

    Impact

    By making a gift to the Eastern Athletic Fund, you create a positive impact for our student-athletes, enhance the university’s profile, and elevate the competitiveness of all sports in the Mid-American Conference.

    Please visit the Eastern Athletic Fund or reach out to Janina Pollatz at [email protected] with any questions.

  • Meeting Community Needs

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    Evolving to Meet Community Needs

    As the world shifts and the global economy grows — as innovation accelerates the need for knowledge-based jobs — Eastern continues to help students shape their own futures. Through the strength of our programs and the success of our graduates, Eastern Michigan returns $42 to Michigan's economy for each $1 invested by the state, totaling $3.7 billion annually.

    At the core of our mission is building pathways to success for students after college. EMU offers practical knowledge and applicable experience seeded into the curriculum to connect them to real-world issues they will face in their careers.

    Our enduring strength has been our ability to evolve through the decades to meet the emerging needs of Michigan, the nation, and the world. Constantly reshaping, retooling, re-imagining — we keep ourselves at the forefront of education, embracing new directions and bringing our students the strongest educational opportunities.

    One of Eastern's greatest strengths is the impact that we have on the communities we serve. The convergence of scholarship with real-world challenges is embedded in what we do. The University is committed to collaborative opportunities that leverage our academic mission, faculty and students, and campus facilities to meet community needs and challenges.

  • Grow Our Endowment

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    Increase Endowed Support

    Gifts to Eastern Michigan University's endowment is an investment in the University's future. Endowed funds provide a consistent source of income to Eastern Michigan in perpetuity and can support students, programs or faculty in a college or department. Gifts to an endowment are pooled to maximize the investment potential. Each year, a percentage of the market value is awarded and the balance of the earnings is returned to the endowment principal.

    Ultimately, the endowment acts like Eastern's savings account. The return, or interest earned, on the investment of an endowed fund will produce a permanent income for the University. By giving to Eastern Michigan's endowment, you will leave a legacy that will support students for generations to come.

  • Address: 112 Welch Hall, PO Box 972057, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
  • Phone: 734-484-1322