The University of Michigan will use the 2026-27 academic year to address another core impact area of its Look to Michigan vision: to serve as a model of excellence in fostering healthy and thriving communities at the university, across the state, and beyond.
Human Health and Well-Being has been announced as the next Look to Michigan theme year and will offer the U-M community programming, events and learning opportunities.
“At Michigan, improving human health and well-being is work we do every day,” Provost Laurie McCauley said. “This theme year is a chance to build on that strength and bring our community together around what it means to help people thrive.”
The Human Health and Well-Being impact area has five main objectives:
- Promote a vibrant and health-conscious campus culture by integrating well-being into every facet of the U-M experience, comprehensively addressing the mental, physical and emotional wellness of our community.
- Transform public health through breakthroughs in improving patient care, advocating for preventive health, and cultivating strategic collaborations to confront and overcome critical health challenges both locally and globally.
- Close the health equity gap by directing research and clinical breakthroughs toward the needs of the underserved to make a lasting and positive difference in the lives of those most in need.
- Become the leaders and best of health care delivery innovation by setting the national benchmark for safety, quality and patient outcomes through groundbreaking research and clinical excellence.
- Generate innovative discoveries that enhance health outcomes and propel scientific progress by fostering a world-leading research ecosystem that encourages scholarly excellence and translates findings into real-world applications.
“The Year of Human Health and Well-Being reflects something fundamental to our mission at the University of Michigan: an understanding that health is not defined solely by the care we deliver, but by the environments we create, the discoveries we pursue, and the communities we serve,” said David C. Miller, chief executive officer of Michigan Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs at the University of Michigan.
“This theme year will help us catalyze new connections, accelerate innovation and deepen our shared commitment to improving health, not just for individuals, but for communities across Michigan and beyond.”
The theme will be co-led by:
- John Ayanian, Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy, Alice Hamilton Collegiate Professor of Medicine, director, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, professor of internal medicine, Medical School; professor of health management and policy, School of Public Health; and professor of public policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.
- Rob Ernst, chief health officer, associate vice president for health and wellness in Student Life, and assistant professor of internal medicine, Medical School.
- Karen Schmidt, senior director of MHealthy, Health and Well-being Services.
“The university’s commitment to human health and well-being is reflected in so many ways, including in how we invest in the systems and resources that support our community every day. It is critical that we create the foundation for people to thrive,” said Bobby Hewlett, interim executive vice president and chief financial officer. “This theme year is an opportunity to strengthen those efforts, ensuring well-being is woven into every aspect of campus life and that our excellence in scholarship and care continues to grow.“
The co-leads will collaborate with human health and well-being leaders and stakeholders throughout campus to develop a framework of focus areas that will guide programming, funding opportunities and events throughout the year.
Details on those priorities, along with marquee events and signature programming, will be announced this fall on the Look to Michigan and dedicated Human Health and Well-Being website.
Human Health and Well-Being follows the current theme year, Life-Changing Education, and the inaugural theme year, Democracy, Civic & Global Engagement.
