July 27, 1999

Wayne State University: A vital connection for career success

Special: Downtown Monitor

Detroiters seeking a new career, a promotion, or a brighter horizon in their jobs or personal lives have at their doorstep a powerful ally: Wayne State University.

Surprisingly, many in Detroit and its suburbs are not fully aware of the vast educational and cultural resource that we have in the university.

A Detroit institution founded in 1868, Wayne State University provides important connections for everyone who wishes to move toward a better life.

There are about 200,000 living Wayne State alumni who can attest to the benefits of a Wayne State University degree.

Among just a few of them: Astronaut Jerry Linenger, radio's "Top Twenty" guy Casey Kasem, comedian Lily Tomlin, distinguished jurist Damon J. Keith, White House correspondent and author Helen Thomas, Tom Skerrit of "Alien" and "Picket Fences" and businessman Peter Karmanos Jr., head of Compuware and generous donor to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

The cultural environment of Detroit is enhanced by Wayne State's various free and low-cost entertainment events, including performances at the Bonstelle and Hilberry theaters (which offer student matinees), the Salute to Downtown Detroit concert (completing its 34th year in 1999) at Old St. Mary's Church and the On Stage dance performances for children (completing its 47thyear in 1999) on the Wayne State campus, as well as the annual Detroit Festival of the Arts held in September in the University Cultural Center and numerous art exhibits held in Wayne State galleries.

WSU, Michigan's third largest public university, just took a second huge leap in its emergence as a national research institution.

In the last several weeks, Michigan's governor signed legislation establishing a "Life Sciences Corridor" stretching from Wayne State to the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids. Funded with up to $50 million per year over 20years, the Corridor will tie Wayne State, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the Van Andel Institute into a collaborative partnership to make Michigan a national center for biotechnology research and development-- an area much like the Silicon Valley in California or Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

Here's a sampling of some of the specialty research centers and institutes that the university already manages.

WSU Research Centers and Institutes

  • Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
  • Morris Hood Jr. Comprehensive Diabetes Center
  • Institute of Chemical Toxicology
  • Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics
  • C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development
  • Addiction Research Institute
  • Bioengineering Center
  • Merrill-Palmer Institute
  • Skillman Center for Children
  • Developmental Disabilities Institute
  • Institute of Gerontology
  • Asthma and Related Lung Disorders Research Center
  • Center for Health Research
  • Center for Health Effectiveness Research
  • Institute of Maternal and Child Health
  • Center for Urban Studies
  • Institute of Manufacturing Research
  • Center For Automotive Research
  • Center for Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Humanities Center
  • Center for International Business Education and Research
  • Labor Studies
  • Center for Legal Studies
  • Center for the Study of Art and Public Policy
  • Center for Academic Ethics
  • African American Film Institute
  • Douglas Fraser Center for Workplace Issues
  • The Institute for Scientific Computing
  • The State Policy Center
  • Center for Chicano-Boricua Studies
  • Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies

More than 31,000 undergraduate and graduate students are currently enrolled full time or part time in courses offered through WSU's 14 schools and colleges.

Besides a 200-acre main campus conveniently located in the heart of Detroit's Cultural Center, there are also six satellite centers in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties.

The main campus is across from the Detroit Institute of Arts and the main Detroit Public Library. In addition, WSU has major off campus locations in Farmington Hills, at the University Center in Clinton Township, in northwest Detroit, Eastpointe, Harper Woods and Madison Heights.

And an extensive program of evening and weekend classes affords scheduling flexibility for students who work during the daytime.

Anyone considering a university education or continuing education should consider application to Wayne State University. What factors should a new, returning or transfer student take into account when choosing a college or university?

Among things to consider are the breadth of curriculum offerings . . .

  • Wayne State offers education in more than 350 major areas of study and degree programs . . .
    • Wayne State offers 128 different bachelor's degrees; 138 master's degrees and 61 doctoral degrees.
  • Approximity to home or workplace. . .
    • Main campus and six satellite locations.
  • Affordability. . .
    • Tuition is lowest of Big 3 research universities in Michigan.
  • Hours classes are available. . .
    • Classes offered day, evening and weekends.
  • And qualifications of the faculty.. .
    • WSU faculty in the forefront of basic and applied research. Named a Carnegie I Research University in 1994.

Wayne State University scores high on all counts.

Although most students are from southeast Michigan, several thousand students hail from countries around the globe. Each day, the admissions office receives requests from China, Pakistan, Spain, countries around the world. And Canada sends more students to Wayne State than all but one or two other countries. Canadian students from Windsor and Essex County enjoy low in-state tuition rates.

One of the primary classroom buildings on campus, Manoogian Hall at Anthony Wayne Drive and Warren, enhances the cultural milieu by offering study areas in the cultural motif of countries around the world. These rooms are planned and supported by people from the various ethnic communities located in the Detroit area.

Students study languages and other topics in the elegant surroundings of 13 different ethnic cultures:

  • African American Room
  • Arabic Room
  • Armenian Room
  • Chinese Room
  • French Room
  • Greek Room
  • Hungarian Room
  • Italian Room
  • Japanese Room
  • Lithuanian Room
  • Polish Room
  • Romanian Room
  • Ukrainian Room

The diversity of WSU's campus enhances the learning experience for all.

And all ages attend WSU, from students fresh out of high school to senior citizens. One member of the spring 1999 graduating class earned a doctoral degree, his fourth degree from Wayne State, at the age of 82.

During the past year, more than 5,900 students completed degree work and received bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees from WSU.

WSU's School of Medicine in The Detroit Medical Center and its Law School are nationally known. The Hilberry and Bonstelle theaters have produced many New York and Hollywood actors.

For students who need financial assistance, the university has a wide range of scholarships, loans and grants available. Almost half of WSU students receive some form of financial aid. Each year, the university awards scholarships valued at $26 million, part of $91 million in assistance received annually by students.

A University Library System second to none includes the new David Adamany Undergraduate Library, which was specially designed to meet the needs of first-time college students by making the library experience less intimidating. The library, one of six on the WSU main and DMC campuses, has more than 700computers for student use.

A diverse Wayne State faculty includes professors and researchers who are at the top of their field and widely recognized around the country for their teaching skills and cutting-edge research. Many have received national awards for their work.

To learn more about the advantages of attending Wayne State University call the Admissions Office at 313-577-3577.

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