WMU names Essential Needs program to honor President Montgomery
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s celebrated Essential Needs program is set to be named the Montgomery Essential Needs program. The new name honors Dr. Edward Montgomery, whose tenure as Western’s ninth president has been dedicated to creating pathways for student success while removing barriers to student well-being, embodying the very mission of the Essential Needs program.
Established in 2014, Essential Needs has become a lifeline for students in need, providing essential resources and nutritious food to one in 12 students at WMU. Along with food, the program offers access to personal care items and emergency financial assistance, empowering students to fully engage in an experience-driven education, thrive during their time on campus and graduate prepared for a meaningful career.
“There is no more fitting tribute than to name the Essential Needs program in honor of Dr. Montgomery in recognition of his relentless focus on student success throughout his presidency,” says Shelly Edgerton, Board of Trustees chair. “His leadership has enabled us to live out the belief that Broncos hold most dear, ‘So that all may learn.’
“Under his leadership, Western announced the $550 million Empowering Futures Gift. The strategic investments of those resources have enabled our students to achieve record student success with the highest retention and graduation rates on record. Our faculty have achieved record-level research and creative activity and are leading innovative Experience-Driven Learning opportunities for students while Bronco athletes have collectively had some of the most successful years in Bronco history.
“President Montgomery’s legacy will live on in the lives of thousands of students who have been transformed by Western Michigan University. Bronco nation owes a debt of gratitude to him, his wife Kari and their son, two-time Bronco EJ,” Edgerton says.
A broader vision “so that all may learn”
Today, the Montgomery Essential Needs program assists students with:
- Food insecurity
- Medical costs
- Menstrual products
- Textbook costs
- Unexpected emergencies like car repairs or broken glasses
With the program naming comes a goal to increase philanthropic support for students through the program. Greater voluntary support will allow expansion of current services as well as the addition of new and other needed services, such as:
- Resource room for parenting students: Dedicated space providing essential items like diapers, formula and baby supplies
- Cap and gown exchange: Free graduation regalia on a loan basis, ensuring all students can fully participate in commencement ceremonies
- Winter gear and clothing program: Distribution of coats, gloves and other cold weather gear
- Virtual clothing closet: Funding for students to purchase new professional attire for interviews
- Laptop loaner program: Addressing learning need by providing laptops for students who may not have the resources to access them
“Kari, EJ and I are deeply humbled and honored by this naming. We have always been inspired by the transformative role the Essential Needs program has played in our students' lives and within our campus community. For some students, these resources can make a life changing difference along their path to a degree,” Montgomery says.
“For all students to succeed, their basic needs must first be met. And for some, it’s a meal, an emergency car repair or some other essential support that ensures they are prepared to learn, to stay in college and to ultimately graduate. It is incredibly rewarding to know that this program ensures that all our students have access to the resources they need. Our community coming together to support each other reflects the values that both our family and Western hold dear. We will always be Broncos, but this makes it official.”
The expanded vision also includes broadening support for emergency travel, increasing food assistance and providing free menstrual products in every campus building through a program known as “Broncos. Period.”
“Our vision reflects an ongoing commitment to addressing the broad and evolving needs of our students,” says Donielle Easlick, program manager of Montgomery Essential Needs. “By broadening our services, we aim to give Broncos added resources that will enable and empower them to overcome challenges and barriers they may be facing, so they can academically engage and successfully graduate.
President Montgomery will retire on June 30, 2025. His tenure began on Aug. 1, 2017. Read Montgomery’s Sept. 12, 2025, retirement announcement and news release on his retirement, and find Montgomery’s biography on his webpage.
Lean more about the Montgomery Essential Needs program
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