Alumni Engagement

John Dodge House
507 Golf View Lane
Rochester, MI 48309-4488
(location map)
(248) 364-6130
ouaa@oakland.edu

Alumni Engagement

You’re students for a few years, but you’re alumni forever. Through the office of alumni engagement and the OU Alumni Association, which includes all graduates of OU without payment of dues, we hope you’ll stay involved with your alma mater well past graduation.

Ora Hirch Pescovitz posing for a headshot while sitting on a couch

A letter from our President

Five years ago, we set out on the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of Oakland University. Our ambitious goal was to transform the future of OU, and in the process:

  • create new opportunities for student success and achievement
  • build on our strong foundation of academic excellence
  • create new centers and programs to enhance scholarly pursuits
  • strengthen our community partnerships and contributions
  • secure generous endowments to ensure Oakland University’s future.

We embraced this challenge with the fortitude, ambition and generous spirit upon which Oakland University was founded.

In a remarkable act of philanthropy six decades ago, Matilda Dodge Wilson donated $2 million and her family’s estate to create Oakland University.  Matilda Dodge Wilson never shied away from a challenge.  And neither do we. The Aspire. Advance. Achieve. campaign was launched to honor her vision, and demonstrate our commitment to transform the lives of our students.

Helping our nearly 16,000 students achieve their full potential remains our highest priority. We crafted the ambitious campaign goals to perfectly fit our bold vision to leave a lasting impact on the world through the transformational power of education and research.

Today, I am proud to celebrate with you the historic success of the Aspire. Advance. Achieve. campaign — a fundraising drive that surpassed our goals ahead of the target date, and reflects your commitment to philanthropy and the ongoing growth of the Oakland University community.

Your support ignited a timely transformation, unlocking the talents of our students, elevating our faculty, creating opportunities for world-class research, enhancing the community and changing lives for the better. Furthermore, your support of our historic campaign has ensured Oakland University as a place where the aspiring will rise and the dreams of our students become reality.

Thanks to your commitment and generosity, I am proud to report that the future of Oakland University has never looked so golden.

Aspire. Advance. Achieve.
Alumni Campaign Impact

  • $55,000 raised via 210 gifts for the Alumni Scholarship Fund
  • 8904 alumni donors to campaign
  • $127,000 raised for the Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry via 1700 gifts
  • 2,737 young alumni (age 35 and under) donors

The Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry is an invaluable resource as a means to address food insecurity among the student population. Because of the commitment and efforts of two alumni and the generous support of thousands more, the pantry is a thriving campus community asset. Read more about the student food pantry and other ways philanthropy impacts the OU community.