On Giving Tuesday, help Michigan residents Go Blue all the way through grad school

The University of Michigan School of Information will prioritize access to graduate education on Giving Tuesday, a global day of fundraising that falls this year on Dec. 3. 

Gifts made to UMSI on this day will support the newly established UMSI Go Blue Graduate Scholarship, which covers tuition for the Master of Science in Information or Master of Health Informatics program. The graduate-level scholarship is designed for low-income Michigan residents who previously qualified for free undergraduate tuition through U-M’s Go Blue Guarantee. 

The UMSI Go Blue Graduate Scholarship builds on the success of a two-year pilot program launched in 2023, the UMSI Graduate Guarantee, which was the first initiative at U-M to extend the Go Blue Guarantee’s tuition support to graduate programs. 

Through this new fund, UMSI continues its commitment to making a master’s degree affordable for more Michigan residents, helping them Go Blue all the way through graduate school. The first scholarships will be awarded in fall 2025, and recipients will be selected based on financial need and merit, including potential to make an impact in the information field. 

“I've had a long journey getting to the point that I am now, being here at graduate school,” says Henry Jackson, an MSI student from Ypsilanti, Michigan, who is studying user experience research and design. He currently works full-time in the IT Department at Bank of Ann Arbor and hopes to pivot into a career in graphic design. 

Jackson began his college education at Washtenaw Community College before transferring to U-M as a Go Blue Guarantee recipient. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in political science in 2023 — the same year that UMSI announced it would extend the Go Blue Guarantee to graduate studies. 

“I never figured 10 years ago, when I graduated high school, that I would be in the position I am in today. But as the opportunities presented themselves, I took them,” he says. “I've been able to work with students from all around the world, which is something that I'm so thankful for. UMSI has really taught us how to do all of these things, with classes like SI 622 where we do usability studies and interview clients. There are just so many opportunities that are afforded to us as students at this school.”

Michigan residents who further their studies in the MSI and MHI programs are poised to create ethical tech solutions, expand access to libraries and archives, and address health disparities. 

Since entering the MHI program, Ambar Amoros-Gomez of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has discovered a passion for making medical devices inclusive of people of color. 

“Being a first-generation American and a first-generation college student, I think there's a lot of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. But in my master’s, the world is my oyster,” she says. “I'm even considering a PhD in the future. My favorite professor, Allen Flynn, he’s like, ‘You can do this.’ The more I hang out at UMSI with the students and the faculty, the more I see what I'm able to accomplish.”

The invitation the UMSI Go Blue Graduate Scholarship extends to students: Keep going.

MAKE A GIFT

Support from donors is necessary to sustain this initiative into the future. UMSI invites alumni, faculty, staff and others who are passionate about supporting future information leaders to contribute any amount on Tuesday, Dec. 3. 

Spread the word by sharing your reason for giving on social media and tagging UMSI’s official accounts: LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram. 

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