Many of our international students — as well as our Detroit-area students, especially those who work with Black and Latinx populations — have benefited greatly over the years from the scholarships established by Kristine Siefert, MSW ’75, Edith S. Gomberg Collegiate Professor Emerita of Social Work, and her husband, Kalyan Dutta, MBA ’78. Together, Siefert and Dutta have established the Kristine Siefert and Kalyan Dutta Endowed Scholarship, as well as the Geeta Dutta Memorial Scholarship, in honor of Kal Dutta’s mother. Kris Siefert has a long history at Michigan. She, her father, her sister and her nephew are all graduates.
The Siefert and Dutta scholarships support students who are residents of the Detroit area — with a preference for those working with Black and Latinx populations — as well as international students. Seifert explains how her interest in metro Detroit students comes straight from classroom experience. “Many Detroit students contributed so much to my classes,” she says. “I was impressed with how much juggling they did. Some students had kids at home, they were working and going to school, and still they were so tremendously committed to making a difference. As for international students, they contributed an invaluable perspective that enriched my classes. I am so grateful for the wonderful students. Endowed scholarships were a way to make sure that the support would continue into the future.”
