12 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW
Disney Meets Dooley
EMU offensive lineman Brian Dooley took team spirit to a new level last season when he donated his football scholarship to a teammate—a selfless act that earned him the 2023 Disney Spirit Award, honoring college players with an indomitable spirit and willingness to help others. Dooley, a criminal justice major, said the decision to donate his scholarship was an easy one, and hopes it inspires others to help their communities. The 28th recipient of the award and the first from EMU, Dooley received the trophy at the “Home Depot College Football Awards,” broadcast on ESPN.
Upping the Advantage
The University has expanded its Eastern Tuition Advantage program to help more students receive no-cost tuition, and increased merit-based scholarships for students enrolling for Fall 2024. Pell Grant-eligible students will now qualify for the tuition program regardless of household income, and the Emerald Scholarship for first-year students will range from $4,000 to $8,000 a year, renewable annually for those who maintain their academic standing. EMU is among the first public universities in Michigan to offer free tuition to high-achieving students with financial needs, a program that has been in place for more than a decade.
Rankings on the Rise
Eastern Michigan’s engineering programs are up in the national rankings, jumping 18 places since last year and 60 places from two years ago. The undergrad engineering program now ranks 69th in the latest Best Colleges rankings by “U.S. News & World Report” for programs without a doctorate in the discipline. The University has made engineering an institutional priority, adding undergraduate mechanical, electrical, computer and civil engineering in four years, and completing a $40 million renovation of Sill Hall. EMU's other U.S. News & World Report honors are in nursing, psychology, online graduate business programs, and online graduate education programs.
A Braun-y Honor
Last fall, EMU named its basketball court inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center the Ben Braun Court, honoring EMU’s winningest head coach in program history. Named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year three times, Braun coached the men’s team to multiple MAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships, led EMU to three NCAA postseason tournament appearances including a “Sweet 16” spot in 1990-91, and finished his EMU career with a 185-132 record. Donors contributed more than $250,000 to honor Braun, and the University celebrated with an unveiling before the Eagles’ November 18 game against Cleveland State University.
Living Large
Eastern welcomed students returning to campus last fall with an enhanced skyline featuring three renovated residence halls and two new, four-story apartment buildings under construction—part of the three-year, $200 million Welcome Home initiative. Downing, Putnam and Walton, the first residence halls to be renovated for the fall 2023 semester, reopened with upgrades including new air conditioning and bathrooms, state-of-the-art technology, podcasting spaces and enhanced Wi-Fi. Welcome Home also includes construction of the Lakeview and Westview Apartments, student-living facilities with an additional 700 beds, which will open to students in Fall 2024.
Driving STEM Possibilities
Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative selected EMU to collaborate with Lincoln Consolidated and Ypsilanti Community Schools to prepare youth for in-demand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. The initiative will invest nearly $10 million in Southeast Michigan over the next five years, with the initial funds distributed between two community partners, including EMU’s College of Education for a newly created STEM Institute. Led by EMU and governed by its partners, the institute integrates applied research with outreach and curricula, and will serve as a resource hub to strengthen the STEM experience in Washtenaw County and surrounding communities.
AI in the Sky
Eastern Michigan University is now better protected from gun-related violence thanks to ZeroEyes, an AI gun detection and situational awareness software. The only platform to hold the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, EMU is the first college or university in Michigan to adopt AI gun detection. The software is layered on EMU’s existing security cameras, and does not conduct facial recognition, eliminating the risk of bias based on personal characteristics. If the ZeroEyes operations center determines a threat is valid, local staff and campus police will be notified three to five seconds from detection.
Sweet Talkers
Eastern’s forensics team placed second in the country at the National Forensics Association’s 2023 National Championship Tournament, with seven Eagles winning their categories. Gavin Millard, a sophomore in public relations, took the national champion title in dramatic interpretation, becoming Eastern’s first student to win the category. This year, EMU topped schools such as Rice University, University of Chicago and Northwestern University. A founding member of the National Forensic Association, EMU has consistently excelled, winning 11 national championships and maintaining its position among the top 10 teams in the nation for more than 40 years.
Campaign Gains
Give Rise: The Campaign for Eastern Michigan University has exceeded its goal by raising more than $119 million to support student success, advance programs of distinction and help students excel in and beyond the classroom. The public phase began in 2021, focusing on scholarships, faculty support, and academic program investments critical to student retention and success in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 21,000 donors made gifts or pledges totaling $119,123,170, making Give Rise the largest fundraising effort in EMU’s history. Give Rise has helped create state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, meeting spaces and provided new equipment and technology across campus.
2EnlightenU
EMU is working to improve students’ mental health with “Enlighten U,” a visual podcast for college students that premiered in September. The monthly podcast features Eastern students sharing their journeys with noted mental health professionals who provide valuable insight, strategies and resources. In its first episodes, topics included the LGBTQ+ community, financial struggles and substance abuse, with future episodes about relationships, adulting and imposter syndrome in the works. Co-hosted by Lolita Cummings, professor of English, and Melissa Thrasher, executive director of media relations and social media, “Enlighten U” is available on EMU’s YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms.
Mission: Opportunity
Eastern has launched a bachelor’s degree program at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, the first for a women’s prison in Michigan. Last summer, the Michigan Legislature approved $250,000 for the program. Eastern has offered uncredited courses at the facility since 2008. The funds support on-site staffing, credits and supplies, and EMU students are assisting the women as program navigators. Bureau of Justice statistics show prison education programs reduce recidivism by 43%, and help participants achieve greater job opportunities and earnings after release.
Innovative Energy
Eastern has entered into a utilities and infrastructure partnership with Eagle Energy Partners (EEP) that will deliver significant, lasting enhancements and financial benefits to the University. The agreement will provide about $115 million to Eastern to address needs such as infrastructure improvements, energy-conservation projects and debt reduction, along with a $90 million investment in the EMU Strategic Initiatives Fund, which is expected to generate $5 million in investment returns annually. The University will pay EEP $5.3 million a year to manage, operate, maintain and improve its utility infrastructure, and realize an overall net annual benefit of $2.7 million to $3.2 million.