The Edward Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning

We are a community and civic engagement center with a mission to cultivate and steward equitable partnerships between communities and the University of Michigan in order to advance social change for the public good. Based upon this mission, our vision is for inclusive democracy; thriving, diverse communities; and equity and social justice.

We accomplish our work by:

Empowering students to engage in positive change through social justice education, leadership development, and meaningful civic and community engagement experiences..
Supporting faculty and academic program staff efforts to connect socially just civic and community engagement experiences to coursework, research and programs.
Connecting community organizations with students, faculty, and staff that are invested in positive social change.

At Ginsberg

Our blog shares emerging stories around Ginsberg's work at U-M and in the communities beyond. From profiles to match stories to announcements, you'll find a wealth of information below.

Ginsberg Is...Amani Echols

Not only does the Ginsberg Center prioritize the goals of communities, but it also invests in student leadership. Serving on the Student Advisory Board has allowed me to be on the receiving end of this leadership development, supporting my various personal and student organization initiatives.

Amani Echols, former member of Ginsberg's Student Advisory Board

It's a match! PNC Foundation and the Ginsberg Center

A matchmaking mechanism identifying connections between U-M resources and community needs gets funding from a like-minded organization to maximize local impact.

Ginsberg Is...Marianna Coulentianos, Graduate Academic Liaison

"When I started working at the Ginsberg Center in September 2017, I realized I was now a part of a community of people who approached community engagement from a much broader perspective than I had been able to wrap my head around. I was working with an interdisciplinary team of students who had all experienced community engagement in a different context."

Photo of Marianna Coulentianos, a Ginsberg Center Graduate Academic Liaison

Institute for Community-Driven Practice

For over 20 years, the Ginsberg Center has worked with students, faculty, and communities to develop the skills for ethically connect campus and communities. We use a community-driven model of engagement created to generate sustainable impact. The Institute for Community-Driven Practice (CDP) is a training program, offered by the Ginsberg Center, designed for faculty and staff who support community-engaged practice and scholarship.

Ginsberg Is...C.J. Mayer

Working with Ginsberg has taught me a lot. The team has allowed me to work on issues of interest to me and learn skills that I didn’t get in the classroom. This tangible work has complimented my classroom learning and helped me become a better community organizer.

Unlocking the University of Michigan in Service to the Public Good