EMU Athletics announces collaboration with Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

July 18, 2019

Watch video announcement here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5_0L98Lzl0&feature=youtu.be

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) —Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) has entered into an agreement with the Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics to become the official health & wellness partner for the Eastern athletic program. The multi-year partnership includes signage and digital assets, as well as naming rights to EMU's Indoor Practice Facility, which will now become known as the St. Joe’s Sports Dome.

"Today is an exciting day for our Athletic Department," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "St. Joe's is a staple of our community and we are thrilled to partner with them in promoting health and wellness to all alumni, friends, fans and community members who visit Eastern."

This athletics collaboration reflects a further expansion of the longstanding relationship between neighboring EMU and St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, one of SJMHS' five hospitals across southeast Michigan. This includes a Physician Assistant Program, simulation center and anatomy lab, residency training at the student health center, exercise science, inter-professional patient care and education, large-scale emergency preparedness exercises, as well as a new health center currently under construction on campus that will be operated by IHA and provide primary and urgent care services to the University’s students, staff and the greater community.

"St. Joe's support of EMU Athletics will both strengthen the college athletic program as well as endorse an active and healthy community for the many youth and families who use the EMU facilities regularly for their team sports," said Bill Manns, president of St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and Livingston. "Our relationship with EMU is a great example of how we strive to encourage health and wellness in the communities we serve by supporting overall fitness, offering health-related educational opportunities and increasing access to health care. We are proud to be an anchor institution in the Ypsilanti community and provide this kind of support here in our own backyard."

Constructed in 2010, the St. Joe’s Sports Dome is located on Westview Drive, off Huron River Drive, at the northeast corner of Rynearson Stadium. The facility is 410 feet long, 210 feet wide and 75 feet tall. It includes a welcome center and convertible space that can be configured for a football field, an international soccer field or four youth soccer fields.

The building has enabled EMU's intercollegiate athletic teams and the Ypsilanti community to continue playing and practicing despite inclement weather. The facility also supports intramural, recreational and club sporting events, as well as local sports leagues.

Meanwhile, work continues on the health center with full completion scheduled for the end of the year. The final plan for the project was approved by the EMU Board of Regents last June.

The center will offer:

• Comprehensive primary care services

• 7-day a week urgent care services, including x-ray

• laboratory and pharmacy services

The University will continue to provide counseling and psychological services (CAPS) now offered in Snow Health Center, as well as operate the Psychology Clinic (currently housed at 611 West Cross Street). The services will be relocated to the new facility once it is completed.

About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving seven counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Lenawee. It includes 537-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 443-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 136-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 133-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. Combined, the five hospitals are licensed for 1,553 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 16,200 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians. SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $1.9 billion and returns about $120 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.

SJMHS is a member of Trinity Health, a leading Catholic health care system based in Livonia, Michigan, with operations in 22 states. Trinity Health employs about 129,000 colleagues, has annual operating revenues of $18.3 billion, assets of $26.2 billion, and returns about $1.1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs.

About Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Eastern Michigan University has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1971 and has been among the league's most successful members. The Division I program boasts 147 MAC team championships, the most of any team in the league during that span. Eastern Michigan, which has had a representative at every summer Olympics since 1960, has won 15 team national championships and 55 individual national titles since 1932.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 18,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University website.