Giving

History remains a vital part of a college education, especially in the face of today’s many challenges. Here at Michigan, the study of History teaches critical thinking and persuasive analysis, while offering a broadened vision of the world. Michigan is proud to be one of the nation’s premier public universities, and your continued support remains vital for how we pursue our mission.

This year we continue focusing on our undergraduates and their Michigan experience. The History Club has organized film showings and is hosting several special lectures by our faculty as well as a tour of the U-M Museum of Art and the Athletic Complex this spring. A number of fine research papers were reviewed and published in the Fall 2012 Michigan Journal of History, which engages a crew of dedicated undergrads in every stage of publication. This year the department, in cooperation with the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies, ran a panel called “History Majors – What are you going to do with that?” The featured speakers were recent Michigan History alums who have gone on to run a literary agency, work as a managing editor, teach reading, report for the Wall Street Journal, and work as financial analyst with Wooster Capital. We also have plans, thanks to a seed grant, to pilot a competitive summer scholarship program for undergrads working unpaid internships around the state and the country.

The department’s Strategic Fund is critical to all of these activities, as well as giving us the flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. This past year the Strategic Fund was used to support the development and presentation of a mini-course on the medieval North Sea, a graduate workshop in Japanese history, and the Rackham Centennial Lecture on the role of labor in the Arab Spring. By allowing us to undertake such projects, the fund helps us attract and retain top scholars, and mentor our junior faculty and talented graduate students. It will also help support the planned intern scholarship program.

Won’t you please consider a gift today? Gifts of all sizes are welcome! A $50 gift might support student research in our Honors Program. A gift of $100 could underwrite a student award for the best essay on some aspect of history. A leadership gift of $1,000 can fund a research assistantship or contribute to a major event such as a workshop planned for this fall on the newest frontiers in the discipline of history. 

Make your gift online at: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/history/ or call 888.518.7888.