Brad Meltzer, BA ’92, tells Class of 2024: ‘Unleash your kindness’

Four men stand in a line opening their commencement gowns to reveal big Block M's in maize.

2024 commencement speaker Brad Meltzer shares how magic provides insight to shape lives, aligning with classmate Desmond Howard (far left), and 2023 national champions Blake Corum and J.J. McCarthy, to drive home the point.

  1. Autonomous vehicle with LiDAR sensors on top. Image credit: Ford

    Autonomous cars in the snow

    U-M and Ford collaborate on the auto industry’s first tests of autonomous vehicles in wintry conditions.

  2. Jack Kevorkian as a boy, Bentley Archive

    The life of Dr. Death

    Jack Kevorkian’s archive at the Bentley reveals the life of an artist, composer, and controversial advocate of the right-to-die movement.

  3. John Beilein and Patrick Beilein, Michigan vs. Le Moyne, 11-15

    Like father, like son

    Michigan Basketball Coach John Beilein matches teams and wits with son and fellow coach, Patrick Beilein, in a faceoff at Crisler Center

  4. Coffee researchers

    Coffee Killer

    There’s trouble brewing and it’s far more devastating than any cup controversy at Starbucks. It’s called ‘la roya’ and it’s wreaking havoc on coffee’s future.

  5. Blues musician

    Living the blues

    Students travel to the American south to experience the vibrant culture and living history of roots music – through people, places, and performance.

  6. U-M Diversity Summit, featuring Clarence Page; 11-15

    Be there, be heard

    Campuswide summit continues yearlong effort to create a comprehensive plan to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues at U-M.

‘Gateway for innovation’

The December groundbreaking at the U-M Center for Innovation (UMCI) in Detroit helped kick off Vision 2034, the University’s 10-year blueprint for the future. Preliminary site work has been ongoing with a projected opening in 2027. “The UMCI is a catalyst for positive change and, as such, presents itself along Grand River Avenue as a ‘gateway for innovation,’” said Hana Kassem, FAIA, design principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF). The first two floors will house public programs, a cafe, and shared office space for the U-M Detroit Center, Admissions Office, School of Environment and Sustainability Clinic, and others. Levels three through six are planned for multidisciplinary graduate research. Watch: UMCI design approved, construction ramps up. (All images by Kohn Pedersen Fox.)

  • Engaging the passerby

    “The UMCI design proudly bears the University of Michigan spirit focusing on progress and inclusivity, which is embodied in its dynamic forward-leaning form and the portal that cuts through it, inviting access to all,” said KPF’s Kassem. “Its transparent facade at street level engages the passerby, showcasing innovation, by putting making and research on display.”

     

    Modern office building

  • Ground breaking

    The project broke ground in December at the intersection of Grand River Avenue and West Columbia Street. The proposed 200,000-gross-square-foot building will be the first of three buildings to be constructed on the site, with the other two — an incubator space and a residential building — developed at a future date.

    Aerial view of proposed UMCI

  • Mixed models

    UMCI will be a world-class research, education, and entrepreneurship center designed to advance innovation and community development that will propel  job creation and inclusive economic growth. Programming at the UMCI will offer a mixed-model approach that includes both master’s degrees and workforce development programs that focus on technology and innovation.

    People sit at tables in modern courtyard

  • Open doors

    UMCI also will host a multitude of community engagement activities for the residents of Detroit, ranging from K-12 programs like the Michigan Engineering Zone to the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project and many more.

    Interactive, creative lab

  • Catalyst for growth

    “UMCI will bring together the best of the University of Michigan to catalyze economic development in the city of Detroit,” said U-M Provost Laurie McCauley. “It will house a robust portfolio of academic programs, including new interdisciplinary graduate degrees and certificate programs aligned to the skills of the future.” The ultimate goal is to attract startups as well as major employers to the region, she said. Read more about the UMCI.

    Atrium filled with people in a modern office building