The Ginsberg Center offers numerous unique opportunities for U-M students to get involved in their local communities, including the Community Leadership Fellows program. This position is open to undergraduate rising juniors and seniors at UM-Ann Arbor who are interested in addressing community-identified needs and furthering their leadership development. Community Leadership Fellows (CLFs) commit to spending 8-10 hours per week working with local nonprofit organizations, schools, or government agencies. CLFs also attend check-ins with their advisors, workshops, events, and group meetings to grow as leaders and stewards of sustainable community partnerships.
CLFs have completed a variety of projects in the past, including maintaining organizational social media accounts, creating online content, conducting research, writing grants, designing curriculum and trainings, and tutoring, mentoring, and teaching local K-12 students.
Two CLFs we’d love to highlight this month are Christina Celeste and Maya Juratli.
Christina Celeste
Describe the most significant experience(s) you had as a CLF.
My most significant experience as a CLF has been my work with Survivors Speak, especially with Trische’ and Kelly. Their commitment to justice is steady and uncompromising in a way that pulls you into the work rather than letting you stand on the sidelines. The most defining part of this fellowship has been advocating for Krystal Clark, who is deteriorating from severe mold exposure inside Huron Valley Women’s Prison. She has a known mold allergy, yet she has been forced to live in an environment that is actively poisoning and killing her. Trische' and Kelly allowed me to use every piece of my background and skill set to push her story forward, including my legal background. I contacted people across the spectrum of influence, from local officials to policymakers and together, we helped move her case into campus spaces and conversations where it needed to be heard.
I also stood on the front lines with Survivors Speak outside Huron Valley at a protest calling for Krystal’s compassionate release and for the appropriate and thorough medical care that the women inside have been denied. Being in that space clarified what advocacy actually requires when someone’s life is in danger. Survivors Speak trusted me to step in fully. I pulled from my legal and administrative experience, but I also relied on compassion and the ability to move systems that do not want to move. That combination really mattered to me, as it is the sweet spot I have been searching for on my journey to becoming a social worker. This work also pushed me past the hesitation I used to carry. It opened something that feels long term, both in my relationship with Survivors Speak and in my own sense of direction. Out of everything I have done at the University of Michigan, this has been the most substantial and the most personally meaningful.
Working with Jesse at the Ginsberg Center has shaped this experience in a different but equally important way. They bring steady support and a level of kindness that makes room for difficult work without burning out the people doing it. They set a tone of trust and humanity that is rare in institutional settings. Reporting to someone like that changes how you show up and how confident you feel stepping deeper into the work.
How does being a CLF prepare you for your future?
Being a CLF prepared me for my future because it required me to hold real human stakes and institutional realities at the same time. I learned how to navigate systems that are slow, resistant, and often structured to avoid accountability. I also learned how to stay centered on the people most affected rather than getting lost in policy language or detached analysis. That balance is essential for where I am headed. I plan to complete my MSW, move into clinical practice, and work with children and other vulnerable populations, and this fellowship strengthened every skill I will need. It sharpened my advocacy instincts, deepened my ability to read power dynamics, and pushed me to trust my judgment in situations where urgency is real. It confirmed my chosen path to a career that stays rooted in community, and it gave me such a higher level of clarity and purpose that I did not have before.
Maya Juratli
Please describe the most significant experience(s) you had as a CLF:
As a CLF at the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD), I've gotten valuable exposure to the infrastructure that holds the health of our community together. As someone interested in public health, this experience has been incredibly helpful in situating my interests and gaining experiences that I can speak to in the future. Seeing the passion and dedication of the team at the WCHD has helped me solidify my own passion and interests.
A significant experience I had was actually my first day in-person in my fellowship. That day followed a controversial public statement that had been made regarding Tylenol and pregnancy. As a fellow, I was able to witness the inner workings of a response aimed at advancing scientific claims to the community and educating concerned Washtenaw county citizens as misinformation swirled around them.
It was incredible to see how seriously public safety was taken, how public health emergencies are responded to, and how essential science communication is. I had seen many statements and comments from public health professionals on this topic and others before. Through this fellowship, I learned how I can be a part of it.
How does being a CLF prepare you for your future?
As an environmental science and pre-medical student, I know I want my future career as a physician to center community engagement and advocacy. Being a CLF has been an excellent first-hand exposure to how my career can translate to true public health impact. I was thrilled with my match at the WCHD and have found my supervisor and the staff to be very supportive, kind people.
Essential to my future as an advocate in medicine is collaboration with community members and initiatives. Being a CLF has allowed me to participate in community-forward interventions that can tangibly improve lives and health outcomes.
I’ve learned how to identify prominent community concerns and address them in a socially engaged and sustainable manner, collaborating with prominent community partners and receiving feedback from a variety of voices. As a college student, it’s rare to be able to participate in extra-curricular activities that have realized outcomes. The valuable multidisciplinary approach of the program will continue to inform my future in bridging healthcare and the environment.
Get Involved!
Students: Interested in becoming a CLF for the 2026-2027 program? Learn more about the position and see a copy of the application.
Community organizations: Are you interested in hosting a Community Leadership Fellow for the 2026-2027 academic year? Email [email protected] to set up a consultation.
Please contact the Fellows advisor, Dr. Jesse Carr, at [email protected] with any questions.