IOE Advisory Board achieves goal in first fundraising effort
U-M IOE professor and chair, Brian Denton, explains the role of the IOE Advisory Board and highlights their recent fundraising efforts.
U-M Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) has an advisory board of committed alums and industry professionals with a variety of experiences and backgrounds. This group helps advise the department on long-term strategic plans. There are currently 16 board members, including 14 IOE alumni, committed to the department’s success.
Together with select staff, faculty, and students, I meet with the board on campus in Ann Arbor twice a year. The Board Chair, Bethany Weeby, oversees three subcommittees: Fundraising, Education and Professional Development, and Outreach.
“I’m really excited about the future of the department. (Brian) sees the important connection to the business world, just as Mark Daskin did … There is value in having an advisory board that is comprised of people from education, research and business to help guide the evolution of the department. “
Bethany Weeby
U-M IOE Advisory Board Chair
These subcommittees help us with many of our most important goals. Such as changes to our academic programs — to align student needs with employers, and mentoring and professional development activities for students. Other goals include outreach to universities to help us recruit a diverse and talented group of graduate students and fundraising in support of our graduate program.
Last year Craig Russell, Chair of our Fundraising Committee, set a goal for the advisory board to raise $100k in gifts to help graduate students join IOE and engage in advanced studies, academic research, and career development.
Fundraising has become a critical need for us if we are to maintain our standing as one of the top industrial engineering programs in the world and continue to lead in discovery, innovation, and education.
“Fundraising has become a critical need for us if we are to maintain our standing as one of the top industrial engineering programs in the world and continue to lead in discovery, innovation, and education.”
Brian Denton
Professor and Chair, U-M Industrial & Operations Engineering
To help our students continue to achieve at the highest levels, the board recently renewed its fundraising commitment by setting a new goal of engaging our department’s more than 9000-strong alumni network.
I’m looking forward to continuing to collaborate with this extraordinary group of people as we work to achieve our department’s vision of excellence in education and research.
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