It has been one year since President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., outlined a bold, strategic vision for Michigan State University during his investiture as MSU’s 22nd president. His address unveiled several ambitious initiatives designed to elevate academic and research excellence and increase accessibility and affordability for students.
During his 2025 State of the University address, Guskiewicz noted that MSU has celebrated significant achievements while also facing numerous challenges and uncertainty over the course of the year. Highs included celebrating and welcoming the inaugural 30 Joseph R. and Sarah L. Williams Scholarship recipients as well receiving the Golden Goose Award for the breakthrough cancer-fighting drug cisplatin. At the same time, the university has grappled with challenges brought about by cuts to federal funding, which have impacted research efforts to fight global hunger, mitigate crop disease, support farmers and address other critical areas.
Funding critical research
“We do have the capacity to support some affected research, including by directing $5 million annually over the next three years from a strategic endowment — the Jenison Fund,” said Guskiewicz during his address. “We just notified 37 recipients last week of our intention to augment their promising research and ongoing work to ensure it will ultimately have the impact we anticipated.”
Introduced by Guskiewicz during the April 2025 Board of Trustees meeting, the program helps offset specific funding disruptions due to executive orders, grant cancellations and stop-work orders. The initiative is designed to provide strategic, targeted, time-limited assistance to graduate students nearing degree completion and to faculty experiencing disruptions in research funding.
“The funds from the Jenison Fund will benefit a broad scope of research across campus,” Vice President of Research and Innovation Doug Gage said. “The initial 37 projects can be grouped into five broad thematic areas: environmental and agricultural innovation; health and biomedical research; education and social equity; technology and digital innovation; and digital humanities and cultural preservation.
“Twenty-four graduate students will also be supported, including four who had fellowships cancelled,” Gage added. “Researchers have expressed incredible gratitude for this transitional funding in the face of federal agency actions.”
Additional address takeaways:
- MSU’s $4 billion comprehensive campaign, Uncommon Will, Far Better World has garnered nearly $1.3 billion in support from over 128,000 donors. In the last fiscal year alone, $380 million was gifted — setting a new MSU annual record.
- The university’s refreshed and reaffirmed 2030 strategic plan provided an opportunity to reiterate Spartan values and sharpen the university’s vision for the next five years.
- The 17-member Green and White Council continues to meet with President Guskiewicz to identify ways to develop talent for in-demand jobs across the state, connect Spartans to companies and careers in the state, and leverage MSU’s cutting-edge research and intellectual property to propel Michigan’s economy. Recommendations from the council are anticipated by the end of the fall semester.
- MSU’s Global Impact Initiative is now in its second phase. An additional 20 faculty positions were added in disciplines such as space electronics, computational biology and health services research. This long-term investment will help the university reach its strategic goal of $1 billion in annual research expenditures by 2030.
- One Team, One Health is creating new opportunities for students, faculty, researchers and staff that continue to elevate our capacity and reputation as a leading global public research university. The One Health Council continues to collect input from the university community on how to best innovate and prepare graduates to lead in research and clinical care.
