There’s so much to love about the communities where we run our programs, and one of our favorite things is the partnerships we build with the academic institutions in these cities. This month we’re excited to celebrate the Academic Service Learning (ASL) students of Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan as our Volunteers of the Month! These fantastic volunteers are the students of Professors T Hetzel, Laura George, and Iman Grewal, and they have brought great dedication and energy to our winter and spring programs!
U-M Digital Media for Nonprofits student, Danielle Meyerson, is helping to develop a podcast featuring 826michigan student writing. Her thoughtful questions and script revisions have brought this long-anticipated project to life! Danielle’s classmate, Justin Resseguie, is working with our Retail Manager to incorporate RaspberryPi and other open source technology into the Detroit Robot Factory store space. The amazing students from this class are also helping to redesign OnwardRobots.com and establish a social media strategy for the robot shops! We’re so grateful that they’ve chosen to apply the research from their coursework to helping 826michigan.
Students from EMU’s Literature Senior Seminar have regularly volunteered for tutoring and field trips. They have a contagious enthusiasm for reading and writing, which sets a great example for 826michigan students! These volunteers are reaching the end of their undergraduate journeys, and we’re humbled that they’ve prioritized volunteering with 826michigan during this busy, transitional time.
The members of EMU’s Human Development and Learning class have each committed 20 hours to 826michigan’s programs. Their presence has been especially felt and appreciated at our Ypsilanti-based Washington St. Tutoring, In-school Projects, and Family Writing Labs. These future teachers are digging into big questions about how to best serve students — honoring diverse populations and learning styles, coaching young authors without being overly prescriptive, and listening to understand rather than simply to respond. Their devoted and innovative professor, Iman, has done so much to further the cause of Academic Service Learning at EMU, that she was recently honored with the Dale Rice Award for Academic Innovation in Community Based Learning/AS-L and Community Engagement! We’re indebted to the work of Iman and her students, and are excited to see this partnership continue in future semesters.
All of our ASL partners and volunteers bring a unique perspective informed by their studies. We love seeing how their blend of experiences and expertise inspire and motivate our students. Here’s to you, ASL student volunteers! Thank you for sharing your love of learning with 826michigan!
