FLINT, MI – Dort Financial Credit Union has partnered with Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium to fund educational field trips for Genesee County students. Dort Financial is providing funding over three years to offset the cost of field trips beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. With this new agreement, it is estimated that approximately 750 students will benefit from free field trips for STEM, history, and social studies education at Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium.

“We are very excited about the partnership to provide learning opportunities to area students,” said Dort Financial Community Relations Coordinator Nicole Sterling. “Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium provide such a great learning experience for students. Sometimes the cost of the field trips is a lot for the schools and families to handle. We are happy to play a role in eliminating any barrier that may prevent students from getting to visit these great facilities right here in Flint.”

As part of the partnership, Dort Financial is also sponsoring the 1922 Dort historical vehicle currently on display in Sloan Museum’s Durant historic vehicle gallery. “The Dort vehicle is so tied to our history since the credit union was named after Josiah Dallas Dort, an early pioneer in the automotive industry and creator of his own car company,” Sterling noted. “Our sponsorship of the car ties back to our history and the history of Flint. We are very proud of the community and our roots here.”

Genesee County School teachers may inquire about the Dort Financial subsidies when booking school field trips at Reservations@SloanLongway.org, or by calling (810) 237-3409. Schools that have at least 50% of their students on free or reduced Federal lunch programs will be given priority. 

Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium provide field trip programs throughout Mid-Michigan to approximately 70,000 students per year for STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), history, and social studies education. Teachers may learn about all the 2023-2024 field trip opportunities by going to SloanLongway.org/Education.

About Sloan Museum of Discovery & Longway Planetarium
Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium are overseen by the non-profit Flint Institute of Science and History with a shared mission to engage communities on a learning journey in history and science. Located within the Flint Cultural Center Campus in Flint, Michigan, Sloan Museum of Discovery opened July 16, 2022, with four primary hands-on learning galleries and one exhibition hall for special traveling exhibits. The original Sloan Museum opened in 1966 as the Sloan Panorama of Transportation, named after long-time General Motors president, chairman and CEO Alfred P. Sloan. The new Sloan Museum of Discovery is nearly twice the size at 107,000 square feet and completely re-built into a re-imagined world-class, hands-on science and history museum. It is supported in part by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). Sloan Museum of Discovery programs are funded in part by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage. Learn more at SloanLongway.org, or by calling (810) 237-3450.

About Dort Financial Credit Union
Founded in 1951, Dort Financial Credit Union serves more than 100,000 members, with assets over $1.4 billion and ten locations. Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, attends school or worships in the state of Michigan. The credit union offers comprehensive financial services, including auto loans, mortgages, high-interest checking accounts and much more. Dort Financial prides itself on having fulfilled members’ dreams and supporting community for over 70 years. Learn more at dortonline.org or by calling 800-521-3796.