On December 17, 1956, Ford gifted both land and capital development funds to the University of Michigan for the creation of a regional campus offering upper-division undergraduate and master's level programs.[6] In February 1957, the Regents of the University of Michigan officially accepted the gifts and committed to establishing a new campus in Dearborn.[7] The Dearborn campus would also have a cooperative work-study requirement for its programs in business administration and engineering,[6] which were intended to provide students with real-world experience that would increase their employment prospects.[8] The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor would provide the necessary liberal arts and professional courses to complete a University of Michigan bachelor's or master's degree.[6] Construction on the Dearborn campus began on May 22, 1958,[8] and on October 1 of that year, William E. Stirton was appointed its first director.[9]