Past Community Service Learning Projects Funded by the Ronald and Eileen Weiser Fund

Issues of Inequity in Education

BAMN: Forum on Restoring the Promise of Brown v. Board of Education Starting in Michigan

The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, Immigrants' Rights & Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) was awarded a $1000 grant to support an educational forum with renowned education expert and author Jonathan Kozol at Wayne State University.  The talk was followed by a moderated discussion with university students and high school students from Detroit Public Schools regarding solutions to the crisis of separate and unequal education in the Detroit Metropolitan area. The discussion focused on the current situation as well as BAMN’s proposal for a unified Tri-County school district in Southeastern Michigan.

Maximizing Academic Success (MAS): Tutoring and Mentoring Program

A $1000 grant was awarded to Maximizing Academic Success (MAS) to expand their tutoring and mentoring program at Monroe Public Schools.  MAS currently runs tutoring sessions for Latino/a students three times a week at the school, has individual mentoring relationships with students, and also concentrates on increasing the students’ familiarity with the university.  This year, MAS is expanding the program to be more inclusive and involve non-Latino/a students as well.  They also plan to divide their programming into three sections to make activities more age-relevant for both middle school and high school students.

National Society of Black Engineers: Adams Elementary Engineering Program

The National Society of Black Engineers was awarded a $1000 grant for the Adams Elementary Engineering Program.  Throughout the course of the year, they are hosting 20 after-school sessions to supplement the students’ knowledge of math and science through hands-on engineering applications.  Their goals are to inspire the students to pursue careers in STEM fields, help the children recognize their intellectual potential and gain confidence, and promote the values of community service and cultural responsibility.

Service Learning and Tran-disciplinary Education Project (SLATE): Launching a model interdisciplinary graduate student service learning program

$1000 has been awarded to the Service-Learning and Tran-disciplinary Education Project for the launch of a new interdisciplinary service-learning program that will serve under-represented groups in Ann Arbor while teaching graduate students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to work with interdisciplinary teams, disadvantaged groups, and community organizations. The project was designed by a community-university partnership between students and faculty from eight different UM graduate schools and the Community Action Network.  As part of the program, two mixed-discipline graduate student teams will be paired with Ann Arbor community centers to provide mentoring and help ensure that children and families have access to essential services. Faculty facilitated reflection sessions will provide support and reinforce the intended learning outcomes for the project participants.

The Detroit Partnership: Expanding Tutoring and Mentoring Programs in Detroit

The Detroit Partnership received a $1000 grant to help expand their tutoring and mentoring programs in Detroit. The Detroit Partnership exists to create lasting connections with community organizations in Detroit. In order to facilitate this, the DP has expanded its focus beyond its major one-day event, DP Day, to create weekly programs in the Brightmoor and Southwest areas of Detroit. This semester alone, over 150 volunteers will travel to Detroit every week to work on tutoring and after-school programs for children.

WeRead (Working to Educate Readers by Encouraging Active Development): Be Excited About Reading (BEAR) Program

The BEAR program was awarded a $400 grant.  In the BEAR program, students from the University of Michigan volunteer each Friday at Westside Multicultural Academy in Detroit. The volunteers bring books and activities based on the book to help the students in fourth and fifth grades with their reading skills and comprehension. The BEAR volunteers do not teach or tutor the children, but rather act as mentors and positive role models to help stimulate interest in reading and school in a fun and educational environment.

International Human Rights Issues

SOLE: School of the Americas Protest and Solidarity Action in Ann Arbor

SOLE (Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality) has been awarded a $1000 grant for their protest of the School of the Americas.  Because of the egregious abuses of human rights inflicted by graduates of the School of the Americas (or WHINESEC), SOA Watch holds an annual protest and vigil in Fort Benning, Georgia.  SOLE is working with the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice to organize a group of students and community members to go to Fort Benning for the vigil and protest.  They also are hosting a solidarity action in Ann Arbor with a rally and vigil for the victims for those individuals who wish to express their opposition to the School of the Americas but cannot make the trip.

Will Work for Food: Video Project for the Campus Launch

Will Work For Food is a unique model of social entrepreneurship that seeks to mobilize students to help bring relief to refugees in Darfur.  Participants find friends or family members to “sponsor” their work effort by pledging a donation for each hour of service that participants perform.  All the money raised will go directly to humanitarian aid in refugee camps.  The $500 grant will support the creation of a creative, informational video to be posted on the website and used to inform a national audience about both the program and refugee needs in Darfur as Will Work for Food seeks to expand to other campuses across the nation.

Community Outreach

Circle K: Circle K Service Day

Circle K was awarded a $500grant to support their fourth annual Circle K Service Day, an event which aims to engage the student body in twenty-four straight hours of service-learning and fellowship.  Over forty projects have been planned throughout the day with over twenty different on- and off-campus organizations.  This year, Circle K is working to enhance student learning through these projects by hosting structured reflections after each project and a larger group reflection in the middle of the day facilitated by the Program on Intergroup Relations.

Semester in Detroit: Detroit Days

Semester in Detroit received a $2000 grant to help fund Detroit Days.  Through Semester in Detroit, students will take classes at the U of M center, participate in a part-time community based internship, and live in a residential facility on the Wayne State University campus, which will help immerse students into the rich culture and history of Detroit.  Detroit Days will help familiarize interested students with the city of Detroit through a tour and meetings with community organizations.