MSUFCU adds $40M commitment to decades of dedicated support for MSU

A long time ago, in a desk drawer on the campus of what was known at the time as Michigan State College, a small group of faculty and staff tucked away their money to save for later.

Just shy of 90 years later, their humble desk drawer is now the largest university-based credit union in the world with hundreds of thousands of members and deep roots in service and philanthropy that enriches the community it serves.

Today, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, or MSUFCU, announces a new chapter of its long philanthropic history at Michigan State: a commitment of $40 million to nurture programs, places and people who work and study in areas across the university.

“What began on our campus nearly 90 years ago has grown into an extraordinary partnership rooted in a shared commitment to people and community,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “MSUFCU has helped open doors for students, enrich experiences across our campus and create opportunities that extend far beyond Michigan State. This renewed commitment builds on that remarkable history and will help us empower the next generation of Spartans while strengthening the communities we serve.”

Investment in causes that add value to the lives of members and their families is not a new concept for credit unions, and certainly not for MSUFCU, who, through its support for Michigan State, has created opportunities for learning, inspiration and connection for people of all ages.

For years, MSUFCU has proudly supported MSU programming that brings people together over a shared love for music, theater, art and cultural exploration.

It has shaped the student experience across nearly every discipline, through support for hands-on learning, education abroad, health and well-being, and career-readiness programs, while simultaneously supporting scholarships and financial education initiatives that put students on a successful financial path after graduation.

And, time and time again, it has shown up as a philanthropic partner and sponsor for the kinds of “uniquely MSU” events, traditions and celebrations that make campus and the surrounding community an incredibly special place to call home.

“Nearly 90 years ago, Michigan State faculty and staff created our credit union to help provide the campus community with access to affordable financial services,” said MSUFCU President and CEO April Clobes. “We’re proud to continue that work today by supporting students, faculty and staff through programs and experiences across the university. This next 10-year commitment is consistent with the level of support we’ve provided to Michigan State for more than 40 years and allows us to continue investing in people and programs across campus.”

Many of MSUFCU’s previous gifts will continue to make a difference for the areas they support, while this new commitment will supplement existing support in some areas and expand to entirely new areas, with an emphasis on:

• Community and connection: strengthening connections across campus and the greater Spartan community
• Experiential learning: supporting hands-on learning and career-connected experiences like capstones in the College of Engineering or fostering the entrepreneurship community
• Arts and culture: enriching the cultural experiences that bring our community together, with continued support of the College of Music, the Wharton Center, the Broad Art Museum, MSU Museum and Beal Botanical Garden
• Learning and student success: supporting financial education and programs like Welcome to State and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities that help students build a sense of belonging and thrive both in the classroom and in the community

MSUFCU has been the consummate partner to MSU. This commitment brings its total support for MSU to well over $100 million in the past nearly five decades, landing MSUFCU among the university’s most generous donors.

The credit union has also demonstrated a knack for showing up in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. During the previous decade’s Empower Extraordinary comprehensive campaign, its gift of $5.5 million helped push fundraising efforts past the $1.5 billion goal. This current commitment, made in support of the $4 billion Uncommon Will, Far Better World campaign, has ushered in a similar milestone: catapulting the current total beyond the $2 billion halfway point.

“MSUFCU has a remarkable history of stepping forward at pivotal moments for Michigan State, and this continued commitment is another powerful example,” said Kim Tobin, vice president for University Advancement. “As we surpass the halfway point of our $4 billion Uncommon Will, Far Better World campaign, their support is helping advance all three of our ambitions: Talent Activated, Futures Built and Synergies Imagined. What makes this partnership so meaningful is the breadth of its impact across our university and creating opportunities that will benefit Spartans for generations to come.”

Whether or not the original members of MSUFCU had any inkling of what their humble desk drawer “bank” would become, they must’ve known one thing: whatever it grew into would perfectly reflect the spirit of the university they dedicated their careers to — a friendly financial institution and its academic counterpart, working hand-in-hand to create a far better world.