{"id":73262,"date":"2026-02-27T17:35:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=73262"},"modified":"2026-02-27T17:50:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:50:27","slug":"u-m-ends-ties-with-program-that-helped-diversify-phds-after-federal-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/u-m-ends-ties-with-program-that-helped-diversify-phds-after-federal-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"U-M ends ties with program that helped diversify PhDs, after federal threat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>U-M enters into agreement with federal government to end partnership with the PhD Project, a nonprofit working to diversify US business school faculties&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>U-M housed a similar program, Minority Summer Institute. The founders of the PhD Project continued the institute\u2019s mission<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A U-M professor who was a student leader in U-M\u2019s institute said it\u2019s painful to see the university back away from the effort; another professor said it was time to end the relationship<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>The University of Michigan was the site of a program in the 1990s that became a model for the PhD Project, a national effort to increase the number of minority business faculty members at universities across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Decades later, U-M has agreed with the US Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights to no longer be a part of it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>U-M reached <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/about\/news\/press-release\/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-secures-31-agreements-colleges-and-universities-end-partnerships-phd-project\">an agreement with the federal government, announced last week<\/a>, to end its longstanding partnership with the PhD Project, which has supported the earning of business PhDs by people from historically underrepresented groups in America. Thirty other colleges and universities also agreed to end their partnerships with the nonprofit organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe were the leaders and best,\u201d said U-M professor David B. Wooten, who was a student leader in U-M\u2019s Minority Summer Institute while earning his PhD and a member of the PhD Project\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/phdproject.org\/network-of-support\/hall-of-fame\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a>. \u201cIt does hurt to see us take a knee on this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-attachment-id=\"73279\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/u-m-ends-ties-with-program-that-helped-diversify-phds-after-federal-threat\/attachment\/david-wooten-courtesy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?fit=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Eric Perry&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M4&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1765560251&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;eric perry 2022&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"David Wooten courtesy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;David Wooten, University of Michigan Alfred L. Edwards Collegiate Professor, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor &amp;#038; Professor of Marketing. (Courtesy of David Wooten)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?fit=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=800%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Headshot of David Wooten. \" class=\"wp-image-73279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?resize=780%2C780&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-Wooten-courtesy.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Wooten, University of Michigan Alfred L. Edwards Collegiate Professor, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor &#038; Professor of Marketing. (Courtesy of David Wooten)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>U-M\u2019s agreement with the federal government to end its partnership with the PhD project is the latest impact to the state\u2019s largest university of President Donald Trump\u2019s efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing\/\">end diversity, equity and inclusion<\/a> in government amid threats of federal funding cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year, U-M ended its 8-year, multimillion-dollar DEI project. The university also stopped providing gender-affirming care for minors at Michigan Medicine under pressure from Trump, who calls it \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government\/\">gender ideology extremism<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m disappointed but not fully surprised,\u201d Wooten said of UM\u2019s agreement with the government to end the partnership with the PhD project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/u-m-halts-dei-plans-trump-administration-takes-aim-diversity-efforts\/\"><strong>U-M halts DEI plans as Trump administration takes aim at diversity efforts<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/u-m-squeezed-trump-cuts-social-security-research-project-halted\/\"><strong>U-M squeezed by Trump cuts; Social Security research project halted<\/strong><\/a><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/under-federal-threat-university-of-michigan-to-end-gender-affirming-care\/\"><strong>Doctors under pressure as U-M ends gender-affirming care for minors<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The federal government\u2019s announcement of the agreement with U-M and other universities came almost a year after the Education Department <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/u-m-grand-valley-targeted-civil-rights-probes-trump-administration\/\">announced an investigation<\/a> into \u201cracial preferences\u201d in academic opportunities or scholarships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/phdproject.org\/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21984262947&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA-Sf6avxpELDkJy-9abyXgeLLSpG2&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAqeDMBhDcARIsAJEbU9TK84X-h5OfYWc5usM24kx-lQY8YDsm6e98UdLZ2ASt_5X2obsylYsaAi2FEALw_wcB\">PhD Project<\/a> began in 1994, after foundation and business leaders noticed the lack of diversity in the corporate world. Its mission is \u201cto expand the pool of workplace talent by developing business school faculty who encourage, mentor, and support tomorrow\u2019s leaders,\u201d according to the organization\u2019s website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It hosts an annual conference that exposes prospective candidates to the path of earning a PhD along with opportunities to meet doctoral students, professors and partner organizations. It also connects students with scholarships and other ways to cover costs. The number of PhD business candidates among Black, Hispanic and Native Americans has grown sixfold from 294 in 1994 when the project was founded to over 1,700 in 2023, according to the organization\u2019s latest <a href=\"https:\/\/phdproject.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PhDProjectFY23Annual_Report.pdf\">annual report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How it started<br><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>U-M was a pioneer in a program to help minority candidates earn their doctorate degrees. Years before the launch of the PhD Project, the University of Michigan was home to the <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganross.umich.edu\/about\/100-years\/our-impact\/1990\/minority-summer-institute#:~:text=From%201990%2D1993%2C%20Michigan%20Ross,in%20business%20and%20management%20education.\">Minority Summer Institute<\/a>, which offered a six-week summer program from 1990-93 for prospective minority PhD students to take classes, attend seminars, meet minority faculty and explore the journey to an academic career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students who went through the Minority Summer Institute said it \u201ctruly changed my life,\u201d according to a 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/michigan-ross-school-of-business-george-siedel\/1146623139\">book commemorating a century of stories of U-M\u2019s Ross School of Business<\/a>, penned by former U-M business Prof. and institute director George Siedel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Around the same time, leaders at KPMG Peat Marwick Foundation and Citibank launched a series of meetings with other corporate and academic leaders to address diversifying business school faculties. The discussions were wide-ranging but included examining the strategy of the Minority Summer Institute before the establishment of the PhD Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong> \u2018Trump effect in action\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the announcement, the Office for Civil Rights said the PhD Project is \u201can organization which provides doctoral students with insights into obtaining a PhD, but unlawfully limits eligibility based on race of the participants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>U-M, along with institutions such as Ohio State University, University of California- Berkeley and University of Chicago, violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by \u201cpartnering with an organization that discriminates on the basis of race,\u201d the federal government\u2019s announcement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-attachment-id=\"73243\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/crs_3199-scaled\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1706&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1706\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CRS_3199-scaled\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Education Secretary Linda McMahon says the action could pave the way to \u2018a future where we reject judging individuals by the color of their skin and once again embrace the principles of merit, excellence, and opportunity.\u2019 (Chris Schanz for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"US Education Secretary Linda McMahon sits on stage and speaks into a microphone while surrounded by an American flag and red, white and blue balloons.\" class=\"wp-image-73243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CRS_3199-scaled-1-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Education Secretary Linda McMahon says the action could pave the way to \u2018a future where we reject judging individuals by the color of their skin and once again embrace the principles of merit, excellence, and opportunity.\u2019 (Chris Schanz for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is the Trump effect in action: institutions of higher education are agreeing to cut ties with discriminatory organizations, recommitting themselves to abiding by federal law, and restoring equality of opportunity on campuses across the nation,\u201d said US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are hopeful that other institutions with similarly discriminatory practices will follow suit, paving the way for a future where we reject judging individuals by the color of their skin and once again embrace the principles of merit, excellence, and opportunity.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>U-M spokesperson Kay Jarvis offered one statement in response to numerous questions, including how many PhD candidates graduated from U-M as a result of the partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Ross School of Business has not been a member of the PhD Project since March 2025,\u201d Jarvis said via email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One U-M faculty member expressed outrage about the university severing ties with the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Any time the University of Michigan collaborates with the Trump administration is a day of shame,&#8221; said Silke-Maria Weineck, U-M\u2019s Grace Lee Boggs Collegiate Professor of Comparative Literature and German Studies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Trump administration&#8217;s policies are designed to roll back what little progress we have made in creating a more equitable institution. They are driven by racism, pure and simple. Every time we collaborate with them is a day of shame.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Former U-M Flint faculty member Mark Perry took the opposite stance, calling the PhD Project an organization with \u201ca 30+ year history of blatant and ongoing racial discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"65002\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/nuisance-or-hero-retired-u-m-prof-perfects-art-of-fighting-campus-dei\/attachment\/20240805_bridgemichigan_markperry016\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,800\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;ACLU Advocacy Institute&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R5&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;WASHINGTON, DC - Mark J. Perry, professor emeritus University of Michigan-Flint, poses for a portrait before his panel discussion at the Center for Equal Opportunity\\u2019s fourth annual Civil Rights Fellowship in Washington, DC. (Melissa Lyttle for Bridge Michigan)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1754572301&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Melissa Lyttle&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;WASHINGTON, DC &amp;#8211; Mark J. Perry, professor emeritus University of Michigan-Flint, poses for a portrait before his panel discussion at the Center for Equal Opportunity\u2019s fourth annual Civil Rights Fellowship in Washington, DC. (Melissa Lyttle for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-65002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20240805_BridgeMichigan_MarkPerry016-1024x683.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former University of Michigan professor Mark J. Perry. (Melissa Lyttle for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s unfortunate and embarrassing that the University of Michigan has been affiliated with a racist organization and appeared as a \u2018Supporting University\u2019 on its websites for more than a quarter century, since at least 2001,\u201d said Perry, a vocal advocate fighting diversity, equity and inclusion programs in academia.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cU-M&#8217;s partnership with the PhD Project could accurately be described as a \u2018joint venture in illegal discrimination,\u2019&nbsp; and it&#8217;s long overdue for the university to end its affiliation with a tarnished organization that discriminated on the basis of race for many decades in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The PhD Project sent a statement via email that said the organization was founded \u201cwith the goal of providing more role models in the front of business classrooms and this remains our goal today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe PhD Project remains focused on our mission,\u201d the statement said in part. \u201cOur vision is to create a broader talent pipeline of current and future business leaders who are committed to excellence and to each other, through networking, mentorship, and unique events.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The PhD Project was inspired by a U-M effort from the early 90s, but the university has ended its association with the mentoring program following a federal probe into \u2018racial preferences.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1813,"featured_media":73264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-02-27T22:35:05Z","apple_news_api_id":"db4b210c-197d-4364-86d3-e0a5fb5c475b","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-02-27T22:50:33Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A20shDBl9Q2SG0-Cl-1xHWw","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2454],"tags":[51],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[4267],"class_list":["post-73262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-talent-education","tag-michigan-colleges-and-universities","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - 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