Ono highlights impact of state support on student success, affordability, economic growth

Santa Ono, 15th president of the University of Michigan

In testimony before the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Community Colleges in Lansing on April 30, President Santa J. Ono reinforced the vital role state funding plays in furthering the success of students, driving economic development, and maintaining affordable access to a world-class higher education experience for students across the state.

  1. Brooklyn-based artist Robin Frohard

    Life in plastic, not so fantastic

    Visitors to this interactive Ann Arbor exhibit by Brooklyn-based artist and environmental activist Robin Frohardt will immerse in a 6,000-square-foot supermarket in which every banana, every frozen pizza, every sushi roll, and every box of cereal is made of single-use plastic. (Gets a person thinking.) Show runs through Feb. 5.

  2. University of Michigan environmental justice expert Kyle Whyte is one of seven distinguished scientists in the country named U.S. Science Envoys by the Department of State.

    Environmental justice expert is U-M’s first science envoy

    Kyle Whyte is one of seven distinguished scientists in the U.S. tapped to share his expertise with the Department of State. The SEAS professor is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation; he is an expert on climate justice and Indigenous peoples’ rights.

  3. Map of percentage change in transportation energy burden from current on-road vehicle stock to a new battery-electric vehicle. Negative percentages indicate energy cost savings for EVs compared to gasoline powered vehicles. Areas with the greatest savings, shown in green, include the West Coast states and parts of the East and South. Transportation energy burden is the percentage of household income spent on fueling with gasoline or charging with electricity. Adapted from Vega-Perkins et al. in Environmental Research Letters, January 2023.

    EV transition will benefit most US vehicle owners, but lowest-income Americans could get left behind

    If all vehicles on the road were replaced with new EVs, the transportation energy burdens and associated greenhouse gas emissions would vary widely from place to place, according to a new study.

  4. Jim Dale at Manhattan bookstore with graffiti

    Oh yes, he’s a great pretender

    Don’t call him a ghostwriter. Shape-shifting biographer James Dale, BA ’70, prefers ‘co-author,’ as he pens the life stories of athlete Cal Ripken Jr., sports agent Ron Shapiro, and political activist Elijah Cummings, to name just a few.

  5. Protesters against Asian hate

    After announcing its first population decline in six decades, what is next for China?

    As its demographics evolve and numbers decline, researchers ask: Is the structure of China’s population, with imbalances of both age and gender, the country’s real problem? Plus: The economic impacts of anti-Asian bias in the U.S.

  6. Kyla McMullen and Jeremy Waisome recording Modern Figures.

    Not hidden but modern

    U-M’s first Black woman to graduate with a PhD in computer science and engineering is driving change within the University of Florida and scaling her influence with a podcast.

Creativity and connection across prison walls

One of the world’s largest and longest-running exhibitions of incarcerated artists is back with new programming designed to foster connection and deepen public understanding of incarceration in Michigan. The 29th annual Exhibition of Artists in Michigan Prisons, curated by U-M’s Prison Creative Arts Project, showcases 772 artworks by 538 artists incarcerated in 26 state prisons. The Duderstadt Center Gallery on U-M’s North Campus is presenting the artwork through April 1.

  • Most Wanted by Samantha Bachynski

    The exhibition features diverse styles and media, including paintings, portraits, tattoo imagery, landscapes, sculpture, fiber arts and found materials. Each fall, volunteers, including students, select the pieces and visit every prison in Michigan to interact directly with the artists. (See original image)

    Colorful night sky shows through tree branches. 2025 PCAP exhibition.

  • Tangerine Dreams by Matisse Bravo

    For over 35 years, PCAP has worked to bridge the gap between incarcerated individuals and the broader community through artistic collaboration, mutual learning and growth. The program has expanded to include undergraduate courses, weekly art workshops in Michigan prisons, an annual literary review and year-round events to foster dialogue and connection. (See original image)

    A plate of tangerines and tangerine slices on a green table with yellow wall. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Peacefulness by Susan Brown

    According to Emily Chase, PCAP’s exhibition and curatorial coordinator, themes of community and mentorship emerged strongly in this year’s collection. (See original image)

    Colorful landscape with stripes and a mountains. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Paths #2 by Kendall Leonard

    The exhibition allows incarcerated artists to have their voices heard beyond prison walls. “Their voices are so often silenced, and this is one of the few areas where they can feel heard,” says Mattie Levy, PCAP community engagement coordinator. (See original image)

    Colorful abstract painting from the 2025 PCAP exhibition.

  • Mountain Honey by Terry Stinebeck

    “We witnessed experienced artists mentoring newcomers and saw how the artistic efforts of one individual can motivate and inspire others,” says PCAP’s Emily Chase. (See original image)

    A serene landscape with a yellow sky and mountains. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • House of Kards by Michael Browning

    Visitors to the Duderstadt exhibition can experience an audio tour that features select stories from some of the artists. (See original image)

    Abstract painting of a face card from a deck of cards. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Happiness Within by Groot

    This year, the exhibition introduced a new event, “Art and Music: A Collaborative Concert,” in which students performed original musical compositions inspired by select artworks. (See original image)

    Abstract image of youth with a surreal balloon. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Garden Escapades by Tim Brownell

    The concert that complemented the exhibition was a way to empower and unite with people impacted by the justice system through a shared love of creativity, says Ty Bloomfield, one of the event’s organizers. (See original image)

    A farm scene with crops growing in rows and red barn. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • DMX by David Hudson-Bey

    The 2025 exhibition was presented with support from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the U-M Residential College. (See original image)

    Abstract of DMX painting with blues and greens. PCAP exhibition 2025.

  • Did I do that? by Daniel Teriberi

    For nearly three decades, the exhibition has provided a platform for incarcerated artists to share their work with the public, shedding light on personal narratives and the power of artistic expression. (See original image)

    Colorful abstract painting in 2025 PCAP exhibition.