Vision
There are many exciting moments that we are proud to share with you in this edition of Ferris Magazine.
This fall our football team captured the conference championship, were undefeated in the regular season and won four post-season games in the NCAA tournament. With a record of 15-0, the team advanced to face Georgia’s Valdosta State in the NCAA Division II National Championship in McKinney, Texas. Five buses of fans, students, athletes, the cheer squad and pep band made the 20-hour bus trip to McKinney.
We sold nearly 1,000 tickets for this game, and there were watch parties in Big Rapids, throughout Michigan and across the country.
Our men performed at their best against an extremely tough opponent, scoring the first touchdown of the game and continuing to battle for a win. With 40 seconds left on the clock, our two-point conversion attempt fell short for a final score of 49-47. You can read more about the game and our experience in Texas on page 19.
The support on campus, in local communities and with alumni throughout the country for this championship run has truly been unprecedented. Thank you for supporting our team in this extraordinary way.
On page 33 you can read about how College of Pharmacy students will soon benefit from the largest gift ever received in University history—a $6.59 million bequest from the estate of the late Dewaine V. and Jana B. Robinson. This gift establishes the Dewaine V. and Jana B. Robinson Scholarship Endowment, the income from which will provide financial aid in perpetuity for students enrolled in Ferris’ Doctor of Pharmacy program. It has been the dream of Dean Stephen Durst that each student in the program would receive a scholarship to help defray the cost of their studies. The Robinsons are helping make this dream a reality.
In November 2017 we launched the University’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, Now & Always. One year later, we have met and exceeded our initial goal of $80 million. Because of your support and the forward momentum this has created, we have increased the fundraising goal to $115 million and extended the timeframe through June 30, 2022. Many of you have participated in this campaign, and we are very grateful for your support. You can read more about the campaign on page 31.
There is so very much to celebrate and be thankful for at Ferris State University. We look forward to creating more opportunities for our students and sharing those successes with you in the coming year. Thank you for your support of Ferris State University, both now and always.
Sincerely,
David L. Eisler
President