We know that in the United States of America and in the State of Michigan, access to high-quality educational experiences are inequitably distributed. Many of us, myself included, have experienced these inequities firsthand. The Universirty has been charged to both increase opportunities for students and to make sure that students feel like they belong on our campus. A student’s future should not be shaped by their zip code and students deserve a campus community where they are empowered to learn and thrive. The Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) is focused on advancing this important work in the pre-college environment with our K-12 students, families, and educators. We do this by: partnering with campus colleagues and supporting their efforts; and, providing tools and resources to accelerate the work, delivering state and nationally funded programs in underserved K-12 schools in Michigan CEO is actively engaged in national and statewide conversations to improve college access and success for students who have been historically underrepresented on our college campuses. As the public flagship institution in the state, the University of Michigan is committed to increasing opportunities for students. We do this through the Go Blue Guarantee, which provides free tuition for families with incomes $65K or under and through programs like Wolverine Pathways, which helps students in Ypsilanti, Southfield, and Detroit prepare academically and financially for an institution like U-M Ann Arbor. While these programs are well-known, there are countless more initiatives for the K-12 community offered by our talented U-M colleagues. CEO provides critical campus-wide coordination and collaboration opportunities to inform, engage, and inspire a diverse community of scholars. As the leaders and best, and one of the finest public research institutions in the world, the University of Michigan is in the business of learning, creating knowledge, and providing a wealth of expertise and educational resources to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Our university community is well positioned to address one of these very challenges; ensuring that Michigan students have the necessary preparation to pursue and successfully achieve their educational and career goals. We must channel the energy and expertise working on these issues across our campus to deepen our collective impact and ensure we are cultivating a diverse community of scholars who will be our next generation of leaders and best. Together, we will create sustainable systematic changes for a more meaningful educational future for our K-12 students and underserved populations in Michigan. Go Blue!

Following the passage of Proposal 2, U-M President Mary Sue Coleman convened a Diversity Blueprints Taskforce to frame the University of Michigan’s response and share recommendations for how the university might move forward with efforts to attract and retain a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. Chief among those recommendations was the establishment of a center for educational outreach. The Center for Educational Outreach (CEO) was established in 2009 with the charge of promoting and coordinating educational outreach and engagement activities, and strengthening partnerships between the university and K-12 school systems and communities in the State of Michigan. Since its inception, CEO has informed, engaged, and inspired youth across the state to pursue postsecondary education, primarily by administering outreach and engagement programs to youth and families and building strong, mutually-beneficial relationships with K-12 schools and communities. Today, CEO utilizes its expertise to serve as the hub for the University of Michigan’s educational outreach. In addition to offering its own educational outreach programs, CEO aims to expand the University of Michigan’s impact in educational outreach by strengthening collaboration and coordination between the U-M community and K-12 schools and communities and building capacity for U-M faculty, staff, and student groups to develop and implement their own outreach programs and initiatives.