University of Michigan–Dearborn facts for kids
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Former names
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Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan (1959–1963) Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan (1963–1971) |
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| Motto | Arts, Knowledge, Truth |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1959 |
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Parent institution
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University of Michigan Board of Regents |
| Accreditation | HLC |
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Academic affiliation
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CUMU |
| Endowment | $77.4 million (2021) |
| Budget | $192 million (2022-23) |
| Chancellor | Domenico Grasso |
| Provost | Gabriella Scarlatta |
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Academic staff
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511 |
| Students | 8,224 |
| Undergraduates | 6,117 |
| Postgraduates | 1,982 |
| 125 | |
| Location |
,
,
United States
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| Campus | Suburban 200+ acres |
| Newspaper | The Michigan Journal |
| Colors | Maize & Blue |
| Nickname | Wolverines |
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Sporting affiliations
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NAIA – WHAC |
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The University of Michigan–Dearborn (often called UM-Dearborn) is a public university located in Dearborn, Michigan. It started in 1959 thanks to a generous gift from the Ford Motor Company. At first, it was known as the Dearborn Center, acting as a branch of the University of Michigan.
Over the years, this branch grew into a full university. In 1970, it received its own special approval (accreditation). It then changed its name to the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Even today, it follows the rules set by the University of Michigan Board of Regents. UM-Dearborn is one of the important universities in Michigan. It's also known for working closely with its local community.
The university's sports teams are called the UM-Dearborn Wolverines. They mostly play in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference. The University of Michigan-Dearborn Fieldhouse, which opened in 1978, is where the men's and women's basketball teams play their home games. Many successful people have studied here, including former Ford Motor Company executive Kumar Galhotra.
History
The University of Michigan-Dearborn began its journey in the mid-1950s. A person named Archie Pearson from the Ford Motor Company noticed that the company would need more college-educated engineers and managers in the future. He looked for universities in the Metro Detroit area that could help train these future workers.
How it Started: Dearborn Center
On December 17, 1956, the Ford Motor Company gave land and money to the Regents of the University of Michigan to create a new university branch in Dearborn. This branch would offer advanced college classes and master's degrees. In February 1957, the Regents officially accepted the gifts. They decided to open a branch called the Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan.
The Dearborn Center planned to have a special program called "cooperative work-study." This program would give students real-world experience in business and engineering. This way, students would be better prepared for jobs after graduation. The main University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor would provide the other necessary classes. Construction for the Dearborn Center started on May 22, 1958. William E. Stirton became its first director on October 1 of that year.
The branch opened on September 28, 1959, with 34 students. More programs, like liberal arts and teacher education, were added in 1960. The first 12 students graduated in January 1962. In 1963, the branch was renamed the Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan. This new name showed that it was a separate part of the university.
In 1969, a committee suggested adding classes for first and second-year students. They also recommended expanding programs that didn't require the work-study part. The university leaders approved these ideas in November 1969.
Becoming University of Michigan–Dearborn
In August 1970, the Dearborn campus received its own special approval, separate from the Ann Arbor campus. This approval came from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In April 1971, it was officially renamed the University of Michigan–Dearborn (UM–Dearborn).
In July 1971, Leonard E. Goodall became UM–Dearborn's first leader, called a chancellor. In the fall of 1971, the university officially became a four-year school. It welcomed its first class of freshmen students. There were 313 freshmen that year, and the total number of students grew by 50% to 1,369. The university continued to grow quickly, reaching over 6,000 students by 1979.
Between 1978 and 1980, three important new buildings opened on campus. These were the Fieldhouse and Ice Arena, the University Library, and the University Mall. These new buildings changed the main part of the campus.
New Leaders and Growth
In July 1980, William A. Jenkins became the second chancellor. The university faced some tough financial times in the early 1980s. Despite this, new projects started, like the Holocaust Survivor Oral History Project in 1981. In May 1986, UM–Dearborn opened its Armenian Research Center, which was the first of its kind at a university.
In November 1988, Blenda J. Wilson became the third chancellor. The university started a big renovation project in 1989. In 1990, the university changed its sports programs. Ice hockey became a club sport, and basketball and women's volleyball teams joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). By April 1991, over 1,000 graduate students were enrolled for the first time.
James C. Renick became the fourth chancellor in January 1993. The university reached new student enrollment records in 1995 and 1996. In 1997, the College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters (CASL) started its first graduate program.
Daniel E. Little became the fifth chancellor in November 2000. Many new buildings opened during his time, including the Environmental Interpretive Center and the CASL Building in 2001. In 2003, the university had over 9,000 students for the first time. It also bought the Fairlane Training Center from Ford, which became the Fairlane Center. In 2008, UM–Dearborn started its first doctoral programs (Ph.D. degrees). In 2009, the School of Management became the College of Business.
In September 2013, The Union at Dearborn opened, offering the first on-campus student housing since the 1970s. The School of Education was renamed the College of Education, Health and Human Services. In December 2015, UM–Dearborn awarded its 50,000th degree! In 2016, the Natural Sciences Building reopened after a big renovation.
In 2018, Daniel E. Little stepped down, and Domenico Grasso became the sixth chancellor in August.
Organization
Administration
UM-Dearborn has always been part of the University of Michigan. Since 1970, it has followed the rules of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. The Regents choose the president, who leads their meetings. The president then chooses a chancellor to manage the university every day.
List of Chancellors
- Leonard E. Goodall (1971–1979)
- William A. Jenkins (1980–1988)
- Blenda J. Wilson (1988–1992)
- James C. Renick (1993–1999)
- Daniel E. Little (2000–2018)
- Domenico Grasso (2018–present)
Colleges
UM-Dearborn has four main colleges where students study different subjects:
- The College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters (CASL)
- The College of Engineering & Computer Science (CECS)
- The College of Business (COB)
- The College of Education, Health, & Human Services (CEHHS)
The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), often called "castle," offers many programs. These include environmental sciences, math, statistics, and cultural studies. It started in 1960 and got its current name in 1973. Its main building has offices for different departments and classrooms.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) offers many engineering and computer science degrees. This includes doctoral programs. Engineering programs at UM–Dearborn began in its first year. The college got its current name in 1998.
The College of Business (COB) offers programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. Business programs at UM–Dearborn started in 1973 and became the College of Business in 2009.
The College of Education, Health, & Human Services (CEHHS) offers programs for future teachers and other related fields. It also has an Early Childhood Education Center. The teacher education program started in 1960 and became a school in 1987.
Campus
The UM–Dearborn campus is built on what used to be the estate of Henry Ford, a famous car maker. The campus has several parts: The Henry Ford Estate (called Fair Lane), The Fairlane Center, the Main Campus, and the Early Childhood Education Center.
The university also has over 70 acres of nature preserve. It has a bird observatory, the Rouge River Bird Observatory, which has been studying birds since 1992. This is the longest-running urban bird research station in North America.
The Main Campus has buildings for the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), the Environmental Interpretive Center, and the Mardigian Library. It also has the University Center and the Fieldhouse.
Fair Lane
Fair Lane and the nature preserve are located along the Rouge River. You can find a small waterfall, a rose garden, and a lake there. The forest has many walking paths that connect different parts of the campus and nearby areas. Fair Lane is now managed by the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. They are working on a big project to restore the home and its grounds.
Academics
Becoming a Student
| Admissions statistics | |
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2022 entering
classChange vs. 2017 |
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| Admit rate | 54.1
(
 −10.2) |
| Yield rate | 15.4
(
 −14.6) |
| Test scores middle 50% | |
| SAT Total | 1140-1460 (among 56% of FTFs) |
| ACT Composite | 22-28 (among 5% of FTFs) |
U.S. News & World Report ranked UM-Dearborn as "selective" in 2022. For the class that started in fall 2021, UM-Dearborn received over 8,000 applications and accepted about 5,500 students. About 1,000 of those accepted students chose to enroll.
The average scores for new students in 2021 were between 1050 and 1300 on the SAT and between 22 and 28 on the ACT.
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
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| Applicants | 12,024 | 8,065 | 7,300 | 6,447 | 7,740 | 5,731 |
| Admits | 6,506 | 5,546 | 4,928 | 3,993 | 5,997 | 3,684 |
| Admit rate | 54.1 | 68.8 | 67.5 | 61.9 | 77.5 | 64.3 |
| Enrolled | 1,005 | 1,084 | 1,003 | 1,009 | 1,093 | 1,106 |
| Yield rate | 15.4 | 19.5 | 20.4 | 25.3 | 18.2 | 30.0 |
| SAT composite* (out of 1600) |
1140-1460 (56%†) |
1050-1300 (58%†) |
1120-1350 (92%†) |
1080-1280 (90%†) |
1080-1290 (90%†) |
1060-1290 (80%†) |
| ACT composite* (out of 36) |
22-28 (5%†) |
22-28 (7%†) |
22-29 (21%†) |
22-29 (25%†) |
22-29 (28%†) |
22-28 (33%†) |
| * middle 50% range † percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit |
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What You Can Study
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USNWR undergraduate rankings |
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| Best Colleges for Veterans | 5 |
| Engineering | 167 |
| Top Performers on Social Mobility | 13 |
The university offers many engineering bachelor's degree programs. These include bioengineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
Some of the most popular majors for students graduating in 2021 were psychology, electrical and electronics engineering, and mechanical engineering. Other popular choices included biology, computer science, and public health.
Students who received federal aid and graduated from UM-Dearborn earned a median annual income of $58,324 ten years after starting their studies. This is higher than the average personal income in the U.S.
Some of the highest-earning fields of study for students include:
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degree)
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree)
For undergraduate students, the highest-earning fields include:
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
- Computer Programming
- Computer and Information Sciences
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
Athletics
The UM-Dearborn sports teams are called the Wolverines. Their colors are maize and blue. The university is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). They mostly compete in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).
UM–Dearborn has 16 different sports teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. Women's sports include basketball, softball, and volleyball. Men's and women's bowling and women's ice hockey were added in 2018–19.
Accomplishments
The softball team won the WHAC championship in 2017. The men's ice hockey team won the WHAC championship in 2019. The men's basketball team won the WHAC tournament in 2018.
History of Sports
UM–Dearborn started its first varsity sport, soccer, in the fall of 1974. In 1977, the teams were known as the Wolves. In 1990, the sports program changed significantly. Basketball and women's volleyball became NAIA sports, and hockey became a club sport.
Facilities
The University of Michigan-Dearborn Fieldhouse is where many sports and recreational activities happen. It opened in 1978. It hosts home games for men's and women's basketball, ice hockey, and volleyball. A new wooden floor was put in the gymnasium in 2016.
Championships
- 1980 – Men's Ice Hockey (runner-up) – NAIA
- 1983 – Men's Ice Hockey (runner-up) – NAIA
- 1984 – Men's Ice Hockey (runner-up) – NAIA
- 1992 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Champions - CSCHL
- 1992 – Men's Ice Hockey (runner-up) – ACHA Division I
- 1993 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Champions - CSCHL
- 1998 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Champions - CSCHL
- 1998 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Champions - CSCHL
- 1999 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Champions - CSCHL
- 2008 - Men's Rugby State Champions Div II Tier II
- 2016 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Champions - GLCHL
- 2017 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Champions - GLCHL
- 2017 - Softball Conference Champions - WHAC
- 2018 - Men's Basketball Conference Tournament Champions - WHAC
- 2018 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division 2 National Tournament Appearance
- 2019 - Men's Ice Hockey Conference Champions - WHAC
Student Life
UM-Dearborn has over 125 recognized student organizations (RSOs) and 9 university-sponsored organizations (USOs). These groups cover many interests, like Greek Life, academic clubs, cultural groups, and sports clubs.
University-sponsored organizations:
- The Michigan Journal: The student newspaper since 1971.
- WUMD: The student radio station since 1979. It plays many types of music and broadcasts UM-Dearborn sporting events.
- Campus Video Network
- Greek Leadership Council
- The Lyceum
- Student Activities Board
- Student Government
- Student Organization Advisory Council (SOAC)
- The Wolf Pack
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Fraternities:
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Sororities:
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Student Body
As of 2022, UM-Dearborn has 8,224 students. Most students (94%) are from Michigan. Almost half of the students are the first in their family to go to college. The average GPA for new high school students was 3.68.
About half of UM-Dearborn's students come directly from high school. The other half have some college experience before joining UM-Dearborn.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Many successful people have studied or worked at UM-Dearborn, including:
- Ismael Ahmed – Former director of the Michigan Department of Human Services
- Saul Anuzis – Former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party
- Rima Fakih – Model and Miss USA 2010 winner
- Kumar Galhotra – President of Ford North America
- Huda Kattan – Makeup artist and founder of Huda Beauty
- Mary Beth Kelly – Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice
- Trevor Rosen – Member of the country music group Old Dominion
- Soony Saad – Lebanese footballer
- James R. Downing - President and CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Pamela Good - Co-founder and CEO of "Beyond Basics," a nonprofit that helps students with reading.
