College of Fine Arts

The College of Fine Arts is where passion meets practice. While others wait for a big break, Broncos are already building theirs—designing patent‑ready products, earning portfolio reviews with global agencies, performing on celebrated stages, and creating the championship sound that defines WMU pride.

Your support on Giving Day fuels the grit, innovation, and hands‑on experience that make WMU graduates some of the most sought‑after emerging creatives in the industry.

Greatest Needs ⭐

A gift to Greatest Needs provides unrestricted funding for the most urgent priorities identified by the Dean and School Directors. This fund allows the college to respond quickly to opportunities that directly enhance student learning, professional development, and creative exploration.

Scholarship Funds 🎓

The general scholarship fund gives the Dean and Directors the flexibility to offer tuition support to exceptional students who may not fit existing scholarship criteria. Your gift helps remove financial barriers so Broncos can focus on their studies.

Featured Initiatives 🌟

Trish Hennessy Graphic Design Student Professional Development Endowment Fund

Established by family and friends, this endowment honors Professor Emerita Trish Hennessy’s 30-year legacy of leadership and her commitment to inclusive, community-focused graphic design. During her tenure, she shaped the Gwen Frostic School of Art through several key roles, including serving as Director and heading the Graphic Design program. Your support of this fund directly reflects Professor Hennessy’s teaching philosophy by providing the professional development and travel opportunities students need to launch their careers in an ever-changing industry.

RID+I Venture Studio

The Venture studio exposes students to the real-world process of bringing consumer solutions to market. Beyond just conceptualizing ideas, students learn to navigate intellectual property, patent preparation, and venture investment to ensure their work is both feasible and investment-ready. Your support helps move these designs out of the studio and into production, providing the necessary capital to manufacture products that change lives.

Bronco Marching Band

Your support helps the Bronco Marching Band serve as a proud ambassador for Western Michigan University while performing at home and away games, bowl games and community events. Gifts help fund travel opportunities, performances and mentorship experiences where WMU students inspire and connect with the next generation of musicians. Donor support also helps maintain and replace essential equipment, from silver-plated brass instruments to high-tension percussion gear that must perform in demanding conditions. Your investment ensures students have the tools they need to focus on creating a championship sound while representing WMU with pride.

Partners in Dance 25th Anniversary

Your gift will support a special effort honoring the 25th anniversary of Partners in Dance. The purpose of the Partners in Dance Student Emergency Support Fund is to support WMU dance students who experience sudden and unexpected financial hardship, provide a safety net that is above and beyond scholarships, and address a growing need in the dance program. Your gift ensures dancers can remain in the studio, on stage and at WMU—no matter what challenges arise.

Why Your Gift Matters 💛

A career in the arts requires the right tools, the right timing, and a community that has your back.

Your support on Giving Day allows us to provide Experience-Driven Learning, offer a vital safety net for students facing unexpected hardships, attract and retain industry-connected faculty, and provide cutting-edge facilities and technology. Your gift helps the College of Fine Arts remain a powerhouse of innovation, ensuring our students have the resources to turn their creative spark into a sustainable, world-changing career.