It’s official. The final amount raised for The Michigan Difference, the most successful fundraising campaign in U-M history, is $3,200,733,103.

President Mary Sue Coleman has long spoken of the value of philanthropy, saying it “plays an increasingly important role in enabling Michigan to fund not the extras, but the essentials for our students, faculty and staff, and the society we serve. While the economy and public funding sources fluctuate, donors’ gifts keep Michigan accessible to scholars from a range of backgrounds, populate our classrooms and labs with outstanding faculty, fund exemplary programs and research, and build state-of-the-art facilities.”

Dean Warner commented, “We are deeply honored to have over 5,000 alumni and friends invest in the School of Public Health during the campaign. It bodes well for the future of SPH and speaks to the importance of our work in improving the public’s health. On behalf of the many current and future students who are the ultimate beneficiaries of this generosity, please accept my sincere appreciation.”

While the dollars raised are impressive, the impact of those dollars at the School of Public Health are equally impressive. Here is a sample of the impact made by UM SPH donors for the School of Public Health:

• 17 new named scholarships, internships or awards were matched by the President’s Challenge;
• Over $3.8 million in new scholarship gifts and pledges were received during the campaign, providing much needed support for SPH students;
• 30 new funds were created supporting public health programs or projects, students, and research;
• Funding for four new centers working on chronic disease management; risk science; law, ethics and health; and value-based insurance design;
• Construction of the UM SPH Crossroads and Tower, creating opportunities for community outreach and interdepartmental collaborations. Significant renovations and construction of a new laboratory tower now make the UM School of Public Health the premier facility for public health study and research in the country;
• Three new named faculty positions funded, enabling the school to recruit two top faculty members and retain a third. They include the NSF International Department Chair in Environmental Health Sciences, the S.J. Axelrod Collegiate Professorship in Health Management and Policy, and the Charles and Rita Gelman Endowed Professorship in Risk Science;
• Operational support and endowed fellowships established for the new University of Michigan Risk Science Center.

For more information about The Michigan Difference, go to www.giving.umich.edu/campaign.