Students and Faculty

Students’ educational needs and aspirations are at the forefront of everything we do. We firmly believe in our power to transform the lives of students, and that they in turn will transform our common future.

A dependable foundation of annual scholarship funds is essential to ensure that talented students, regardless of financial circumstances, will have access to a Wayne State education. We have a distinguished history as Southeastern Michigan’s “university of opportunity,” and are this region’s first choice for persons seeking world-class higher education. Maintaining these traditions requires significant financial support of deserving students.

The quality of the education we offer is driven by a superior faculty. By increasing the number of endowed chairs and professorships through private gifts, Wayne State can recruit top scholars and researchers while retaining the best and brightest already on campus. In this way the university enriches its reservoir of talent, promotes academic excellence and expands its capacity for innovation.

Programs

Wayne State is a leader among public universities in academics and research. To maintain and extend this leadership, Wayne First will help underwrite a diverse group of annually funded projects, centers for specialized study and research, community outreach activities, publications, lectureships and other initiatives that serve students, cultivate faculty and pioneer new approaches to issues in society.

Support for these special program areas will enable Wayne State to increase its ability to educate students and conduct research in real-world, real-time environments, and to enhance its participation in the life of Southeastern Michigan.

Private partners in this capital campaign help support such activities as the university’s Research and Technology Park; Global Education Center; Honors College; Children, Youth and Families initiatives; Academic Success Center; Center for Urban Gifted Education; Center for Alternative Energy Research, study-abroad programs; and music and dance performances.

Environment

Although people are our greatest asset and our first priority, people who study and work in a university require suitable buildings, classrooms, laboratories and equipment to reach their full potential. Our faculty and students deserve the best infrastructure, including access to the latest technology and information resources.

State-of-the-art facilities also greatly add to the university’s prestige and play a significant role in recruitment of students, faculty and staff.

The capital campaign will help meet Wayne State University’s major needs for new construction, including new homes for the School of Business and the Honors College, an athletics arena, an Engineering Development Center, a Performing Arts Building and a Computer Science and Informational Technology Building, among others. Funds raised also will be used to improve existing structures and upgrade classroom, laboratory and office spaces.