Dear Fraternity & Sorority Life Alumni/Stakeholder Community,
As we move through March and into the final stretch of the academic year, I want to pause and express my gratitude for the many people who make Fraternity & Sorority Life at the University of Michigan a vibrant, values-driven community. This season invites reflection and recognition of the histories we honor, the relationships we build, and the shared work that sustains a strong fraternity and sorority experience for our students.
January, February and March are months of important observances, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate them with you. As we carry forward the learning and reflection of Black History Month, we reaffirm our responsibility to advance equity, belonging, and opportunity; not only in February, but throughout the year. This season is also especially meaningful for many in our community who are observing sacred and cultural traditions: for Muslims, it includes a deeply spiritual period marked by prayer, fasting, reflection, and celebration through Ramadan and Eid. For Jewish community members, it is a time that bridges winter into spring with traditions that center joy, resilience, generosity, and care for the earth, alongside preparation for Passover. Women’s History Month calls us to recognize the leadership, impact, and contributions of women—past and present—whose work continues to shape our communities. Together, these observances remind us that community is built through recognition, understanding, and the daily choices we make to support one another.
I also want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who participated in Giving Blueday on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Because of the generosity and commitment of our students, alumni, families, campus partners, and friends, we collectively raised more than $34,000 for initiatives across the Division of Student Life—including efforts that strengthen community and belonging, core elements of the Fraternity & Sorority Life mission. Your support is more than a number; it’s an investment in student development, meaningful connection, and the infrastructure that helps students lead with purpose.
If you weren’t able to participate on Giving Blueday, you can still make an impact. Gifts are welcome year-round, and continued support helps us sustain and expand programs that promote leadership, service, academic success, health and well-being, and a culture of care across our chapters and councils. Just as importantly, your ongoing engagement—mentorship, partnership, volunteering, advising, and advocacy—remains essential to the continued development of our fraternity and sorority community.
As we look ahead, one of our key areas of focus remains risk management and the continued strengthening of organization operations—especially as they relate to social event management. In Fall 2026, we will be launching a taskforce dedicated to advancing our ongoing efforts to enhance the safety and effectiveness of social hosting within fraternity and sorority life. This work is intended to build upon the many practices already in place and to further support our student leaders and organizations in hosting events responsibly, proactively, and in alignment with university expectations and community values. Our goal is continuous improvement—strengthening a culture where safety, accountability, and care for one another are inseparable from connection and tradition.
To all of our stakeholders—students, chapter and council leaders, alumni and volunteers, inter/national organization partners, campus colleagues, families, and community supporters—thank you for your ongoing partnership. Your collaboration makes this work possible, and your belief in our students makes it meaningful.
As we close out the 2025–2026 academic year, I’m grateful for what we’ve accomplished together and for the progress we continue to make. I wish you relaxation and rejuvenation during Summer 2026, and I look forward to continuing this work in partnership with our student leaders and the broader community when we return in Fall 2026.
With appreciation, Go Blue!
Travis L. Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Students
Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life
The University of Michigan