More than 150 Kettering University alumni, including General Motors CEO Mary Barra ‘85, who are current GM employees gathered for a special reception at the Renaissance Center in Detroit to celebrate and support a new scholarship fund for Kettering students on June 25.

The General Motors Legacy Endowment at Kettering University is designed to provide scholarship support to Kettering juniors and seniors who have exhausted their financial resources and need additional funds to continue their education at Kettering University.

During the kickoff, GM executives and Kettering graduates Barra, Diana Tremblay ‘83 (Vice President, Global Business Services), Matt Tsien ‘81 (President, GM China), Chuck Stevens ‘83 (Chief Financial Officer), Jim DeLuca ‘87 (Executive Vice President, Global Manufacturing) and Gerald Johnson ‘85 (Vice President, Operational Excellence) announce personal contributions to the endowment totalling $38,000. During the event, attendees contributed another $10,600, for a total of $48,600 raised to support students.

“Kettering University and General Motors have a long, rich relationship and history,” said Susan Davies, vice president for University Advancement and External Relations. “We have more than 2,000 alumni who are employees of GM, and this endowment is a great way to honor the legacy of those graduates while ensuring that current and future students continue to have access to the power of a Kettering education.”

Contributions can be made to the General Motors Alumni Legacy Endowment by visiting www.kettering.edu/give or by calling 1 (800) 955-4464 ext. 9517. Through October, those making contributions of $100 or more to the fund will receive a commemorative Kettering University t-shirt.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sign up for three upcoming service days in the city of Flint, volunteering alongside Kettering University students as part of the University’s Service Saturdays program. The service dates are July 11, August 8 and October 3.

Each project will begin with a campus tour to show alumni some of the exciting changes to campus, including the new FIRST Robotics Community Center and labs in the C.S. Mott Science and Engineering Center. GM employees, family members and guests are welcome to register for the service days. The Flint Children’s Museum will also be open on all three dates with complimentary admission provided to people registered for the service projects.

GM employees interested in registering to volunteer can contact Sabin Blake ‘99 at sabin.blake@cadillac.com for details.