The Stephen M. Ross School of Business has received more than $50 million in contributions to its Foundations for Success student support fundraising initiative.
The Foundations for Success initiative — aimed at increasing access to the top-ranked business programs and supporting students at Ross — was announced last fall with a goal of raising $200 million. It raised $50.4 million, more than 25% of its goal, through June 30, including $2.5 million from two new gifts.
“We are very thankful to our donors for supporting this initiative,” said Sharon F. Matusik, the Edward J. Frey Dean of Business. “Their support will go a long way in supporting our students and making the opportunity to receive a world-class education at Michigan Ross more accessible to students from all backgrounds and experiences.”
The school recently received two significant gifts, totaling $2.5 million, to support students in its Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration programs.
Ross alumnus Howard S. Epstein and his wife, Sharon E. Epstein, committed $1 million to establish the Sharon and Howard Epstein Family Scholarship for exceptional BBA students involved in one of the diversity, outreach or pipeline programs at Ross.
These programs, which include the Preparation Initiative, Summer Business Academy, MREACH, and Ross Summer Connection, help prepare high school and incoming BBA students to thrive in the challenging academic environment at Ross.
“Sharon and I both feel strongly about the importance of removing barriers to higher education,” Howard Epstein said. “We are grateful to know that our new scholarship will help open doors to a Ross BBA education for many aspiring students in the coming years.”
Timothy J. Sloan, a Ross alumnus and Ross School Advisory Board member, and his wife, Elise M. Sloan, a U-M alumna, also donated $1.5 million to the Sloan Family Scholarship, which was established in 2020 to provide need-based support for MBA students with an aptitude for leadership.
“Some of the brightest minds in business are graduating with MBAs from Michigan Ross,” Timothy Sloan said. “By further investing in the Sloan Family Scholarship, we hope to build on the legacy of leadership of the school and its exceptional MBA graduates.”
The Ross School launched the Foundations for Success initiative to boost the school’s ability to recruit exceptional students through scholarships and provide funding for educational and experiential opportunities at Ross and beyond. It aligns with the school’s focus on attracting and supporting a diverse student community and developing business leaders who seek to make a positive difference in the world.
Funds raised also go toward creating more opportunities for students to participate in action-based learning programs, leadership development experiences, and global studies — all signature aspects of a Ross business education.
For example, in addition to funding scholarships that help attract the brightest students to Ross, Foundations for Success contributions help fund study-abroad programs that broaden students’ perspectives, provide startup funding for student entrepreneurs, and sponsor scholarships that enable students to pursue their dreams.
