Written by Anissa Gabbara | Art by Nate Bynum
Office of University Development
Originally posted in "Leaders and Best" on July 15, 2025
Sitting comfortably in her childhood home she inherited from her parents in Ann Arbor’s Burns Park neighborhood, Elizabeth “Betty” Bishop (AB ’72) is truly homegrown. Her love for the city is evident; she knows its history like the back of her hand and is just as impressed by its unique culture as any newcomer. But if there’s one place Bishop is deeply connected to in Ann Arbor, it’s the University of Michigan. After all, her family boasts a three-generation history at the university she considers, well, family.
Sustained giving
Bishop’s giving journey began just a few years after graduation with small gifts on a regular basis. Although she would eventually start making long-term plans to support U‑M with estate planning, she still recognizes the power of every gift, no matter the size.
“Small gifts can do amazing things, and it gets people in the habit of giving,” Bishop said. “A little bit of money here or there may contribute when you add it in with a hundred other gifts, then you get enough to actually do something.”
She thinks back to when the Museum of Natural History had its dinosaur bones for sale while relocating from the Alexander G. Ruthven Building to the Biological Sciences Building.
“I think the cheapest bone was like $10 or $20, so a lot of people in Ann Arbor bought a bone and they were redoing a lot of displays and exhibits, particularly of dinosaurs, and I thought it was a very interesting way of raising money,” Bishop said.
But as she noted, impact can look as simple as a new plant in the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden, resulting from one small donation per year. Supporting the things you enjoy on campus can also make a difference, such as going to a School of Music, Theatre & Dance production and making a gift as a token of appreciation, as Bishop has done.
This all reminds her of how valuable U‑M is to the community, noting all the perks of having a world-class university right in your backyard.
“It’s important to realize we all get so much from the university in one way or another,” she said.
“We benefit from it in terms of health care. You’re getting a chance to attend a phenomenal range of lectures, plays, concerts, exhibits. All of these things are so accessible to us.”
An uncanny connection
The legacy of Wolverines in Bishop’s family starts with her grandfather, William Warner Bishop (AB 1892, MA 1893). He was university librarian at the Graduate Library and helped create the Library Science Program (currently the School of Information). His son, William Warner Bishop, Jr. (AB ’28, JD ’31), was a law professor. Bishop herself was born at University Hospital, attended University School from kindergarten through the 12th grade, and studied psychology at U‑M.
An enduring commitment
Bishop has made bequests to support various schools and units on campus. As a retired clinical child psychologist, Bishop has prioritized the Department of Psychology in her giving, establishing the Elizabeth S. Bishop Ph.D. Graduate Student Travel Fund, which provides graduate students with internship, study abroad, and field research opportunities.
As a salute to her father, support to the Law School will create a travel scholarship in international law. Additionally, she said support to the Martha Cook Building will help carry on the tradition of housing. In recognition of her grandfather, Bishop has also ensured that the School of Information and the University Library will be provided for in her estate planning, as well as the University Musical Society for the simple fact that “all three generations have enjoyed it.”
Over the years, Bishop has supported the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in restoring the Peony Garden, as well as the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, both of which she enjoyed visiting as a child. She’s also been an avid supporter of Michigan Athletics. By her own recollection, she started going to football games at the age of 4, and she hasn’t stopped rooting for the Wolverines since.
With her continuous support, Bishop strives to make an impact on future generations of U‑M students.
“I hope it will provide them with an exciting and diverse education, both in the classroom and outside the classroom, whether that is a walk in the arboretum, time spent in the library studying, going to a concert, going to a sports event, or just walking on campus,” Bishop said.
“And I want them to realize what a wonderful education you can get here, how many people from many different backgrounds you will meet as a student here. All the opportunities that exist through the university.”
A lasting effect
A week in Bishop’s life without some involvement with U‑M would be a rarity. And, although she’s never been a faculty or staff member, one would never believe it considering how often she’s on campus.
It’s an investment that’ll have lasting effects on the university she’s cherished for a lifetime.
“I have been involved with this university essentially all of my life, and it will be one of the major places I support when I’m no longer here,” she said.