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Diversity of Giving

Back to the Annual Report 2007-08

From the WMU Foundation President

I am very pleased to have another opportunity to say thank you to the many generous supporters of Western Michigan University. In this, the 2007-08 edition of the WMU Foundation Annual Report, we are proud to again tell the stories of some of our most faithful benefactors.

Over the years, I have noted the impressive growth in the number of donors to our University. Our donors come from nearly every walk of life and cross the boundaries of many ethnicities, including race, nationality and religion. However, our diversity of giving goes much further than that. As evidenced by many of the stories in this publication, a good number of our investors have diversified their “philanthropic portfolio” by giving to more than one area or program at WMU.

Examples of alumni and friends with multidisciplinary interests include: the late Ed and Mary Meader, who as the largest individual benefactors in the University’s history have supported a wide array of initiatives, including a $4 million gift to create the W.E. Upjohn Center for the Study of Geographical Change; Robert Bobb, who has made key investments to benefit both the WMU athletic program (most recently, a $1 million challenge gift to renovate the Bronco baseball facility) and the Haworth College of Business and stellar financial advisors Charles and Lynn Zhang, whose gifts and have lifted the University’s business and economics programs, as well as the Academically Talented Youth Program in the Lee Honors College.

WMU is also fortunate to be located in a city represented by one of the country’s leading community foundations. While the Kalamazoo Community Foundation has played a long-time key role in the growth of WMU, its recent gift to help Western bring a national exhibition on race to town in 2010 has taken this prosperous relationship to a new level. Another local foundation, the Fetzer Institute, is also playing a key role in the planning for the Race exhibit, and is featured in this issue in recognition of its support of scholarships in the WMU School of Music.

The enduring assistance provided to Western from its many diverse constituents, for the benefit of an impressive array of WMU programs, is both noteworthy and remarkable. Every gift from our alumni, friends, corporations and foundations is an endorsement of our work, and contributes to the wealth of offerings provided by our University. Thank you for your personal role in our growth and success.

Sincerely,

Joseph B. Hemker
President
WMU Foundation Board of Directors