INNOVATION

From the impact of movement on our individual health to how physical activity and sport benefit our communities, research at the School of Kinesiology addresses issues that affect us all throughout our lives. We’re fostering sustainable and healthy communities, finding new solutions for illness and injury prevention and treatment, and accelerating business growth and urban redevelopment through sport. And we’re working with our colleagues in business, medicine, athletics, public health, architecture and urban planning, and information to share our knowledge and strengthen our playbook.

GOAL#1: permanent endowment for the Michigan Concussion Center

$15 MILLION

$15 MILLION

GOAL#2: permanent endowment for the Human Performance & Sport Science Center

GOAL#3: solidify SoK as a center of excellence in exercise and cancer

$1—15 MILLION

GOAL #1: $15 MILLION

To Permanently Endow The Michigan Concussion Center

• Founded in 2018 under the U-M Bioscience Initiative, the University of Michigan Concussion Center serves as a hub for concussion-related clinical care, research, and outreach and engagement on behalf of the U-M community. The mission of the U-M Concussion Center is to maximize societal and individual health through the relentless pursuit of concussion knowledge.

• With more than $80 million in grants, the U-M Concussion Center runs two of the largest studies on concussion in the world. The center provides educational opportunities to U-M students while connecting experts from around the world on this critical health issue.

• A permanent endowment of $15 million would name the center and provide support to its current operations in perpetuity, with some room to grow. Gifts of any size will support an operational support fund.

If what moves you is the work that helps lower concussion rates while returning people to work and play faster, please support this important, campus-wide initiative.

GOAL #2: $15 MILLION

TO PERMANENTLY ENDOW THE HUMAN PERFORMANCE & SPORT SCIENCE CENTER

• HPSSC was originally launched in 2016 as the Exercise & Sport Science Initiative (ESSI), with inaugural funds from the U-M vice president for research, provost, and athletic director. Now, as the Human Performance & Sport Science Center, we believe our new name more closely aligns with our global vision: optimal performance and health for people of all ages and abilities.

• Through student courses focused on human performance and sport science, performing innovative and cross-disciplinary research studies in athletes of all abilities, and by partnering with leaders in industry and high-performance sport, HPSSC is focused on translating our research discoveries to communities of all types, ages, and abilities.

• A permanent endowment of $15 million would name the center and provide support to the center’s current operations in perpetuity, with some room to grow.

INTRODUCING: HAIL

In 2024, the Human Performance and Sport Science Center embarked on a pioneering partnership with Michigan Athletics and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery to create a unique learning environment for students to develop hands-on sport science skills and experience on the playing field, and in the newly developed HPSSC Athlete Innovation Lab (HAIL). Students will participate in performance data collection and biometric assessments with the goal of optimizing performance, facilitating better and faster training and recovery, and ensuring student athlete health and well-being through innovation.

If what moves you is supporting student-athlete health and well-being and helping Michigan Athletics retain its competitive edge, please make a gift to support the HAIL initiative.

GOAL #3: $1—15 MILLION

SOLIDIFY U-M AND SOK AS A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN EXERCISE AND CANCER

The School of Kinesiology is home to a handful of scholars and researchers with interests in how cancer affects the body. Researchers in the school examine how cancer surgery can affect muscle, tissue, and — ultimately — mobility. They study the impact of exercise on cancer recovery outcomes; the role of obesity in cancer development, diagnosis, and clinical outcomes; and the impact of social determinants of health on outcomes in communities of color.

Our goal is to launch a multi-phase effort to solidify our school as a leader in this area of clinical research.

• Phase 1: Establish a named, endowed, annual lecture series, held in the School of Kinesiology, and focused on innovative topics in exercise and cancer. (Timeline 1-2 years, $1 million)

• Phase 2: Establish a named, endowed, bi-annual symposium on U-M’s campus, inviting the top names in cancer and exercise to join in round table discussions, keynotes, and research project discussions. (Timeline 3-5 years, $2.5 million)

• Phase 3: Establish a named, endowed Exercise & Cancer Center in the School of Kinesiology. (Timeline 10 years, $10 million)

Other ways to support exercise and cancer initiatives in SoK:

• Provide one-time pilot project funding: $75,000

• Provide summer support for student researchers: $5,000/student/year

If what moves you is continued research designed to help people with cancer move toward recovery, please support this new initiative.

GOAL #4: $1 MILLION NAME AND BUILD OUT A MULTICULTURAL CENTER ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE SOK BUILDING

• With a commitment to access, opportunity, and inclusion, the School of Kinesiology seeks a partner to name a new, high-visibility multicultural center that celebrates the diverse heritages and identities of our student body, builds community, and offers support systems that help students succeed.

If what moves you is providing accessible spaces for building a diverse community of future leaders, naming this space will support ongoing multicultural programming and community building.