Look to Michigan Campaign

SMTD presents opportunities that go far beyond a traditional conservatory education. With 17 academic departments to choose from, students can pursue deep and rigorous training within their discipline, while also having the option to explore a breadth of other subjects that is exceptional among performing arts institutions. Immersed in a diverse, tight-knit creative community, SMTD students can take advantage of the nearly boundless opportunities available at a world-class research university. They can engage in cross-disciplinary projects, performances, and research initiatives. They can participate in any of the 1,700 student organizations at the University of Michigan, from student-run performing arts groups to The Michigan Daily to public service clubs. They can broaden their scope by pursuing dual degrees in other U-M units, from business to engineering to liberal arts.

SMTD students receive unparalleled instruction and mentorship from our esteemed faculty, becoming active participants in an expansive, personalized education characterized by the intersection of scholarship and artistry. Our faculty are highly skilled and dedicated teachers who are deeply committed to student support and success. They are also celebrated artists and scholars who provide students with thoughtful instruction and a living connection to the broader professional landscape. Our faculty, including a significant number of new members, work to continually broaden and evolve the curriculum to prepare students for an ever-changing world.

Vital education takes place not only in classrooms but in rehearsal rooms and concert halls, on and behind stages, and in tech suites and design and production shops. In venues all across campus, concerts and fully staged productions contribute immeasurably to students’ training, providing unparalleled hands-on experiences that will directly translate to their professional lives. 

For students interested in creating – whether it’s music composition, playwriting, musical theatre writing, choreography, or other avenues – SMTD offers curricular and experiential opportunities not often found at the undergraduate level. Beyond the classroom, students have innumerable possibilities for collaboration with their SMTD peers and across the entire university.

At SMTD, students are drawn to the many ways that scholarly and performance elements intertwine and intersect. The Gershwin Initiative, for example – residing at a university known for classical and popular American music scholarship – offers students opportunities to participate in the research and performance of classic and newly discovered Gershwin works. Students pursuing scholarly disciplines present at conferences, create podcasts, engage in important field research, and publish in academic journals. 

Regardless of their disciplinary path, students thrive in an environment that values a holistic approach, prioritizing their physical and mental well-being as essential elements of their training. The abundant programs and services SMTD Wellness provides are tailored to meet the unique demands of performing artists, providing the expert care students need to flourish. SMTD honors, respects, and celebrates individual identities as well as each student’s connectedness to their culture and community.

Access to leading-edge technology, diverse performance spaces, mentorship, and a cohort of dynamic peers provides the framework for extraordinary pursuits and life-shaping experiences. In addition to creating the conditions for students to flourish during their time in Ann Arbor, SMTD provides abundant resources to help students professionalize their education. Students are nurtured and supported intellectually, creatively, and – through numerous funding opportunities – financially, enabling them to develop their artistic vision and business acumen.

The EXCEL Lab’s personalized coaching, entrepreneurial funding, and career guidance help students turn ideas into action and develop adaptability and resilience. Its programs serve as an incubator for student creativity and entrepreneurship, while also encouraging and celebrating students’ commitment to social change. SMTD students initiate and are supported in entrepreneurial projects that engage with the community and address the most pressing issues of our time. Through the EXCEL Lab and academic departments, students have abundant exposure to creative professionals brought to SMTD as guest artists, speakers, master class teachers, and artists in residence, helping students build the bridges between academic life and their professional careers. Through SMTD-produced showcases, graduating students perform for agents, managers, and other industry professionals, making indispensable connections. SMTD graduates are additionally supported and lifted up by the vast SMTD alumni network, more than 14,000 strong and growing. They face the future well prepared to launch fulfilling, sustainable careers, making a vital difference as leaders within and outside the performing arts.

We have built an extraordinary community in which students thrive with the support of our faculty, staff, alumni, and donors. We have achieved so much, and now is the time to anticipate what’s next. Our vision for the future requires us to continually evolve, to expand and enhance our physical space, to imbue students with skills and sensibilities that allow them to develop art forms in ways we have yet to imagine. We must be attuned to changing possibilities, preparing students to lead in this bright new future. SMTD needs to grow, advance, and innovate, going beyond just keeping pace with industry standards: we need to anticipate future developments, providing students with the experiences and training they need to succeed and lead, in their professions and their communities.

To realize our promise, change is essential. First, last, and always, we must elevate our scholarship support in order to allow the most talented and dedicated students to say “yes” to Michigan. The financial need of SMTD students is great and will only increase. We need to invest in our ability to mount the productions that are so essential to students’ training. We must make improvements to existing facilities and create new spaces. We need to fortify our ability to help students build a toolkit they will rely on for their whole lives by investing in the EXCEL Lab and other programs that help students launch sustainable, fulfilling careers.