Campaign Priorities

$1M endowed

A Named Research Innovation Fund in psychology would be a transformational gift, allowing the department to support one or more significant projects each year. Innovation funds make it possible for the department to meet emerging needs and capitalize on strategic opportunities for cutting-edge research, scholarship and teaching. Innovation funds can provide grants for faculty research projects, or be used to recruit and support top-notch graduate students and upgrade department facilities to keep pace with technology changes. A Named Innovation Fund can also support conferences, lectures and seminars with visiting scholars. These programs enrich the academic vitality of the department by exposing students to the world’s leading experts and promoting intellectual exchange at the faculty level. A Named Innovation Fund will provide ongoing support that will have lasting impact on students and faculty alike. Each project will be supported for  up to two years with the goal that the funds serve as start-up capital for larger research projects.

$50,000 annually/$1M endowed

Graduate students are integral to maintaining the top standing of the Psychology Department. They are the faculty of tomorrow and play a vital role in the completion of innovative research at U-M. They enhance the undergraduate experience by working closely with students in the classroom and in the laboratory. Named Graduate Student Fellowships will foster dissertation work and prepare these students to do cutting-edge research and to become highly effective teachers. Endowed graduate fellowships provide us with an opportunity to enhance our contribution to the field and our reputation as one of the top Psychology Departments in the world by providing more students with greater access to a Michigan education. These graduate students will go on to become the future leaders in the field.

$10,000 to $50,000 expendable

Expendable, undesignated gifts are extraordinarily important to the continuing success and growth of the department. Contributions to the strategic fund make it possible to enhance the research and training of our undergraduate and graduate students, and to recruit, retain and support our exceptional faculty. The strategic fund also provides resources for newly emerging and focused initiatives, including our effort to recognize the vital role of faculty mentorship in our students’ educational experiences. Overall, this fund is an excellent way to make an investment in the future of the psychology department.