We join the Detroit community in mourning the loss of Mandell "Bill" Berman, a generous and long-time ally of Wayne State University.

Though Bill never attended Wayne State, he saw it as a vital and integral part of Detroit, a city he loved. He supported students from the Irvin D. Reid Honors College and across campus in the hope that they would earn their degrees, remain in the area, give back to their communities, and pave the way for others to work toward their dreams.

In November, Bill was on campus celebrating his 99th birthday with recipients of the Crossing the Finish Line scholarship, which he, his wife Madeleine, and their daughter Ann established to ensure that students close to graduating could overcome financial obstacles and finish their education. Bill took particular pleasure in meeting with his scholarship students and hearing about their dreams and plans.

With his passing, Wayne State and many other organizations have lost a dear friend and loyal supporter, but the entire region feels this loss as well. Bill's legacy of philanthropy and community service will not be soon forgotten.

Our thoughts and condolences are with his family as they cope with this sad loss. We remain grateful to Bill for all he did to make Detroit, Southeast Michigan, and the world a better place.

M. Roy Wilson
President

(January 3, 2017)