Since its formation in 1917, the University of Michigan Alumnae Council (UMAC) has made significant financial contributions to the University community. From 1961 to 2020, this fundraising effort was named the “Birthday Greeting.” In 2021, honoring the women who formed the Alumnae Council, UMAC renamed its fundraising campaign, “The Spirit of 1917 Annual Campaign.” The focus remains the same: supporting programs that positively advance the interests of women in the University of Michigan community.
Over the years, UMAC fundraising efforts have resulted in the building of the Michigan League at a time when women were not welcome at the Michigan Union; establishing affordable cooperative housing for women with the creation of Henderson House; spear-heading the financing of the Center for the Education of Women (CEW) to support non-traditional students; and helping fund the building of the Education Center at Camp Michigania.
In addition, UMAC continues to fund student scholarships; health and wellness programs; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and arts and culture projects on all three University campuses.
Follow this link for a full list of UMAC beneficiaries from the combined Birthday Greeting and Spirit of 1917 annual fundraising campaigns.
2024 -2025 Spirit of 1917 Annual Campaign Beneficiary
The Society of Women Engineers at University of Michigan (SWE UofM) is the “largest Engineering community on campus.” It has a leadership core of 50 students and over 300 general members. Its members are actively involved in many technical, professional, social, and service events both on and off campus. It works closely with SWE chapters in India and Liberia, including a yearly visit to each location. SWE UofM sends a delegation to the national and local conferences every year to connect with the larger SWE organization. SWE UofM engages hundreds of K-12 students, parents, and teachers across the globe in engineering outreach activities and hosts several charity events, including a 5K Fun Run and the Engineering Games competition. Each Fall, SWE UofM holds a career fair to which it invites over 300 companies to host corporate information sessions that are open to the entire student body.
UMAC presented its Spirit of 1917 award to SWE UofM as a contribution toward its upcoming Society of Women Engineers Congressional Outreach Trip. This trip seeks to educate collegiate students about change-making through legislation and policy. It will bring 10 members of the Society of Women Engineers – University of Michigan Section to Washington DC to meet with the offices of Congressional Representatives from members’ respective home states and districts. In this experience, SWE UofM seeks to serve the larger engineering community by supporting bills that improve conditions for marginalized communities within the engineering and STEM industries. Through this policy work, it will seek to promote further diversity in STEM and encourage its members to be change makers and advocates through policy.
Your investment of $108 (a dollar for each year the Alumnae Council has existed) or at any level will help support meaningful initiatives such as this through UMAC’s Spirit of 1917 Annual Campaign. To donate, click here.
Thank you and GO BLUE!