Fans wearing green will join fans wearing red at Little Caesar's Arena on Jan. 27, when the Detroit Red Wings' host the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Eastern Michigan University students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Jan. 27 is TRUEMU Night at the Wings, a collaborative event between the university and the professional sports team. Fans who buy a ticket for the event receive a co-branded Eagles and Red Wings jersey in addition to game admission. As a bonus project, part of the proceeds from the event ticket sales will be donated to the EMU Student Emergency Fund.
Created and managed by the university's Provost's Office, with the assistance of GameAbove, the emergency fund supports currently enrolled Eastern students by providing financial support when students face emergency expenses. GameAbove is an alumni group created to support the university's mission.
Matt Mortier, director of donor and volunteer engagement at EMU, said the event is designed to be a fun gathering, but also supports an essential program on campus, because financial struggles can affect students' academic performance.
"The student government has supported the emergency fund over the years, and GameAbove supports it," Mortier said. "Also, we are trying to host a pre-game event for the Red Wings, possibly at Hockeytown."
Mortier also said the TRUEMU Night event provides an opportunity for the community to see what the university is all about.
In 2023, Mortier said, the TRUEMU event with the Wings had close to 400 participants and raised $2,000 for the emergency fund. This year, the expectation is about 500 participants.
Read More: The Detroit Tigers host TRUEMU Night on July 25
"This has become an annual event," Mortier said, "and we know there are quite a few alumni, students, faculty and staff throughout Metro-Detroit who would want to celebrate the school we love and a local sports team, while also helping families and students."
Students interested in receiving the funding may request up to a maximum of $750. The gift is a one-time nonrenewable award and does not need to be repaid. Once a student applies for the assistance, approval is provided by a committee that reviews all requests.
Another TRUEMU event is scheduled for March 7, when the Detroit Pistons host the Brooklyn Nets.
For those interested in donating, visit The Eastern Michigan University Foundation page: emich.edu/foundation/give.
For those interested in the special package, visit the ticket purchasing page: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/EMU.
Editor's note: This article has been edited to correct errors in quotations and the web address for the donation page with the Eastern Michigan University Foundation.
