CSEAS Development Priorities

  

Support Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), established in 1960, is a recognized world leader in the scholarly study of Southeast Asia (Brunei, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). U-M faculty involvement in the region since the 1870s spurred development of leading University library and museum collections, and a parade of distinguished faculty such as Bill Gedney, Pete Becker and Russ Fifield trained generations of leading scholars on the area. Today U-M continues a tradition of distinguished faculty associates throughout the University, in the humanities, social sciences, and professional schools, and offers introductory to advanced language instruction in four major regional languages. Building on these established strengths, extending them to new areas, and expanding both faculty and student ranks on what is still a relatively under-studied though dynamic part of the world, requires constant investment. We invite you to help us in this mission by participating in the targeted opportunities described below.

Named Center Directorship

Income from an endowed Center directorship will help assure the future of Southeast Asian Studies at the University, enabling us to maintain our national and international leadership in producing high-quality research, training academic and professional specialists, and contributing to much-needed public education on the region.

Goal: Named Center Directorship: $2 million

Center Discretionary Fund (365095)

Unrestricted gifts to this fund permit the Center to respond to new needs and opportunities as they arise, allowing a flexibility to offerings and initiatives that keeps Center programming current.

Goal: $20,000 per year

Graduate Student Support (309966)

Our graduates over the past 50 years have taught and founded programs of study in major universities across the United States and around the world. We continue to attract the very best young students interested in the region, and finding ways to adequately support their education is more critical now than ever before. We seek to fund:

• Named Scholarships for CSEAS MA and departmental PhD students allow us to offer reliable support for students in a broad range of country and disciplinary fields, and to attract the very best students to Michigan.
  
  Goal: up to five $20,000 named scholarships per year.
  Endowed Named Scholarships: $400,000 each
  
  
• An endowed fund for graduate student research supports field study and internships in Southeast Asia and participation in professional conferences.
  
  Goal: $10,000 per year; or $30,000 for a multi-year named pledge
  Endowed Named Fund: $200,000

Undergraduate Initiatives (309964)

Michigan’s superb undergraduates have few opportunities to "discover" Southeast Asia on their own. These funds provide incentives for undergraduates to avail themselves fully of our excellent faculty and library and language resources, setting these students on course for a life-long interest in the region. We seek to fund:

• Undergraduate Experiential Fellowships in Southeast Asia, allowing faculty to lead undergraduate research experiences in Southeast Asia, and undergraduate students to propose and carry out their own diverse field projects in Southeast Asia.
  
  Goal: $20,000 per year, or $60,000 for a 3-year named Fellowship Fund.
  Endowed Named Fund: $400,000.
  
  
• Undergraduate Language Scholarships encourage undergraduates to choose one of our four language offerings from the nearly 70 languages taught at Michigan, provide incentives to continue beyond a second year, and support summer language study.
  
  Goal: Goal: Twelve $1000 scholarships annually, three for each language, or $4000 each for named four-year scholarships.
  Endowed Named Scholarships: $20,000 each

Advanced Language Fund (571625)

Offering advanced language courses with small enrollments, typically for graduate students preparing for field research, is a challenge. This fund will support the teaching of advanced levels of our four languages: Filipino, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese, and support offering other Southeast Asian languages such as Burmese, Javanese, Khmer and Ilokano upon request.

Goal: $20,000 per year. You may name the fund with a multi-year commitment.

Thai Studies Endowment (571625)

Initiated with a $100,000 gift from the Government of Thailand, this endowment serves to increase faculty, graduate and undergraduate student interest and involvement in Thailand and support Thai Studies at the Center and the University as a whole. Income from the endowment will support faculty research, teaching and curricular development about Thailand at the University, student opportunities for research and training, and outreach to schools, the community and business.

Goal: On-going support to build the endowment. Endowment value as of October 2007: $100,000.

Philippine Studies Endowment (575397)

Initiated by generous gifts from the Filipino community in Southeast Michigan, this endowment supports the continued study of the Philippines and Filipino languages and cultures at the University of Michigan. Income from the endowment will support faculty research, teaching and curricular development about the Philippines at the University, student opportunities for research and training, and outreach to schools, the community and business.

Goal: On-going support to build the endowment. Endowment value as of October 2007: $10,500.

Indonesian Studies Initiative (312227)

Indonesian Studies has long been a particular strength at the University of Michigan. Funds donated to the Center's Indonesian Studies Initiative will support faculty and student research, and teaching and public programs on Indonesia at the University, including those presented by the Javanese Gamelan and Performing Arts program.

Goal: $5000/year.