Student Engagement

Grad Fair

shumwong — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 19:01:03 +0000

Grad Fair shumwong Tue, 03/11/2025 - 15:01

Grad Fair Event Details

Dates: March 11 and March 12

Time: 10 AM - 5 PM

For more information: Spring Commencement Information

What to Expect at the Grad Fair:

- Purchase your cap and gown at the Bookstore.
- Collect your Commencement tickets at One Stop's new location.
- Shop for your class ring, diploma frame, honor cords, and alumni gear.
- Have professional photos taken in your cap and gown by Grad Images.
- Get answers to any questions you may have!

Join us to ensure you're fully prepared for graduation!

2025-03-11T10:00:00-0400 to 2025-03-12T17:00:00-0400

James C. Renick University Center

4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128
United States

https://goo.gl/maps/KkAj6x49gJPZXwuH7

Bookstore and One Stop

United States

On Campus

Registrar's Office or Commencement Team

registrars@umich.edu, umd-commencement@umich.edu

Current Students

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Student Accounts

Student Engagement

Student Life

University Unions & Events

Info Session

Other

Student-led garden grows food and community

stuxbury — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:56:52 +0000

Student-led garden grows food and community stuxbury Tue, 02/04/2025 - 14:56

When it’s freezing cold outside, it helps to “think spring.” That’s what College of Education, Health and Human Services Fall 2024 grad Sasha Kindred is doing. More specifically, she’s planning how the ��-Dearborn Community Garden — with its zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, sweet peppers, cabbage and more — can have another successful year.

“I know it seems early, but we are working to plan what’s needed for our community garden,” says Kindred, a Planet Blue Ambassador and an intern for ��-Dearborn’s Sustainability Programs. “This gardening project is a newer initiative on campus that gets people thinking about sustainability in a different way, and of what we can do to help ourselves and the people in our campus community. During these times of uncertainty, there are many sustainable skills that we can adopt to help ensure that basic needs are met.”

The student-led garden, which is located in the Environmental Interpretive Center’s Community Organic Garden, aims to build community, while addressing food insecurity among students. This Planet Blue Ambassador initiative started in 2024.

Last fall, the garden helped stock the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry with fresh produce. The garden team, led by Kindred, is looking for interested students, faculty and staff to help do that again.

Interested in getting involved? Sign up to volunteer, suggest what to grow and ask for more information. All skill levels are welcome.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that 23% of undergraduate students in the U.S. — 3.8 million — experienced food insecurity in 2020, more than twice the rate of food insecurity among the U.S. population that year. And that number keeps growing.

Dearborn Support Community Support Coordinator and Case Manager Tatiana Rodriguez, who manages the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry, sees this trend at the university. In the 2022-23 academic year, the student food pantry distributed about 8,000 pounds of food. During the 2023-24 academic year, the food pantry distributed around 46,000 pounds of food. And from Fall 2022 through Winter 2023, the food pantry served an average of 102 students a month — in January 2025 alone, 451 students visited the pantry.

“With the high prices of food, gardening is an important way to be self-reliant and to help others,” says Office of Sustainability Programs Coordinator Grace Maves. “There was also a mutual aid component to it. Our friends at the EIC would let us know when someone renting their own garden plot needed a hand and our volunteers would jump into action.”

Approximately 45 pounds of fresh produce was donated to the Student Food Pantry through this garden initiative in 2024. The types of fruit and vegetables grown were based on student preferences, which were gathered by an online survey. Kindred says cultural connections are made through the garden too. At the end of the gardening season, students harvested hundreds of marigolds — a natural pesticide for gardens — to make garlands that they donated to student organizations hosting Día de los Muertos celebrations.

Maves says the community garden was made possible by contributions from the Environmental Interpretive Center, a team of 40 active volunteers and dedicated faculty and staff. She says faculty and staff donated time, gardening experience and items. For example, CEHHS Assistant Professor Finn Bell donated sweet pepper, cabbage, leek and cherry tomato seedlings, along with a variety of several seeds.

Faculty and staff — like Custodian John Berger, left, and Electrician Jeremie McCoy — came out to support the garden too.

“We had a core of dedicated volunteers who spent time tilling the soil, planting, weeding and growing friendship,” Maves says. “They put their hands, heads and hearts into this garden.”

Among those was volunteer Aronhot "Aron" Malau, a criminology and criminal justice graduate student. Malau grew up on a farm in North Sumatera, Indonesia, where he helped his parents grow coffee, rice and vegetables. He was among the first to work on the plot, clearing weeds and prepping the soil.

Malau, an international student, says he saw the garden plot as a way to meet more people on campus, connect with his home and leave a positive mark at the university.

“I was so happy to have this opportunity to get out and do something good, using what I learned on my parents’ farm. My work in the university garden is something I will always remember. When I come back and bring my kids, I will show them the spot where I worked,” says Malau, who graduated in Winter 2024 and now works as a tax officer in Jakarta, Indonesia. Malau and his wife have three young children. One was born in 2024 while he was a ��-Dearborn student. They named their youngest child Clara after Henry Ford’s wife. “We all have different gifts and skills. If one of those can help someone who is less fortunate, isn’t that a beautiful thing?” Malau adds.

��-Dearborn senior Sophia Hawkins not only volunteered in the garden, she was also a part of a food scarcity-focused class that brought the idea of a community garden to Maves and Kindred. While taking Sociology Associate Professor Carmel Price’s “Poverty and Inequality” course in Fall 2023, Hawkins had the idea to start a garden and classmates were interested. But, with students graduating and the challenges of recruiting new volunteers, the project needed a long-term university-based home that went beyond the semester.

At the end of the growing season, students had a Harvest Party where they cleared the plot for the 2025 season.

“In class, we talked about ways to support people around us. I wanted to grow food with the goal of donating it to the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry. I’ve been to the food pantry and it’s a great resource we are blessed to have, but it doesn’t always have fresh produce items. I thought about what we, as students on tight budgets, could do to change that. We could work to grow our food,” says Hawkins, who’s majoring in criminology and criminal justice. “I’m so glad Sasha and Grace wanted to take the community garden idea on. They’ve done an amazing job with it. Come out and help — it’s fun to get your hands a little dirty.”

Kindred says she looks forward to working in the garden and having the ��-Dearborn community come together to do good for the food pantry, create sustainable skills and to enhance overall campus well-being.

“We are directly contributing to an important cause through our donations, which is motivating. But there are multiple things gained from learning how to garden and working together as a community. You have the opportunity to learn something new, meet people with similar interests, receive mental health benefits from working outside with the land, and grow more confident in your ability to grow your own food,” she says. “This is a cause that has multiple positive effects.”

Questions about the ��-Dearborn Community Garden? Reach out to Maves or Kindred.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury. Photos courtesy of Sustainability Programs.

Nature or Environment

Student Success

Sustainability

Planet Blue Ambassadors

Student Engagement

Off

Tue, 02/04/2025 - 19:56

The ��-Dearborn Community Garden — which is seeking volunteers for the 2025 season — cultivates food sustainability skills, brings people together and stocks the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry with fresh produce.

��-Dearborn alum Daille Held, left, and senior Sophia Hawkins spent summer 2024 Saturdays volunteering in the student-led community garden.

Campus Colleagues: Becky Richardson

stuxbury — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:36:10 +0000

Campus Colleagues: Becky Richardson stuxbury Tue, 02/04/2025 - 14:36

Becky Richardson’s desk — complete with its encouraging messages — is often one of the first things people notice when walking into the SOAR Program’s office in the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters Building: “All who enter as guests, leave as friends.” “Take the risk or lose the chance.” “Today is the day.”

There’s also the traveling sign that she’s given out to SOAR (Support, Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources for nontraditional undergraduates) students. That one reads, “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

“Our students have been through a lot. Many of our students face personal and financial obstacles, most are raising families and many also care for older adults. That’s a lot of responsibility,” says Richardson, SOAR program assistant. “As silly as it might seem, seeing motivational words helps keep them in your head. I want these signs to remind our students that on tough days, they can get the support they need in the SOAR office — even if that’s just to vent. I have tissues ready for sad tears and happy ones.” With its mission to increase access to post-secondary education for nontraditional adult learners experiencing socioeconomic challenges, SOAR offers up to three semesters of partial tuition support and help with supplies like books and technology, along with other needs.

Richardson recently received the University of Michigan's Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award. A champion for students, Richardson advances a welcoming, supportive environment at ��-Dearborn. She’s an advisor and co-founder for ANTS, the nontraditional student organization; a co-counselor for ��-Dearborn’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, an honor society for adult learners; a Center for the Education of Women+ Scholar who now serves on their scholarship committee, and a member of the ��-Dearborn Prison Education Working Group.

In this month’s Campus Colleagues, Richardson shares why education advocacy is so important to her and how a little bit of the right support can go a long way.

Find people who will support you with your goals — they are out there.

Richardson says education is an equalizer. It helps grow skills and confidence and changes lives. She knows this from experience.

Richardson and her husband lost their jobs during the recession. Their home and cars soon followed. Then, after years of struggling and moving from place to place with their four children, a Michigan Works caseworker offered some advice. “He suggested going back to school and told me about the SOAR Program at ��-Dearborn. It changed my life,” she says.

It sounds like a nicely wrapped up story. But Richardson says it was a struggle for the seven years — from 2011 to 2018 — she took to earn her bachelor degree in behavioral sciences and women’s and gender studies. She says the SOAR office, and SOAR Director Ellen Judge-Gonzalez in particular, helped her see things that she didn’t see in herself.

“I originally wanted to get a degree where I didn’t have to interact with people. I wanted to work in a medical lab. My previous jobs were doing collections and working at a funeral home. As much as I tried to be positive, I was meeting people at their worst times and it wore me down,” Richardson says. “When I was a student, Ellen kept encouraging me to join student groups and work at the registration desk for events. She saw a natural ability in me when it comes to working with people. She later hired me as a student employee for SOAR and that turned into the fulltime position that I have today. Helping people transform their lives is hard, but rewarding. It’s exactly where I need to be.” Richardson has worked in the SOAR office for a decade.

The office itself is also a refuge because it’s a place where SOAR students share their stories of tribulations and triumph. Richardson says hearing how people overcome challenges is motivating. “You want to find people who help you feel less alone on your journey,” she says. “They will help you keep moving forward even on the hardest days.”

Richardson says she never expected to find a college initiative like the SOAR Program. But going through state social services programs and following up on advice shared with her changed the trajectory of her life. “It might not feel like it right now, but there are people who want to support you,” she says. “Don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And be ready to give it your all when a door opens.”

For adult learners considering a return to school to earn their first bachelor’s degree, check out the SOAR Program.

SOAR Program Assistant Becky Richardson, holding award, is pictured at the Jan. 28 awards ceremony in Ann Arbor with, from left, Disability and Accessibility Services Coordinator Judy Walker, SOAR Director Ellen Judge-Gonzalez, ��-Ann Arbor Executive Assistant to the President Brenda Rutkey, who is Richardson's sister, and Sociology Professor Francine Banner. Photo by Michigan Photography

After reaching goals, look for ways to pay it forward.

With her kids and husband — as well as many ��-Dearborn colleagues and professors — cheering her on at the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse, Richardson says she will never forget her December 2018 graduation day. “When I walked across the stage, I could hear people yelling my name,” she says. “It was surreal to actually experience something that had only lived in my mind for so long.”

She says many of the same people also nominated her for the U-M award. Nominators were Judge-Gonzalez, Sociology Professor Francine Banner, Criminology and Criminal Justice Lecturer Aaron Kinzel, CASL Advising and Academic Success Administrative Assistant Maureen Sytsma and Disability and Accessibility Services Coordinator Judy Walker.

“This award is something I didn’t see coming. I almost didn’t believe it was real when I first got the email. The subject line said, ‘Congratulations’ and it came in at 4:26 p.m. in the afternoon right before the holiday break began. After all of the spam email warnings we’ve gotten, I thought maybe it was one of those,” Richardson says with a laugh. “But it was very real. It’s amazing to be at a place where the people continue to lift you up.”

Richardson works to express her gratitude through service to others. When SOAR students tell her they are behind on rent or their utilities are shut off, she connects them to financial support opportunities or organizations. If courses are a challenge, she lets them know about academic support services on campus. And there’s her open-door policy for her students. “Sometimes all we want is to know someone cares,” she says. “It’s important to remember where you come from and to be that person you once wished was there for you. I can’t say I’m perfect, but I try.”

Richardson is also an education advocate for citizens reentering society after prison. She served as a teaching assistant for a ��-Dearborn program at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility and has seen the successes of some of her formerly incarcerated SOAR students like ��-Dearborn graduate Penny Kane.

“It’s as simple as, treat people how you want to be treated. What shocked me the most when I first worked in the prisons is how the women are trained to see themselves. When I asked their names to sign in, the women started listing off numbers. I kept saying, ‘No, I want to know your name and how to address you.’ Over time, they used their names instead of numbers — it changed the whole dynamic in such a positive way,” she says. “The returning citizens population is one group I am passionate about helping. I know people who have done their time and have difficulty getting jobs or an education because they were once in prison. Why are we still penalizing them beyond their sentence?”

In the SOAR office on an early Wednesday morning, Richardson makes coffee and heats water for tea — she wants it ready for the students who drop in to use SOAR computers or just want to talk. She organizes a virtual meet-up for her remote students. And she seeks out scholarship opportunities to help a student in need.

“I’m here today — with my college degree and a job I love — because of all the people who supported me. I want to be that person for someone else,” she says. “I’m here to pay it forward.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Awards

Faculty and Staff

Inclusion or Diversity

Student Success

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Student Engagement

First-Generation Programming

Off

Tue, 02/04/2025 - 19:35

SOAR Program Assistant Becky Richardson recently received a U-M award for leaders creating a welcoming and supportive working environment. Richardson’s advice? ‘Treat people how you want to be treated.’

SOAR Program Assistant Becky Richardson works to create a welcoming space for students. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

"An experience that I'll never forget'

stuxbury — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 19:59:32 +0000

"An experience that I'll never forget' stuxbury Wed, 09/11/2024 - 15:59

��-Dearborn students get a world-class education that, for many, is close to home. But for those who want to realize their academic goals farther away, the university has options for that too. This year, nearly 70 students traveled through ��-Dearborn’s Study Abroad experiences. They were supported by $110,000 awarded in scholarships and financial aid.

Gaining vital life experiences and learning to navigate the world — in addition to fulfilling graduation requirements — Dearborn Wolverines traveled to Italy, Poland, Puerto Rico and Canada this summer. This article focuses on two of those experiences; two more will be shared in Tuesday’s Reporter.

Want to learn more about upcoming Study Abroad opportunities and financial support to attend the programs? Visit the Study Abroad website or reach out to Global Engagement Director Scott Riggs.

Students in front of the Polish Wall of Solidarity

Gdańsk, Poland

Senior Hope Pacheco, a history major in the Honors Program, had never left the U.S. before. Now she has a new sense of independence and cultural appreciation after traveling to Gdańsk, Poland as part of Dearborn Discovery Core study abroad.

"I got my passport for this trip. I gained confidence in myself," says Pacheco, who adds that the ��-Dearborn faculty advisors on the trip helped support and prepare her for her adventure. "I was truly, for once, just relying on myself and having to get through everything while we were there."

Pacheco wanted to study in Gdańsk in part because of its role in the earliest days of World War II. While she does not have a military background herself, Pacheco wants to teach military history and was curious about how people outside of the United States view the world wars. "Learning World War II history from Poland's perspective and the Polish people's perspective added a lot for me," she says, noting that her education so far has focused almost entirely on the U.S. perspective. “Most Polish people don’t talk about the Second World War on a normal basis, but a realization for me was that they took great care to honor the city again to reconstruct everything to look the way it did before the war. With reconstructing the city to its original form it is able to show people how strong of a country Poland is to come back from being part of the war since the beginning."

Pacheco took three classes at the University of Gdańsk during her two months there. She learned about the engineering principles of human-centered design, as well as significant moments in Polish history including the Solidarity movement of the 1980s. Her favorite was a history course about the city of Gdańsk, which was founded in the 10th century. She learned how it was designed and about the reconstruction efforts due to the world wars and other conflicts in the area.

While in Poland, she saw the 13th-century Malbork Castle, which was damaged during World War II and has since been restored. She walked the grounds of Krakow, Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. And she visited several museums, including the Main Town Hall Museum and Uphagen's House, a reconstruction of a house from the 18th century. During her free time, Pacheco and her roommates took a train to visit Norway. "We were able to walk around the city of Bergen and compare it to the city of Gdańsk," she says. "We were also able to swim in the North Sea with jellyfish and go hiking."

“There was so much to learn,” she says. “It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

Student Vincent Intrieri and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Ottawa, Canada

Vincent Intrieri has traveled the world through his 13-year career in the U.S. Navy. He’s made a lot of friends, visited several countries and seen the importance of cultural awareness and diplomacy. Intrieri, who’s majoring in international studies, started at ��-Dearborn in 2022 with the goal of becoming a diplomat.

Even with all his travel experiences, what Intrieri hadn’t been able to do is see the inner workings of an international government. The senior was intrigued by ��-Dearborn’s Ottawa Political Internship Program, a five-week study abroad experience where students work as legislative staffers in the Canadian Parliament. Run for 40-plus years, it’s the oldest American internship program operating in Canada.

Intrieri saw the study abroad program as an opportunity to expand upon his experience in the Navy and learn more about the United States’ neighbor to the north. Intrieri worked in the Canadian Parliament's House of Commons. Working for legislative assistant Simon Wood, Intrieri helped review legislation and policies and write policy analyses for Member of Parliament Marcus Powlowski. Intrieri says his favorite part of the study abroad experience was the daily interactions with staff in Powlowski's office. "I really enjoyed the frank conversations about geopolitics or happenings going on within the Canadian government, the American government and the world," Intieri says. Another highlight was experiencing the history of Parliament Hill, the home to Canada’s federal government. "One thing that really stands out to me about that trip is understanding the sacrifices that Canadians have made for democracy," Intrieri says, citing Canadian efforts to secure Berlin during World War II by conducting successful missions north of the city. "That will resonate with me, how many sacrifices the Canadian people have made for democracy and freedom and oftentimes, have never even been thanked."

Outside of his workdays, Intrieri also enjoyed visiting the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, and having dinner with other members of the Ottawa study abroad class, with the restaurant Joey Rideau being a highlight. "I enjoyed the eclectic menu there," he says. "My personal favorite was the sushi. It was very fresh. Also, the Mediterranean Bowl consists of harissa chicken, chickpeas, artichokes, roasted peppers, Kalamata olives, gem tomatoes, jasmine rice, hummus and tzatziki. I especially enjoyed the shawarma in Ottawa; it was easily accessible and delicious."

Intrieri says he can see himself living in Ottawa one day and encourages interested students to consider studying abroad. "It was more than just a great experience, it was transformative,” he says. “I made friendships that will last a lifetime."

Story by Shaun Manning

Experiential Learning

International

Student Engagement

Off

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 19:58

Seniors Hope Pacheco and Vincent Intrieri took part in ��-Dearborn study abroad programs and shared what it was like spending their summer living and studying in different countries.

CASL student Hope Pacheco, far left, is pictured in Poland with History Professor Anna Müller, CECS student Solomiya Pylypiv and History Associate Professor Kristin Poling. Photo courtesy Kristin Poling

Promoting Wolverines at work

stuxbury — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 17:28:50 +0000

Promoting Wolverines at work stuxbury Fri, 08/02/2024 - 13:28

��-Dearborn’s student workers make up 35% of the campus’ workforce. Many of these student workers are Pell-eligible and the first in their families to attend college. Among the Dearborn Wolverines working on campus, nearly all have a 2.5 GPA or higher. But students often find it hard to communicate how their campus work is connected to their career and professional goals.

So what does this data — gathered through a Wolverines@Work pilot program launched by ��-Dearborn’s EXP+ — tell us?

“We need to embark on a major redesign of our campus student employment so students can make these connections to skills they are learning and their future careers,” says Maureen Linker, Associate Provost for undergraduate and experiential learning.

She notes the Wolverines@Work initiative — led by Kelsey Parker, Project Manager for Experiential Learning and Laurel Draudt, Director of Career Services — has the goal of assessing and enhancing the current state of ��-Dearborn student employment from both the student employee and student employee supervisor perspectives. Ultimately, says Linker, campus student employment should be another high impact learning practice like internships, study abroad and capstones.

And EXP+ isn't doing this work alone, Linker says. Since 2022, EXP+ has collaborated with the Arizona State University-led Work+Collective in designing a new model for on-campus employment. Through the collective, ��-Dearborn partners with nearly 20 universities around the nation, including the University of Connecticut and Virginia Commonwealth University, who are all evaluating their student employment practices and processes.

Maureen Linker, Associate Provost for undergraduate and experiential learning

“��-Dearborn stepped forward and became a regional and statewide leader in this national-reaching Work+Collective. Now that the first phase of the work is complete, we are sharing what we’ve learned so far in the hopes that other Michigan universities will join us,” Linker says. She says the ASU team wanted to work with ��-Dearborn because of the university’s Experience+ structure — which helps connect students’ educational experiences to career goals — along with campus’ project-based learning course focus, the SURE program and the digital storytelling initiative ��-Dearborn Speaks.

Linker says survey data and focus group feedback, which was gathered over the 2023-2024 academic year, showed that campus employment connects students to the university in a way that may help them stay in school and get to graduation. And with more than one-third of the campus workforce likely being new to the work world, university leaders needed to provide more support to student employee’s supervisors. Linker says the feedback also highlighted the importance of helping working Dearborn Wolverines find deeper meaning in these campus roles so they can see how the skills they are learning through university employment directly transfers to post-graduation careers.

To support this work, ��-Dearborn’s pilot program included supervisor and student employee surveys, professional development sessions, regularly scheduled employer-employee check-ins, and the opportunity for students to share their employment stories through photojournalism projects and digital storytelling efforts. The pilot program concluded in June 2024. Now the next phase is underway and these efforts are becoming more visible across the university.

Outcomes from the pilot include:

A better understanding of ��-Dearborn’s student employee landscape and impact through survey data. For example, 660 student workers were employed during the 2023-24 academic year; student respondents shared that if they had a good relationship with their supervisor, they felt more connected to campus
Development of a new student employment handbook
Tips and templates for creating student-employee job descriptions that attract the best candidates by showcasing how a position can tie into future career goals
Creation of supervisor training programs like the upcoming Federal Work Study Virtual Panel from 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 8 and the Supervisor Spa from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 14. Questions about these events? Reach out to Wolverinesatwork@umich.edu.

To share these and redesign-process lessons learned, ��-Dearborn recently hosted a "Redesigning Campus Student Employment for Student Success and Retention" conference.

Attended by representatives from universities across the state — including several community colleges and more than half of Michigan’s 15 public universities, the day-long event showcased ��-Dearborn's role in an ASU partnership project, which is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Strada Education Network. Linker also encouraged institutions to join the Work+Collective effort at the conference. After the conference, Eastern Michigan University joined the collective and Western Michigan University offered to host an additional conference around the subject.

“The turnout for the conference was incredible. This tells me that we aren’t the only ones who feel student employment needs more attention,” Linker says. “As universities, we are focused on academic success and working hard to get our students to graduation. That’s crucial, but data also shows us that the student employment experience plays a major role in student success. Historically, universities haven’t invested in making the student employment experience a coordinated process that emphasizes support and learning outcomes. The current student employment experience often depends on their relationship with a supervisor, who may not have had the training or resources to mentor a student employee. We want that to change.”

��-Dearborn Office of TRIO Programs Assistant Director Latresa Rice attended the conference and shared her office’s experiences with the Wolverines@Work pilot program study, The office staff in TRIO Programs — a series of federally-funded and state-funded programs that help students from disadvantaged backgrounds overcome barriers to higher education — supervises 19 student employees.

Rice, a ��-Dearborn alum, says some campus employers, like TRIO, are already observing best practices, like regular check-ins when mentoring student employees. But she looks forward to having a centralized place for student employees to connect and for supervisors to explore training opportunities. She says university support is key and it will benefit everyone.

“As employers, many of us see ourselves in our students and we want to do the best for them. I remember what it felt like being first-gen and coming from a low-income background. It’s not an issue of dedication to our students — that’s always there. But resources for supervisors haven’t always been available in an easy-to-find way. It’s important to remember that these students are learning from us as leaders,” says Rice, who graduated from ��-Dearborn in 2004 and went on to earn graduate degrees in social work and business administration.

“As a ��-Dearborn student, I worked in TRIO,” Rice continues.” My supervisors — William Keener and Perry Boyd II — shaped me. They gave me confidence to try new things. They cleared red tape. They motivated me by showing me what career and education paths were available and modeled what good leadership looks like.”

At the conference, Rice encouraged one of her student employees — Kalaia Jackson, a ��-Dearborn junior —to present their table’s breakout discussion summary. Jackson, who’s majoring in biological sciences, stood confidently in front of the crowd and clearly shared the highlights. Jackson credits that confidence to experiences gained through the support of Rice, who encourages Jackson to publicly speak to groups on behalf of the TRIO programs. Jackson, who plans to attend medical school, sees how this skill can help her in the future when it comes to presenting research. See a video Jackson made about her student employment experience — it’s fourth in the list.

Rice says she regularly finds ways to nudge her student employees out of their comfort zones. “Our ��-Dearborn students are talented. We need to challenge them because if we don’t give them a chance to do it, they won’t know that they can,” she says. “It’s all about learning about their goals and then connecting them with experiences where they can step out and boldly shine.”

��-Dearborn's Student Employment Advisory Council, which assisted in the Wolverines@Work initiative has representation from across campus, including: Career Services, Athletics, University Union and Events, Office of Academic Success, One-Stop, Financial Aid, Human Resources, EXP+ and the Provost Office.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury.

Experiential Learning

Off

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 17:23

University leaders are redesigning the student employment experience at ��-Dearborn. What does that mean for students and their supervisors?

TRIO Assistant Director Latresa Rice encourages her student employee Kalaia Jackson to speak at a recent conference. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

Bringing fresh perspectives to the Freep Film Festival

stuxbury — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 13:34:11 +0000

Bringing fresh perspectives to the Freep Film Festival stuxbury Wed, 04/03/2024 - 09:34

Growing up queer in a conservative Kansas town, filmmaker Sav Rodgers didn’t realize that the 1997 indie hit “Chasing Amy” was controversial. He regarded the Kevin Smith film, with its lesbian lead character, as lifesaving. It played an important role in Rodgers’ coming out as a trans man.

Filmmaker Sav Rodgers, center, with actor Joey Lauren Adams, left, and director Kevin Smith, right. Photo courtesy/Freep Film Festival

Rodgers has turned his personal experiences with the film, along with some of the difficult feelings around and behind it, into a documentary, which was submitted for consideration for this year’s Freep Film Festival, an all-documentary festival produced by the Detroit Free Press. It was selected by a panel of first-time reviewers who festival organizers say bring a new and welcome perspective to the festival: ��-Dearborn students.

The partnership is part of Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Production Adam Sekuler’s new “Film Festival Programming” course. Working closely with Freep Festival organizers, students reviewed numerous submissions, assessing each for its artistic merit, storytelling prowess and thematic relevance. In addition to “Chasing Chasing Amy,” the group selected “The Herricanes,” the story of the first women’s full tackle football league in the 1970s.

The effort was an exercise in consensus-building, says Natalie Albrecht, a senior majoring in journalism and screen studies. While “Chasing Chasing Amy” was a shoo-in for many students, sentiments about “The Herricanes” were a bit more varied. “It was on a lot of people’s lists, but it wasn't at the top,” Albrecht explains. But broad appeal is a key consideration in curation, so that made the film a strong contender. Also, both films got the students talking, which Albrecht sees as a harbinger of how festival audiences will respond. “I feel like the ones that we chose were ones that we felt we had the most dialogue about,” she says.

Kathy Kieliszewski, the festival’s artistic director and co-founder, says the students’ involvement brought viewpoints she and her colleagues have been seeking for some time. “We've had diversity in the programming pool as a mission, because obviously different people have different perspectives. And so (with the students) we had a different demographic. It was incredibly diverse,” she explains, noting that even the festival’s interns have been a bit older than Sekuler’s students and also that the ��-Dearborn crew brought a range of cultural backgrounds into the mix. The students “came at it with all of their own history and all of their own perspectives,” Kieliszewski observes.

That said, Kieliszewski says she’s thrilled that the two films selected by the students were two of her favorites as well: “Ultimately, a good film is a good film, you know? Is it relating to you on a very human basic level? And in this instance, ‘Chasing Chasing Amy,’ and ‘The Herricanes’ do that very well.”

As a part of a film course, ��-Dearborn student Aaron Vensko, left, records local rapper Esa Mighty for the documentary "Becoming Mighty." The short film was selected to be shown in the Freep Film Festival.

Curation is only one aspect of Sekuler’s course — the students are also learning about event planning, festival logistics, marketing and publicity, and fundraising. Through regular Zoom visits with film industry professionals and filmmakers, including Rodgers, the students are hearing firsthand about filmmaker experiences, compensation and other labor practices, organizational structures, and the often difficult realities of making a living as a film programmer, a job Sekuler himself held for many years.

Sekuler was intentional in exposing his students to the nitty gritty of the industry, even convincing a guest programmer to pull up her budget spreadsheet and share it with the class. Such practical skills have wide application, Sekuler points out. “I mean, the dream job is obviously going into film programming,” he says. “The immediate job is you could work in any sort of event production whatsoever. There are skills that you learn from this that are just about how does a cultural organization work, which is really different than, say, a corporate organization.”

While Albrecht has found much of what she has learned sobering, she is glad to have gained a realistic view of the arts industry as she prepares to enter the job market. Practice-based learning, after all, is not just about acquiring the skills related to a potential career choice, but discovering whether that choice aligns with a student’s goals, financial and otherwise.

As her graduation approaches, Albrecht — who has also been a teaching assistant for the Art & Agency project on campus as well as co-editor of the literary journal, Lyceum — says she is considering communications work, where she envisions stability while applying the skills she’s gained in her courses and extracurricular projects. She plans to continue to pursue her creative interests on the side. “What I think I'm figuring out is that I still feel more complete when I am involved in creative work,” she says. “But I am very much aware of the realism now that, like every creative industry, it is kind of a struggle.”

The Freep Film Festival runs April 10-14 at locations in Midtown Detroit and Birmingham, with some streaming options. In addition to the student-selected films, ��-Dearborn’s involvement includes a panel discussion following ‘Chasing Chasing Amy’ moderated by Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies Amy Brainard. “Becoming Mighty,” a short film produced by students in Sekuler’s "Arab American Perspectives" documentary filmmaking course last semester, screens as part of the festival’s Real Fresh University Showcase.

Story by Kristin Palm

Experiential Learning

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts

Student Engagement

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Wed, 04/03/2024 - 13:22

Students in a new course designed by CASL Assistant Professor Adam Sekuler helped curate the all-documentary event, now in its 11th year.

Assistant Professor Adam Sekuler and his students discuss "Chasing Chasing Amy," one of their Freep Film Festival selections. Photo/Max Parham

A warm welcome for the newest Dearborn Wolverines!

stuxbury — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:37:20 +0000

A warm welcome for the newest Dearborn Wolverines! stuxbury Mon, 08/28/2023 - 17:37

The 2023-24 academic year kicked off on Friday with more than 1,000 incoming students getting their first real taste of campus life at the university. The group consisted of first-year, transfer and graduate students.

On the field outside of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Building, students attended Wolverine Welcome, where they were greeted by campus leaders, learned ��-Dearborn traditions and sang their first round of The Victors as a Wolverine.

While speaking to the crowd, Dean of Students Amy Finley acknowledged how much they had already accomplished to get to this point and how Friday was the start of something new.

“Today is the day where you start to feel transformed. Today is the day where you start reaching for the stars, for your dreams. Today is the day where you start figuring out who you are and what YOU are going to do to help transform our world. Today you truly become a part of our ��-Dearborn community,” she said.

Following the brief speeches, upper-level students presented the incoming group with maize and blue keys, a campus tradition officially welcoming them to their new home.

After an opportunity to explore campus, students finished the day with the Go Blue Bash, which featured outdoor games, carnival food and a DJ. Over 80 student organizations and 40 departments came out to introduce the new Dearborn Wolverines to the many ways to get involved at the university.

New student Kiylee Grinnell transferred to ��-Dearborn from the Flint campus for the 4+1 Applied Behavioral Analysis Accelerated Program.

“When everyone was gathered together and we got to actually meet and talk to people, that’s what I liked most about it,” she said, reflecting on the day. With the start of the new academic year, Grinnell says she’s most looking forward to starting her new program, one that she’s passionate about and is specific to her career goals.

First-year student Kayla Winston comes to ��-Dearborn directly from high school for the university’s electrical engineering program. She found Wolverine Welcome Day to be a fun way to meet new people and find out about clubs and opportunities at the University of Michigan Dearborn.

“I had no idea any of this was here before and this day was a really good way for me to learn about it,” she said.

Want to check out more from the big day? See highlights from Wolverine Welcome Day and the Go Blue Bash on our Instagram page, @umdearborn.

Article by Kathryn Bourlier.

Campus Life

Student Engagement

Student Life

University Unions & Events

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Mon, 08/28/2023 - 21:36

This semester’s 1,000-plus incoming students got their first experience of campus life at Friday’s Wolverine Welcome Day and the Go Blue Bash – complete with traditions, festivities and a whole lot of fun.

Photos by Jose Juarez/Michigan Photography

A way to remember lost loved ones

stuxbury — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 00:30:37 +0000

A way to remember lost loved ones stuxbury Wed, 11/02/2022 - 20:30

Death and loss is universal. So a student organization invites people across campus to share photos of their loved ones in an act of remembrance.

Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — is a holiday that focuses on celebrating deceased loved ones through sharing their favorite foods, displaying items that remind you of the person and storytelling. The celebration is widely observed in Mexico on Nov. 1 and 2.

On Tuesday, Alpha Psi Lambda Latino co-ed fraternity created a Día de los Muertos ofrenda in the University Center’s Wolverine Commons. It will be up through Nov. 8 for people to add framed photos of family and friends. There’s also a digital photo frame — if you want to share an image to include on it.

“No matter your identity, it’s important to celebrate loved ones and remember them. Everyone remembers someone they lost,” said Alpha Psi Lambda President Ivett Facundo, a senior studying anthropology. “We wanted to set up a beautiful space for people to share that loss and celebrate that person.”

Facundo brought three photos to share, ones that are often on her mother’s home ofrenda. In one, she’s a young girl with her grandparents in their rural Mexican town. “I have this photo and remember talking with my great grandfather on the phone. He was really nice. But I don’t have many memories other than what’s been shared with me. That’s why it’s important to talk about people who have died — so future generations can get to know them too.”

There’s also an ofrenda on Mardigian Library’s second floor. But that one is a little different, said Alpha Psi Lambda member Brianna Bryant, a human-centered design engineering major. It commemorates people who’ve fought — and often died — for social justice causes.

“These people were more than the incident that made them a recognizable name. It’s important to remember that. We include joyful images of these advocates, poems and inspirational stories,” Bryant said.

The Center for Belonging and Connection worked on this campus project with the students. The center’s Intercultural & Intersectional Identities Program Manager Jerrard Wheeler said if students want to share their heritage with campus in an interactive way, the center is happy to support them.

“The many cultures and identities make ��-Dearborn a truly amazing place — and students are open to sharing these aspects of themselves,” he said. “They want to learn from us, and want us to learn from them.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Campus Life

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Student Engagement

Student Life

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Thu, 11/03/2022 - 00:30

Alpha Psi Lambda Latino fraternity created a Día de los Muertos ofrenda in the University Center’s Wolverine Commons. It will be up through Nov. 8 for people to add framed photos of family and friends.

Alpha Psi Lambda members Ivett Facundo, right, and Brianna Bryant set off an ofrenda in the University Center. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

How a campus storytelling project builds community

stuxbury — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 02:18:53 +0000

How a campus storytelling project builds community stuxbury Mon, 10/17/2022 - 22:18

Communities are built upon shared experiences. Knowing the power of a personal story, a campuswide project focuses on the impact narratives have on the people who tell them — and on those who listen.

“More Than A Single Story: ��-Dearborn Speaks,” now in its second year, documents personal experiences, like nonlinear paths to deciding a major, what it’s like to be a student at “the other Michigan” and dispelling stereotypes. So far 11 students have participated.

People need a multitude of stories to properly engage with a place. So “More Than a Single Story” is providing students, who are compensated for their critical thinking and creative work, with a way to share their stories while challenging the myths about Dearborn, the Detroit Metropolitan area, regional commuter campuses, the surrounding Muslim-American community, and other social divisions between the city of Detroit and the surrounding suburbs.

A mix of oral history and digital media, “More Than A Single Story: ��-Dearborn Speaks” allows people curious about campus to see authentic experiences, and gives Dearborn Wolverines the opportunity to learn digital storytelling while discovering what drives them and shapes their purpose.

“This goes beyond being a project. It has made an impact on my life by creating a positive change in me and helping me with social responsibility,” said Robotics Engineering graduate student Ruthvik Sankar, who is an international student. “And it’s teaching me about the community I’m in and the impact I can have on it.”

Sankar’s digital storytelling video focused on international community perspectives of Detroit and Black Americans. “I was told to be afraid, even before arriving in the U.S., about people I had never met. I learned quickly that this fear was very wrong. I want to take accountability and dispel rumors. I had a team member, who is Black, and her dad watched my video before it was posted and her dad said he appreciated what I put out there.”

The 2021-2022 cohort of students, which included Sankar, created short three-to-five-minute videos with narrative, visuals, music and more. You can see their videos.

Now that the first group has completed their work, they are mentoring a second group of students who started this fall. On Fridays, all students meet to discuss their ideas, share updates, give each other constructive criticism, and listen to guidance from campus faculty and staff.

In order to make the project as inclusive as possible, video editing experience isn’t required, and neither is a communications background. To get everyone up to a professional level, ��-Dearborn staff — led by Mardigian Library Associate Director Holly Sorcher and Library Research Center Head Christopher Spilker — teach these skills. Faculty members with storytelling expertise also provide guidance.

“More Than A Single Story” is supported by a Coalition for Life-Transformative Education (CLTE) grant to expand existing campus resources and technologies to teach digital storytelling to a closely mentored cohort. The grant was matched by the Chancellor’s office. This Experience Plus partnership program involved Mardigian Library, Career Services and Global Education.

“It’s great watching the dynamics of our returning students offer new students sound advice and share the value of their experience,” said Spilker, who became a StoryCenter-certified facilitator prior to leading the project. “Our first group says that they surprised themselves with what they are capable of, production aside, because they really allowed themselves to be vulnerable. They learned what they were capable of when it comes to creating meaning out of their own experiences and sharing it in a real and engaging way. There’s power in that.”

College of Business sophomore Carlos Gonzalez, who was part of the first cohort, said reflecting on his own experience for his video made him realize that he’s exactly where he should be. Graduating at the top of his high school, Gonzalez planned to go to ��-Ann Arbor. But, when he was waitlisted, he made a decision to attend ��-Dearborn with a plan to transfer. In his digital story, he explores the conflict he felt when he recognized that he no longer intended on transferring.

“The project was a reflection period for me. There was pressure to go to Ann Arbor from friends. However, I realized that I had everything I wanted right here. I could still go to football games in the Big House and hang out in Ann Arbor, but still save money by living at home when I’m earning a Michigan degree,” he said. "Plus, my professors are great and I really like it here. After I shared my story, I heard from other students who felt the same pressure from outside sources — when you realize that you aren’t alone in something, it opens up a conversation and helps create another layer of community.”

Spilker said community building is a major objective for this initiative. And he’s pleased to see how students picked up on that, along with crafting a compelling narrative and gracefully receiving criticism.

“No matter what you do, there will be criticism, change suggestions and feedback. If you can handle feedback on something that’s so personal like these videos, you will be able to handle anything,” he said. “Storytelling, flexibility and community-building are valuable skills to have now and long after graduation. These are important and transferable skills regardless of career field — engineering, healthcare, business, communications, anything. But don’t just take my word for it, our students are the project’s best ambassadors.”

Sankar, who is now mentoring sophomore Kylie Martin, is helping her hone in on her experience growing up as a child with a parent in the military. He said he enjoys his new role because he knows the impact this digital storytelling project had on him and he’s looking forward to seeing what Martin learns.

“It really has changed how I see myself and how I see the world. In classes, I get lessons about computer science and robotics. Here, I get to learn about myself and how I connect to other people,” he said. “I came to ��-Dearborn for the graduate program, but I’ll leave here with a stronger sense of who I am and how I can contribute to the world — not just as a robotics engineer, but as a human.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Student Success

Teaching Resource

University-wide

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Student Engagement

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Tue, 10/18/2022 - 02:16

“More Than A Single Story: ��-Dearborn Speaks,” now in its second year, documents unique experiences and reflections of ��-Dearborn students.

"More than a Single Story" student participants Ruthvik Sankar and Kylie Martin are working together to create a digital video.

��-Dearborn’s annual MLK Day of Service draws more than 400 volunteers to 21 work sites

rudmehta — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 17:25:16 +0000

��-Dearborn’s annual MLK Day of Service draws more than 400 volunteers to 21 work sites rudmehta Wed, 08/10/2022 - 13:25

This article was originally published on January 20, 2020.

Retired Mathematics Faculty Helen Santiz has walked in silence across the bridge in Selma, Ala, to remember the peaceful Civil Rights demonstrators who were met with violence. She’s visited the Lorraine Motel in Tennessee where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. And she’s listened to the recording of King’s March 14, 1968 speech to Grosse Pointe residents, which is now considered the precursor to his “I Have a Dream” speech. But prior to doing any of this, she served on the first ��-Dearborn’s Martin Luther King Day of Service planning committee nearly 30 years ago. And she’s participated in every one since.

Mathematics Professor Emeritus Helen Santiz is a founding committee member of the MLK Day of Service and the last remaining active member from the original planning group.

Santiz observed that the event teaches what Dr. King stood for. It reminds us to pay attention and to not forget about our nation's ugly history. And it's important to get involved so we can do better as a community. “I didn’t know how to get involved in his legacy until I joined the committee; once I did, it encouraged me to find other ways to learn about Dr. King. It all started here at ��-Dearborn.”

Now 80, Santiz is still very involved in ��-Dearborn's MLK Day of Service, continuously greeting volunteers and giving directions. She said it’s encouraging to see the steady stream of people filtering down the University Center hallway.

“(Former) Chancellor Blenda Wilson had the vision for this day. We weren’t sure if it would last beyond that first year — there was a blizzard and 12 inches of snow on the ground,” Santiz said. “But people showed up to do it again the next year. And it continued to grow. I’m confident that the event is here to stay.”

Now in its 27th year, more than 400 volunteers gathered in Kochoff Hall early Monday morning before heading out to one of the 21 MLK Day of Service sites, which ranged from food bank stocking at Gleaners to organizing clothing for a veteran’s thrift store. See photos from the 2020 event.

Students read quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while waiting in line to check in during the MLK Day of Service.

At the MLK Week Kickoff event, Chancellor Domenico Grasso welcomed the large crowd and had the group read a quote from King on the back of MLK Day of Service T-shirts: There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.

“We are all faced with difficult decisions. It can be easy to go with the flow, but sometimes you have to step out of the flow and do what’s right,” Grasso said. “That’s what’s embodied in all of the work that Dr. Martin Luther King did. And I feel that it’s what distinguishes our campus. People around the country are taking the day off and you are here to do something for others.”

As staff from ��-Dearborn and Henry Ford College — the campus’ co-partner in the event — checked in volunteers, a line of T-shirts hung above the crowd. They were from all of the previous MLK Days of Service; the 2020 shirt will join them soon. It’s been put aside to go up on the wall after the event.

Retired staff Karen Holland has a bit of inside information about that display: Most of them once belonged to her and Santiz. “When we were doing this event for about 20 years, we thought it would be nice to display the shirts in a permanent way — it worked out that between Helen and I, we had shirts that we kept that would cover all of the years,” said Holland, who also serves on the MLK Planning Committee and has volunteered every year since the first one. “Don’t ever take them out of the frames — they are hung strategically because they are used and there might be some paint on some of those.”

Retired staff member Karen Holland has volunteered for the MLK Day of Service since it began; most of the MLK Day of Service T-shirts from the early years of the event on display in the University Center are hers.

Chatting with a student before the kickoff event Monday, Santiz was asked if he’d see her at the Capuchin Community Service Center, the site where he was volunteering. When she remarked being too old for the labor involved there, the student replied, “You don’t look old and any age is the perfect age to volunteer.”

As the night sky became pink with the sunrise, Santiz lit up too. But it wasn’t because of the age compliment, she liked his view on community service.

Staff and students organize art supplies for children at Arts & Scraps in Detroit.

Inclusion or Diversity

Volunteer or Community Service

Student Engagement

University Unions & Events

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Mon, 01/20/2020 - 06:00

As the event approaches three decades, retired faculty and staff reflect on how the event has grown and become a campus mainstay.

More than 400 people — faculty, staff, students and community members — came together to volunteer for the campus' annual MLK Day of Service. Volunteer activities included making fleece blankets, which will go to Love A Vet, First Step, Kids Talk, Vista M

Student Engagement

Grad Fair

James C. Renick University Center

Student-led garden grows food and community

Campus Colleagues: Becky Richardson

Find people who will support you with your goals — they are out there.

After reaching goals, look for ways to pay it forward.

"An experience that I'll never forget'

Gdańsk, Poland

Ottawa, Canada

Promoting Wolverines at work

Bringing fresh perspectives to the Freep Film Festival

A warm welcome for the newest Dearborn Wolverines!

A way to remember lost loved ones

How a campus storytelling project builds community

������-Dearborn’s annual MLK Day of Service draws more than 400 volunteers to 21 work sites

��-Dearborn’s annual MLK Day of Service draws more than 400 volunteers to 21 work sites