Written by Alaina Perez
What does it look like when a space is designed to bring campus and community together? At the Ginsberg Center’s Open House on September 26th, 2025, that vision came to life as students, academic partners, and community partners gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Edward and Rosalie Ginsberg Building.
A New Home for Change
The Open House was not just an opportunity for campus and community members to come together and celebrate the grand opening of the new building; It was also a chance to introduce students to various programs offered at Ginsberg, amplify the missions and needs of our community partners, and foster relationships in the local area as we grow into our new home on campus.
Director of the Ginsberg Center, Neeraja Aravamudan, welcomed visitors and volunteers to the event and commented on the intentions for this new chapter:
The Ginsberg team is looking forward to the many events we have planned over the next year and beyond to welcome in campus and community partners to make the space their own….Whether through direct service and volunteering or projects that benefit both communities and the students that learn from the experience, the Center has long inspired positive change on campus and beyond. And now our space reflects the same spirit of wonder, collaboration and sustainability. A commitment to leave a place or partnership better than when we found it.
This commitment to relationships and reciprocity with community partners guides all the work we do at Ginsberg, and was clear to see at our Open House last week. The different speakers grounded this moment in both the Center’s and national history and context, shared the many ways the Center has impacted them, and offered dreams for the future.
Joy and Connection at the Berg
The buzz of conversation filled the halls, live music spilled in from the new outdoor space, and the scent of cuisine from local restaurants lingered in the air—signs of a true community gathering. Throughout the day, visitors participated in various activities to get to know the new building and the work we do at the Center.
Building tours introduced community members to the layout and features of our new home, including sustainability-focused design, the hub on the 2nd floor for student organizations to meet and collaborate on their various social change projects, and the spacious commons area that will be used for special events such as movie nights and larger gatherings.
Students, along with academic and community partners, went on scavenger hunts inside and outside the Center, exploring at their own pace and checking out the various spaces as well as fun facts about our programs and impact on our timeline of Center history, posters about our Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning and programs for students, and our ‘Meet the Team’ wall . These self-guided searches helped our partners develop a sense of belonging in a space that we hope they will return to and make use of often.
The event also featured local musicians and restaurants. The event would not have been the same without their contributions!
- Cuppy’s Best Soulful Cafe
- Jamaican Jerk Pit
- Grand Traverse Pie Company
- Slurping Turtle
- Taste of India
In the large conference room, visitors tucked into slices of pie and filled out postcards with their wishes for the Ginsberg’s Center’s new era. Some wrote that they would like to see the center used for trivia nights, tutoring for local children, and networking events where community partners could meet with students and faculty. Another guest wrote that they wished for “A space with differing ideas, where we can challenge one another to see and embrace new perspectives, working collectively to improve society.”
Just as the postcards encouraged reflection and dialogue, the Open House also sought to address another pressing concern in our community: the shortage of volunteers. Several local organizations were invited to attend the event, recruit supporters, and showcase their initiatives for social change. Please click the links below to learn more about each organization and their vision for social change!
- Washtenaw Health Department
- Avalon Housing
- Survivors Speak
- Cancer Support Community
- Accelerate 4 Kids
- CLR Academy
- Washtenaw Housing Alliance
- Groundcover News
Crossing Paths, Moving Forward
Moments of transition invite us to consider both legacy and possibility. The words offered by Jessica A. S. Letaw, our Community-Leader in Residence and a Community Organizer in Washtenaw County for Housing and Racial Justice, captured that spirit:
Place is made of people and relationships. Campus is made of people and relationships. Community is made of people and relationships. This Center, and this place, are both finish lines and birthplaces of imagination, excellence, and action. Here, we dream of liberation, creativity, and possibility. Here, we create connections, illuminate history, and fight for justice. Across time, across the globe, across systems of oppression and opportunity, and sometimes just across the street, our paths cross here.
Last week’s Open House wasn’t just an event; it was a preview of the connections the new building is meant to spark. And if the attendance and enthusiasm we witnessed are any indication of the Center’s success, then we’re looking forward to an exciting and eventful future!
If you didn’t have a chance to come to the Open House, please stop by, we’d love to show you around!