The 74th annual U-M Congressional Breakfast raised a record $125,000 for the Samuel L. Chappell Family Scholarship, marking the largest amount in its seven-decade history.

The March 12 event saw the largest gathering of attendees, supporting the U-M Alumni Club of Washington, D.C.’s need-based scholarship program that assists students from the Washington, D.C., area attend U-M.

The breakfast is an annual opportunity for U-M faculty, staff, students and alumni to connect with key policymakers in D.C. while honoring the many accomplishments of the U-M community.

With nearly 350 people in attendance, participants heard remarks from President Santa J. Ono and Ayanna McConnell, president and CEO of the Alumni Association. U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) gave the keynote address.

Ono highlighted the many areas of transition taking place in Washington, D.C., while re-stating a commitment for U-M to be the defining public university for the nation.

“Together, we will leverage our interdisciplinarity and excellence at scale to educate learners, to advance society and to make groundbreaking discoveries to impact the greatest challenges facing humanity,” he said.

Ono went on to highlight the challenging work ahead for institutions of higher education and the importance of strong university leadership for the future of our nation.

“As president of the University of Michigan, I am committed to restoring public trust in higher education and ensuring our universities remain places of learning debate and progress,” he said. “This demands open, honest dialogue — acknowledging the strengths and shortcomings — and a willingness to embrace strategic reform.

“By working together with purpose and humility we can strengthen our institutions, regain public trust and help build a nation that is strong, free and prosperous for all.”

McConnell highlighted the accomplishments of the many U-M alumni, as well as the current Michigan in Washington students, in attendance. McConnell focused in particular on the story of recent students from the D.C. region who have received support through the Samuel L. Chappell Family UMDC Scholarship Fund.

Slotkin spoke of the importance of U-M’s research enterprise to advancing knowledge and developing new technologies to impact society — and the resulting economic impact on both the State of Michigan, and the world.

A former CIA analyst who served three tours in Iraq alongside the U.S. military and worked in national security roles at the Pentagon and White House under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Slotkin encouraged all in the room to think about U.S. scientific leadership as a national security issue, charging U-M to amplify its own institutional impact for the good of the nation.

In addition to U-M alumni, friends and congressional staff, 10 members of Congress attended the event. Members of Michigan’s congressional delegation included Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor; Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet; Kristen McDonald-Rivet, D-Flint; Lisa McClain, R-Port Huron; Rashida Tlaib, D-Dearborn; and Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham. Reps. Grace Meng, D-New York, and Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon, also attended.

The annual breakfast is sponsored by the U-M Club of Greater Washington. Proceeds from the breakfast help provide scholarship support to D.C.-area students who want to attend U-M.