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Summer 2006

Detroit Pistons owner supports MSU study abroad

Of the many skills required in the knowledge economy, one stands out to William Davidson.

“I feel our ability to compete internationally depends on educating citizens who communicate across cultures,” said Davidson, president and CEO of Guardian Industries Corp. in Auburn Hills, Mich., and Detroit Pistons owner.

It’s a sentiment he holds so strongly that Davidson, who is not an alumnus, gave MSU $250,000 in 2001 to support the university’s study abroad program and presence in emerging centers of economic activity. The gift, which will support scholarships, rotates to a different MSU college every six years.

The College of Arts and Letters was the first recipient of Davidson Endowment money. During 2002-03, the college developed a new study abroad program in Queretaro, Mexico, a colonial city located three hours north of Mexico City. With nearly one million inhabitants, Queretaro is a rapidly modernizing economic and cultural hub.

Today, because of the steady support provided by Davidson’s gift, the college commitment to study abroad is growing considerably stronger. This summer some 35 students received support to study in Russia, China, Jamaica, Costa Rica, South Africa, Mali and Egypt.

“Bill Davidson could not have made a wiser investment,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “These are young people who will graduate from MSU ready for international opportunities.”

Guardian Industries is a worldwide manufacturer of glass products for the commercial and residential construction industries. Including Guardian Automotive and other subsidiaries, Davidson has created a 19,000-person work force. Guardian operations stretch from major U.S. and European markets to emerging-market cities such as Cape Town, South Africa; Bankhai, Thailand; Gujarat, India; Maturin, Venezuela; and Oroshaza, Hungary.

For more information, contact Janet Kreger at kregerj@msu.edu.