September 16 - 22, 2019: Independent Colleges and Universities Week

Whereas, Michigan is home to Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities (MICU), which represents 26 non-for-profit independent colleges and universities that serve over 120,000 students across the state; and,

 

WHEREAS, the state’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities are delivering tremendous investment values for graduates, offering an average 11 to 1 rate of return on a bachelor’s degree after just five years; and,

 

WHEREAS, more than 80 percent of graduates from Michigan’s independent colleges and universities choose to live and work in the state after graduation; and,

 

Whereas, 39 percent of United States military veterans pursuing an undergraduate degree in Michigan do so at a Michigan independent college or university; and,

 

WHEREAS, a growing number of low-income students are being served by Michigan’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities, with institution-based student grants and scholarships increasing by 99 percent over the past decade; and,

 

WHEREAS, 45 percent of undergraduate students at Michigan’s independent colleges and universities receive need-based Pell grants; and,

 

WHEREAS, the state’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities provide additional postsecondary education options for low-income students, first generation college-going students, students of color, and adult students; and,

 

WHEREAS, Michigan’s independent, nonprofit college and universities are a vital part of the state’s economic landscape, bringing tens of thousands of skilled, educated students into the state’s workforce during the past decade and giving them each higher earning potential and greater job security;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 16-22, 2019, as Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities Week.