Western Michigan University prepares students from around the globe for a life well lived. In an environment focused on well-being and holistic success, students thrive academically, emotionally and physically and go on to pursue their purpose, prosper in meaningful careers and make an impact on society.  

Founded in 1903, Western offers nearly 250 academic programs to 19,000 students pursuing degrees through the doctoral level. Graduate coursework includes disciplines that range from geosciences and atomic and nuclear physics to medieval literature and blind rehabilitation. Of the 177 graduate offerings available, 33 lead to a doctoral degree. 

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies WMU as a doctoral university and one of just 185 public universities in the nation conducting research at a high level. In addition, U.S. News & World Report has named WMU among the country’s best national universities since 1991. 

Home to a thriving undergraduate honors college, WMU is one of four public universities in Michigan to be granted its own chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most widely recognized academic honor society in the nation. Just 100 other public universities in the country have been selected to shelter a chapter. 

Recent and coming developments 

WMU experienced momentous, even historic, developments within the past year. And the year ahead promises more major moves in the life of the University.  

Visionary graduates made history in June 2021 by donating a total of $550 million to the WMU Foundation, the largest gift for a public institution of higher education in U.S. history. This historic philanthropic contribution known as the Empowering Futures Gift was established to fund scholarships, advance medical education and research, support faculty expertise, increase athletic competitiveness and make possible numerous student-centered initiatives. 

The summer of 2021 also saw the opening of an innovative new Aviation Education Center, which has expanded educational opportunities and doubled the number of students the aviation program can accommodate. Already ahead of the pack, the College of Aviation with its new facility is now even better equipped to meet the aviation industry’s growing demand for skilled professionals. 

In fall of the same year, Western honored the legacy of trailblazing alumna Dr. Merze Tate by naming the newly formed University College after the inspirational graduate who was the first Black woman to earn a bachelor's degree from Western State Teachers College—which would later become WMU—in 1927. Merze Tate College is the academic home for exploratory majors as well as a variety of student support units. 

In addition, the University also marked the opening of the 55-acre Business, Technology and Research Park North, a completed land and economic development project that expanded WMU’s original 265-acre business park. Several of BTR Park North’s parcels have been purchased, with one tenant's facility, Ascension Borgess Cancer Center, in full operation.  

Projected to open in January 2023, the University’s new student center and dining facility in the heart of Main Campus is destined to become the hub for student life. The facility will feature numerous dining options, the campus bookstore, the Office of Student Engagement, Registered Student Organizations, and a variety of places for the entire campus community to meet, study and relax. 

Later in 2023, the renovation of Dunbar Hall, one of the University's most-heavily used academic buildings, is slated for completion. The remodel pairs innovative sustainable features with state-of-the-art learning environments, such as active-learning classrooms, a dance studio overlooking Miller Plaza and a cutting-edge podcasting and broadcasting suite. The building will include two living, vegetative roofs and an upgraded, energy-efficient utility infrastructure. 

Success through people and programming 

The University's success as an institution of higher learning is tied to its strong emphasis on both teaching and research. Many of WMU’s nearly 800 full-time faculty members are engaged in cutting-edge research, helping to advance the frontiers of knowledge and, at the same time, ensuring their students have access to the most current information. In fiscal year 2021, research awards rose by nearly 21% compared to fiscal year 2020. 

Among WMU’s hallmarks are engagement with the communities it serves, innovation and outreach to enhance economic development. WMU also plays an integral part in efforts to diversify and bolster the state’s economy. It contributes by providing talented graduates who are immediately productive in their chosen fields, as nine of 10 of the University’s graduates are employed quickly, working in their field in jobs they like. 

Both the faculty and student body reflect WMU’s reputation in the world and its commitment to diversity. The University attracts students from across the nation and more than 90 other countries. Minority students comprise 22% of the student population while international students make up 11%. WMU’s faculty members have been trained at some of the world’s finest institutions, and they bring to the campus a global perspective that enhances the learning environment.