EMU to create new special education research center after $3M donation

By Kyle Feldscher Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 5:55 a.m.

The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents will vote Tuesday on establishing a new academic center for special education research and scholarship Tuesday following $3.15 million in donations.

The Delores Soderquist Brehm Center for Special Education Scholarship and Research would be housed within the Department of Special Education in EMU’s College of Education.

According to university documents, William and Delores Brehm will fund a total of three endowments to support the Brehm Center, including:

$1 million added to the existing $1.1 million scholarship in special education that funds 8 students’ tuition each year.
A gift of $1 million to establish the Delores Soderquist Brehm Research Partnership Projects Endowment, which will allow funding for 8 faculty-student research partnerships.
A gift of $1.15 million for the Delores Soderquist Brehm Summer Conferences Endowment, which will provide annual funding for the Brehm Scholars Research Planning Conference and the Delores Soderquist Brehm Special Education Summer Institute.

The Brehm Center will work to create special education professionals and researchers who focus on understanding and exploring the best ways to support people with disabilities, according to university documents.

The existing endowment was the first $1 million scholarship in the university's history.

The Brehm scholarship supports undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in any of the programs offered in the Department of Special Education.