ANN ARBOR, MI — The life sciences building at the University of Michigan will now be known as Mary Sue Coleman Hall, honoring one of the university’s former presidents.
The UM Board of Regents unanimously voted on Thursday, March 25 to rename the building in honor of Coleman, who served as the university’s president for 12 years before retiring in 2014. It’s the first academic building on the Ann Arbor campus to be named for a woman.
“To me, this richly deserved naming of Mary Sue Coleman Hall is a reflection of all she has done to enhance (UM) and heighten the impact of higher education on our society,” UM President Mark Schlissel said.
Coleman was the first woman to serve as president of UM, according to a university news release. During her tenure, she was named one of Time Magazine’s 10 best college presidents, the release states.
At UM, Coleman hired the first director and 25 faculty for the Life Sciences program, according to the release. Coleman led the 2009 acquisition of the North Campus Research Complex from Pfizer, and the complex now houses more than 3,500 people, the release states.
Coleman was also a founding president of the University Research Corridor, a collaboration between UM, Michigan State University and Wayne State University.
“I am deeply honored and touched by this action from Schlissel, Chair Denise Ilitch and the entire Board of Regents. For me, helping to build the Life Sciences Institute into the research powerhouse it is today was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Coleman said.
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