The 74th U-M Congressional Breakfast set a new fundraising milestone, collecting $125,000 for the Samuel L. Chappell Family Scholarship. This record-breaking amount supports the U-M Alumni Club of Washington, D.C.’s initiative to assist students from the D.C. area to attend the University of Michigan.
Held on March 12, the event boasted its largest attendance yet, with nearly 350 participants, including U-M faculty, alumni, and students. The breakfast serves as a key networking opportunity for the U-M community to engage with policymakers in Washington, D.C.
Prominent speakers included President Santa J. Ono and Ayanna McConnell, president and CEO of the Alumni Association, with U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) delivering the keynote address.
Ono emphasized U-M’s role as a leading public university, committed to societal advancement and groundbreaking discoveries. “Together, we will leverage our interdisciplinarity and excellence at scale to educate learners, to advance society and to make groundbreaking discoveries to impact the greatest challenges facing humanity,” he stated.
He also addressed the need for strong university leadership and restoring public trust in higher education through open dialogue and strategic reform. “By working together with purpose and humility we can strengthen our institutions, regain public trust and help build a nation that is strong, free and prosperous for all,” he added.
McConnell shared achievements of U-M alumni and Michigan in Washington students benefiting from the scholarship fund. Slotkin emphasized U-M’s research as a driver of economic growth and technological innovation, urging the university to enhance its impact on national security.
Attendees included 10 members of Congress, among them Michigan’s Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, and Reps. Debbie Dingell, Jack Bergman, Kristen McDonald-Rivet, Lisa McClain, Rashida Tlaib, and Haley Stevens. Out-of-state attendees included Reps. Grace Meng, D-New York, and Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon.
The breakfast, sponsored by the U-M Club of Greater Washington, funds scholarships for D.C.-area students aspiring to attend U-M.
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