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. Museum of Art receives major architecture award

    The museum became the third U-M building to earn the award for outstanding architecture.

  2. U-M Regents approve new HD video boards for Stadium, Crisler and Yost

    The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted Jan. 20, 2011, to install new high definition (HD) video scoreboards at Michigan Stadium, Crisler Arena and Yost Ice Arena. The boards will be installed at each venue prior to the 2011-12 season.

  3. Growth on U-M campus up, but energy use down, report shows

    U-M grew last year at a rapid 8-percent clip—including the campus’ largest physical expansion in 60 years—but its sustainability efforts have simultaneously cut normalized energy use by 4 percent, water use by 3 percent and resulted in a decrease in per-person trash levels of nearly 5 percent.

  4. Powerful 3-D X-rays for kids in braces should be the exception, not the rule

    Some orthodontists may be exposing young patients to unnecessary radiation when they order 3-D X-ray imaging for simple orthodontic cases before considering traditional 2-D imaging.

  5. Do Americans stretch the truth about church attendance?

    “Americans have long been viewed as exceptionally religious compared to other nations in the developed world,” says a U-M researcher. But new findings suggest that Americans might not actually attend church as often as they say they do.

  6. Kids frequently exposed to imaging procedures that use radiation

    Parents and doctors should educate themselves and be cautious about the frequent use of these diagnostic tests for kids.

‘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