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. Remembering Janice Bluestein Longone

    Culinary historian and adjunct curator Janice Bluestein Longone passed away in August 2022 at the age of 89. She was the principal donor and driving force behind the formation of the Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive, which supports numerous courses at U-M.

  2. Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention welcomes first faculty cohort

    The new faculty represent multiple disciplines, from social sciences and the arts to engineering and public health. They will join institute researchers who have collectively secured more federal funding to study firearm injury prevention than any other academic institution nationwide.

  3. Durable coating kills COVID virus, other germs in minutes

    The coating, which is clear and can be brushed or sprayed on, could be a game changer in traditionally germ-laden public spaces like airports and hospitals. It gets its durability and germ-killing power by combining tried-and-true ingredients in a new way.

  4. Depression among those caring for partners with dementia can start a decade before dementia diagnosis

    New study finds that dementia’s pre-onset period, which may include mild cognitive impairment, is an important time to identify needs and solutions for families that will go on to live with the condition.

  5. A boost just in time for Fall: Updated COVID shots are now available

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved a new and improved booster shot for COVID-19. The shot protects against the original variant of SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5.

  6. Positively breaking the age code

    A silent epidemic of ageism is destroying our health, says Becca Levy, BA ’87. In her new book, the scientist breaks the age code to show how people who hold optimistic beliefs about the aging process experience more positive health outcomes than their negative counterparts.

‘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