Center for Educational Outreach marks 15 years of impact

A new publication from the University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach shines a spotlight on 15 years of campuswide commitment to expanding access, opportunity and pathways to college for students across the state.

“Celebrating 15 Years of Educational Outreach,” released this month, traces CEO’s evolution from its founding in 2009 to its role today as U-M’s hub for K-12 engagement.

Through stories, reflections and photographs, the book highlights the people and partnerships that have shaped CEO’s impact and the thousands of students across the state of Michigan, and at U-M, who have benefited from its work.

CEO was established in 2009 under the leadership of founding director William Collins and with the vision of Lester Monts, then senior vice provost for academic affairs. The center emerged as a U-M investment in the state as a call for greater equity, expanded opportunity and a future in which every learner could imagine themselves on a college campus.

“CEO’s unwavering work to partner directly with schools and coordinate campus resources has been a hallmark of U-M’s participation in strengthening a statewide ecosystem of educational opportunity,” said Angela Dillard, interim vice provost for access & opportunity and vice provost for undergraduate education.

Early efforts such as Camp Kinomaage, Maximizing Academic Success, Rising Scholars, and College 101 were launching pads for young people eager to see what was possible for their futures. Many of the students who participated in these formative initiatives later cited them as the moment they first envisioned themselves as college-bound.

Throughout 15 years of change and growth, CEO’s guiding force is a belief that education is transformative and that access to opportunity can change the trajectory of a student’s life.

The new book captures this spirit through the voices of students, advisers, outreach practitioners and faculty whose work has shaped communities across Michigan. It features stories from 26 campus partners, each offering a distinct perspective on what meaningful, equity-centered outreach looks like and why it matters. Their narratives reflect a shared commitment to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, can see themselves thriving in higher education.

“This history is not just a record of what has been,” said Kim Lijana, CEO director. “It is a promise of what comes next.”

Today, CEO continues to partner with schools, community organizations and units across all three campuses as part of the university’s commitment to K-12 outreach.

As “Celebrating 15 Years of Educational Outreach” illustrates, the story of CEO is ultimately a story of people — those who open doors, and create pathways, so every student can see college as possible and pursue it with confidence.

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