January 13, 2015
SVSU Foundation tops $1 million milestone in resource grants for students
The Saginaw Valley State University Foundation has eclipsed a major milestone in their support of students, passing the $1 million threshold in resource grants awarded to SVSU faculty and staff for special student-focused initiatives.
Established in 1998, the resource grant program seeks to stimulate innovation and enrichment of opportunities for students by providing funds for programs, projects, or travel. Proposals must be submitted by SVSU faculty or staff.
In late 2014, the SVSU Foundation awarded more than $46,000 to support 10 separate proposals for 2015, bringing the total awarded over the past 17 years to $1,034,454. A total of 251 projects have received funding since the program’s inception.
“We are deeply grateful to our many committed donors who have supported SVSU and our students through the years,” said Andy Bethune, executive director of the SVSU Foundation. “Their financial support has allowed us to provide our students – who often could not afford these endeavors themselves – with a vast range of opportunities that enhance their learning and better prepare them for careers.”
Examples from the latest grants include:
• $10,000 to support 14 nursing students traveling to Alaska to study health practices there
• $6,390 for students in SVSU’s James A. Barcia Center for Public Policy and Service to complete a transportation research project
• $3,630 to allow students and faculty from SVSU’s Writing Center to attend the 2015 Bear River Writers’ Conference hosted by the University of Michigan and apply the lessons learned there to conduct a free, one-day creative writing workshop for Saginaw High School students participating in SVSU’s Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
• $3,560 to enhance SVSU’s Passport to the World program which brings local elementary school students to campus to interact with SVSU international students and explore cultural traditions from around the globe
Over the years, many SVSU Foundation resource grants have improved the quality of life for residents within the Great Lakes Bay Region. Examples have included engineering students designing playground equipment for the Millett Learning Center, a school for special-needs students in Saginaw County, and occupational therapy students developing a low-intensity exercise program for the elderly.
The SVSU Foundation was established in 1977 as a separate legal entity to function as the fund-raising arm of the university. Its purpose is to provide support for SVSU in order to assist in the accomplishment of the university’s educational purposes.