Broncos building their futures: The Empowering Futures Gift continues to redefine what's possible for WMU students charting their careers
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Transformational. Groundbreaking. Historic. A flood of adjectives accompanied the June 2021 announcement of the Empowering Futures Gift—an anonymous $550 million donation to Western that made national headlines as the largest gift for a public university in U.S. history.
The jaw-dropping donation—divided into $200 million for WMU, $300 million for Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine and $50 million for Bronco Athletics—gave Western the wherewithal to expand resources and opportunities for students in an unprecedented way.
Five years later, thousands of students have benefited from the scholarships, programs and support services funded by the Empowering Futures Gift.
Real students, real impact
Jadazay Ledbetter, BBA ’26, became the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree when she walked across the stage at Miller Auditorium in May.
“I’ve had multiple job offers on the table, and at this point, I’m deciding which one is my favorite. That’s not something every student can say,” says the supply chain management alumna, who is starting her career debt-free thanks to the Bronco Promise, a full-tuition scholarship sponsored by the Empowering Futures Gift.
“I was determined to go to college, so I was going to find a way, but the Bronco Promise meant I didn’t have to take out loans,” she says. “My story is really about the opportunity Western has given me professionally and the ability it has given me to have a lot of financial freedom.”
Healthcare services and sciences student Marian Fueri worried her Western journey would end before it had a chance to begin.
“When I first arrived at Western in 2023, I was uncertain whether I would be able to complete my college education due to financial challenges,” she says. A phone call from Tim Smolenski, navigation specialist in the Empowering Futures-supported Navigator Network, changed everything.
“He introduced himself and explained that he was reaching out to see if there was anything I needed to help make my semester go smoothly,” Fueri says. “He encouraged me, reassured me and connected me with resources that helped make success possible.”
Now, the honors student’s research has led to the creation of an information and communication technology lab for a primary school in rural Ghana complete with laptops the students wouldn’t otherwise have access to. Through her honors thesis work, labs at two more schools are also in progress.
Smolenski calls Fueri a shining light and a powerful example of servant leadership. She might say the same thing about him.
“He has become a wonderful cheerleader and mentor to me,” she says. “Through his encouragement, I have learned how to advocate for myself and confidently seek out resources across campus. Knowing that I can reach out for support and that resources are available when I need them has made a significant difference in my academic experience.”
A network of support
Khaneesha Lockridge, director of Empowering Futures implementation, says the best part of the gift is that it funds a holistic approach to supporting students on their entire WMU journey—from admission through graduation.
The Navigator Network, whose staff reaches out proactively to students in need to offer help and resources, is one important piece of that puzzle.
Smolenski and his fellow navigation specialists make sure these students “get through the whole journey—not just in the door,” Lockridge says. "It’s so important, because persistence isn’t a one-day thing; you have to do it day in and day out. That’s the most compelling part of Marian’s story: It was two years of effort, of she and Tim working together, side by side, through the good days and bad days and celebrations.”
Part of helping students through that “whole journey” is providing comprehensive health and well-being programming, another key area that the Empowering Futures Gift continues to fund. Thanks to the gift, students in need can connect with peer mental health educators and get food, personal care and emergency financial relief through Montgomery Essential Needs.
Our students come in a little unsure and leave with those layers of support in place—with that social network, with a sense of belonging, with a sense of purpose. They persist, they graduate, they go through a wonderful internship, they make that meaningful connection with a career—and that’s exactly what we wanted.
So that all may learn
The gift supports students in other ways, too:
- Bronco Connect Scholarship and Living Learning Community, which reduces housing and food costs for qualified first-year students and provides a supportive residence hall community.
- Broncos Lead Internship Program, which provides paid internships with local businesses and organizations.
- Tenacity Awards, which provide up to $1,000 to upper-level students in need of funds to complete their degree.
Scholarships alone would have an appreciable impact on student success, but the Empowering Futures Gift also funds Experience-Driven Learning Venture Grants, which enable faculty to create new learning opportunities for Broncos. A well-rounded college experience is the goal.
“The value proposition of higher education is the academic experience plus the wraparound care and services we’re able to provide, which equals a better experience so our students graduate career-ready,” says Dr. Barry Olson, associate vice president for student affairs.
Thousands of students have benefited from one or more of the initiatives supported by Empowering Futures over the past five years, and many of the programs have grown in their capacity and reach.
“Our students come in a little unsure and leave with those layers of support in place—with that social network, with a sense of belonging, with a sense of purpose,” Olson says. “They persist, they graduate, they go through a wonderful internship, they make that meaningful connection with a career—and that’s exactly what we wanted."
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