Each year, thousands of University of Michigan students are creating positive change while growing as learners and leaders. Find ways to connect your commitment to social change with your academic, personal, and professional goals through these Ginsberg Center's opportunities.
Leadership Opportunities
Leadership isn't just a word or a position. It's a practice. We have multiple programs that will allow you to develop your leadership skills while contributing to positive social change. Take a look at additional opportunities through M-LEAD, the University's leadership education resource.
The Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning offers a year-long fellowship for University of Michigan undergraduate juniors and seniors. As long as they remain in good standing with the program and continue to fulfill all requirements, Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend distributed throughout the academic year ($2500 in the Fall Term and $2500 in the Winter).
Learn more about the fellowship program here.
Made possible by a generous gift from Scott MacDonald, the MacDonald Community Fellows Program provides an opportunity for past CLF recipients to extend their fellowship for an additional year. MacDonald Community Fellows will receive a $5,000 annual scholarship, in two disbursements per academic year.
Learn more about the MacDonald Community Fellows program.
The Ginsberg Center Student Advisory Board voices the needs, concerns, and ideas of students as they relate to the mission and work of the Ginsberg Center. Through monthly meetings, the Board provides input to Ginsberg Center staff regarding programs, initiatives, and direction of the Center. Throughout their time on the Board, members remain active on campus, promote the ideals of the Ginsberg Center, and represent Ginsberg at the university and beyond. For more information on how to get involved click here.
Community Engagement Opportunities
Community engagement is a broad term that describes all the ways you can use your skills, resources, and interests to support the needs and priorities of your community. There are many community engagement practices, including direct service and volunteering, advocacy, philanthropy, civic action, activism, community-engaged research, socially engaged design, and social entrepreneurship. Take a look at some of our community engagement opportunities:
The Detroit Partnership is a registered student organization partnered with the Ginsberg Center that serves to build bridges between the University of Michigan and the City of Detroit through weekly service-learning programs and long-lasting community engagement. This is done through weekly service programs and large events for more information head to their website.
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We work to empower students with the resources they need to engage in the democratic process by advocating for voter registration, educating yourself and participating in the Big Ten Voting Challenge. We sponsor the Turn Up Turnout student organization, and are a founding member of the UMICH Votes Coalition.
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Voter Registration
Visit the UMICH Votes website to start the registration process in any of the 50 states, update existing voter registration, request an absentee ballot, or receive election day reminders.
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Educate Yourself
Visit our Democratic Engagement resources page to for actions like finding your representative, knowing your voter guidelines for Michigan, and bipartisan sources to learn about the issues.
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Big Ten Voting Challenge and voting rates
U-M is leading the Big Ten Voting Challenge. Since the Challenge's inception, the Ann Arbor campus saw its student voting rate triple in the mid-term elections, going from 14% in 2014 to 41% in 2018, and jump again to 57% in 2022. The voting rate for Presidential Elections also increased significantly, from 60% in 2016, to 78% in 2020.
Michigan Active Citizens: Alternative Spring Break is a Ginsberg Center sponsored program that offers acommunity service-learning experience during University of Michigan’s Spring Break. In the months leading up to the Spring Break, students learn about a particular area, community, and social issue while getting to know their group. During Spring Break, the groups travel by road to a selected site to learn about how community partners in these areas are addressing that social issue.
For more information, visit the University of Michigan Active Citizens: Alternative Spring Break website.
In collaboration with schools, community centers and other partners, the Ginsberg Center offers opportunities for the University of Michigan community to support literacy development, with an intentional focus on academically vulnerable students. Visit our Literacy Initiatives page to learn more about America Reads and ways to get involved.
Employment and Funding Opportunities
Looking for funding? We offer a scholarship and employment opportunites for current students. If you have any questions about these opportunities, email our team at [email protected].
The Ginsberg Center is supported by an amazing group of student Building Managers, job duties include managing visitors to our building, supporting our transportation system and service cord distribution, and engaging in a semester project of their choice.
Contact [email protected] to find out how to support our work as a Ginsberg Center Building Manager.
Two $3,000 scholarships will be awarded this year to support University of Michigan students holding junior or senior standing this fall who demonstrate a commitment to community service or social action and who demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to students from Cuyahoga County, Ohio; thereafter to students from Ohio; and thereafter to any student. Inger and William Ginsberg established the Rosalie Ginsberg Community Service Scholarship Fund in honor of William’s mother.
Scholarship candidates must demonstrate strong community service or social action involvement, junior or senior standing, enrollment as a full time undergraduate program on the Ann Arbor campus, as well as financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.
Learn more about the Rosalie Ginsberg Scholarship.
Have questions? Contact us at [email protected]
Ginsberg has been instrumental in shaping my ability to articulate the importance of working with communities and collective action in order to advance social change.
Amani Echols, '19