Endowed Fellowships
Graduate students at the University of Michigan College of Engineering will become some of the most promising researchers and academic pacesetters of the future. Endowed fellowships help these already proven leaders achieve their goals by easing the financial pressures of graduate education. Supported by endowed fellowships, these students can take full advantage of their important training with Michigan Engineering faculty members and focus more fully on the demands of their coursework and research.
The University of Michigan College of Engineering invites individuals, corporations and foundations to invest in the next generation of engineering education and research by making major gifts to establish endowed, named fellowships. Endowed fellowships are extremely important to the College, providing support to recruit and retain high-potential graduate students through financial resources that enable them to focus on coursework and research.
Endowed fellowships provide tuition and stipends for graduate students who would otherwise be required to teach to pay tuition expenses. With the ability to focus on coursework and research, graduate students with fellowship support avoid prolonged years of study and complete graduate-school degrees without accumulating large debt burdens.
Endowing a Legacy
A gift of $1 million or more will establish an endowed, named fellowship. A fellowship may be named as the donor desires, and recipients will carry that name through graduation.
To establish a named fellowship, the donor, the College of Engineering and the University sign an agreement specifying the donor’s intent, the gift payment schedule and criteria for selecting recipients.
While unrestricted fellowships are preferred and offer the greatest flexibility to the College, a donor may specify certain preferences for selected award criteria.
For further information, call the Office of Advancement at (734) 647-7032.
The Need
On average, it takes five years to complete a PhD, a period in which accrued expenses can complicate graduate students' academic careers and cast a long shadow over their financial status for many years to come. However, a typical fellowship of $45,000 covering tuition, health insurance and a portion of living expenses will free these students from financial burdens and, at the same time, enable them to identify fields of endeavor that fit their particular skills and interests - a vital aspect in preparing doctoral candidates to become productive members of a society that relies increasingly on technology.
And for the College, these fellowships are one more way to attract elite individuals who, in realizing their potential, elevate the reputation of Michigan Engineering.
