DETROIT – Since its launch last October, WSU OPEN has proven to be a game-changer in connecting businesses and organizations with Wayne State University.  
One of its most promising success stories is its partnership with Bollinger Motors, a Michigan-based electric truck startup focused on fleet electrification.  
   
Bollinger Motors, headquartered in Oak Park, reached out to WSU OPEN with the hope of establishing a relationship. After a discovery call with WSU OPEN, they were introduced to Edna Lorenz, Wayne State’s director of Campus Sustainability, and soon after, a Bollinger truck was brought to Midtown for a test drive.   
   
WSU and Bollinger are now partnering on a grant to Michigan’s Office of Mobility and Future Electrification to lease two vehicles for two years at no cost to the university. These vehicles could serve various functions, from hauling materials around necessary to properly maintain buildings to providing a new kind of on-demand service to the facilities team that reduces idling time, ultimately reducing Wayne State’s environmental footprint.

“The Bollinger team had targeted Wayne State as a strategic partner and wasn’t sure what to expect when we inquired,” said Colin Seals, Bollinger’s government affairs director. “I was excited to be met with the enthusiasm and creativity that’s resulted in this amazing opportunity to support Wayne State’s goal to reduce, balance and offset the amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with all direct and indirect institutional activities affecting emissions.” 

WSU OPEN – an acronym for Opportunity, Partnership, Engagement and Network – was designed to simplify and accelerate the process of connecting external organizations with all areas of the university. It launched with a clear message: Wayne State is open for business, and no idea is too ambitious. Within the first 90 days, the program received 90 inquiries, many from alumni interested in collaborating with their alma mater.  
   
“Finding partners to help offset the costs of the Office of Sustainability’s strategic plan is critical to our success and expedites our ability to meet our goals,” Lorenz said. “In this case, we can extend Bollinger’s engagement beyond the physical infrastructure needs which deepens their experience and our students’ learning opportunities.” 
   
Beyond Bollinger Motors, WSU OPEN has facilitated connections with companies like AmHyTech, a Michigan-based high-tech firm looking for a new home, MillerKnoll, an office furniture giant that sponsored a recent trip for 40 industrial and interior design students to visit its studios in Holland, Michigan, and Elms Family Services, a human services nonprofit, that was connected with the Wayne Mobile Health Unit.  
 
Danielle Manley, Wayne State’s assistant vice president of corporate engagement and advancement, emphasized the speed at which WSU OPEN operates, noting that the program has significantly streamlined what was once an uneven process that may or may not have resulted in at least one connection to the right campus team member. And it is not just about answering the call, it is about following-up to make sure the prospective partner gets an answer – yes or no.   
   
“We made the commitment to respond to every inquiry within 24 hours,” Manley said. “On the first day alone, we received more than 30 inquiries. Now, we’re seeing the results of those efforts, with nearly 320 organizations who have used WSU Open to the benefit of both academic and campus partners.”  

Wayne State President, Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, praised the early success of WSU OPEN, emphasizing its role in advancing the third pillar of the university’s Prosperity Agenda to Fuel Innovation for Our Competitiveness.  
   
“WSU OPEN exemplifies our commitment to fostering innovation, economic growth and community engagement,” she said. “By swiftly connecting businesses with our vast capabilities and faculty expertise, we’re not only strengthening Wayne State’s impact -- we are also fueling prosperity for the entire region and beyond.”

As WSU OPEN moves forward, the team is poised to build on these early successes. With more connections in the works and an expanding list of partners, WSU OPEN is demonstrating how Wayne State’s commitment to collaboration and community is yielding tangible results.