About WMU

Broncos are career-ready

At Western, a degree is a pursuit of purpose where students are empowered with the resources and support to thrive. Through an experience-driven education, Broncos receive learning opportunities in a professional setting that enhance future career success, enabling them to live the meaningful life of their choosing. That’s why TIME ranked Western a Best College for Future Leaders (TIME and Statista, 2025).

 

What makes Western Michigan different?

Western supports the whole student with a holistic education that prioritizes emotional, social and physical well-being. Here, we celebrate the passions that drive our students and the possibilities that inspire them, helping students graduate as the best versions of themselves.

WMU students make their mark on the world—Grammy winners, Super Bowl champions, doctors, teachers, pilots and countless others have flourished during and after their time at Western.

 

 

Land acknowledgment statement

Land acknowledgment is a process by which individuals are prompted to consider the history of the space they currently inhabit.

We would like to recognize that Western Michigan University is located on lands historically occupied by the Ojibwe, Odawa and Bodewadmi nations. Please take a moment to acknowledge and honor this ancestral land of the Three Fires Confederacy, the sacred lands of all Indigenous peoples and their continued presence.

 

 

 

Western has really given me the technical and conceptual skills to become what I want to be as an artist. I've gotten a fantastic base here that I can jump off of and really thrive when I'm out of college and starting to establish myself in the art world.
—Rozlin Opolka, B.F.A.'20, painting (from Fowlerville, Michigan)

Explore Western

State building.

Real-world experiences inspire purpose

Firsthand experience—like lobbying legislators about environmental policy—has the greatest impact with students.
Get a head start
Fall Mental Health week is a great opportunity for WMU students to learn about different ways to stress and take care of their mental health.

Focusing on the whole student

If we’re not taking care of our mental health, then how are we going to be able to thrive and do the things that we want to be able to do?
——Dr. Brian Fuller, director of Counseling Services
Focus on mental health
A faculty member works with a product design student

Career development

Students in Western’s new product design program study fine arts, business and engineering, preparing them for in-demand careers.
Design your future
Signature experiences students can apply what they have learned in and out of the classroom to real-world problems. Photo of a student working with a dog.

WMU Signature

Our WMU Signature program draws on all your experiences to help you determine a career path that’s right for you.
Explore the program
Taylor Gaines posing in her graduation gown in front of the Bronco statue.

Merze Tate College

Find invaluable resources, skills, knowledge and connections to help guide you on the path toward success.
Discover your purpose
Donte' Tuggle and Erika Hejl poses outside of Schneider hall. Donte' secured a job with Nike and Erika found employment with Smucker’s through their education and opportunities provided by WMU.

Success for a lifetime

Since my first day here, the faculty has been supportive in so many ways. It’s such an amazing opportunity and I’ve never felt like an outsider.
——Deniz Toker, recent graduate who teaches English to refugees
Read more student success stories
Every day, we challenge our thinking to create programs that make a lasting impact.