Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program
The Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program (DCERP) provides U-M undergraduate students opportunities to work with Detroit non-profits on research and creative projects led by the organizations themselves. Students selected for the 9-week summer program are paid a stipend and become part of an intentional learning community that shares a passion for social justice and making change. DCERP fellows attend program meetings and form small collaborative learning groups that delve into topics of mutual interest, such as the city’s culture and history through a social justice lens, community engagement, personal growth and professional development. Due to COVID-19, the program has switched to a remote model this summer.
The DCERP is generously funded by the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. The program receives additional support from the Ford Fund (Ford Community Corps grant), the Katherine Redlich-Horwitz Family Foundation, and the Audrey and Ralph Goldberg Fund.
DCERP 2020 Student Blogs
- A lot has changed Diana!Hey Diana, Super interesting reading your letter after nine weeks. A lot has changed! The sentence about Book Nook was especially trippy— I could not imagine spending only a few times a week on Book Nook now! That program …
- Goodbye? I hope not!!!I can’t believe this is it. We have finally reached week 9 which is INSANE because I honestly feel like the first week when I joined my first staff meeting at SDEV, nervously introducing myself and becoming acclimated to …
- No Goodbyes, Just a “See You Later!”It feels so weird reading where I was with that first blog post. It feels like ages ago. Coronavirus was still novel, rather than an everyday reality we’ve shifted around. Black Lives Matter had started mobilizing. And I was …
- Reflecting on the SummerI definitely have changed since the beginning of the program. I’ve learned more about myself and the role I see myself playing in the world as a change agent. It was extraordinarily powerful to be a part of an …
- Looking BackAfter reading my first blog post it made my heart heavy to realize how far we’ve come. It truly boggles my mind how fast these few weeks have gone and how quickly I had to adapt to working online …
- FarewellDear Past Jas, Looking back on your letter from the first week I sensed a lot of optimism and hope for the future and your time at Authority Health. You talked about how strong you see the communities you …
- ….Until Fall!As I read my first blog post, I ca not help but think how fast this summer has come and gone. It seemed like yesterday that I was introduced in my first meeting. I joined my first equity training …
- Hey! Stop! – Police ReformI really liked my group project! I know this is a weird sentence to start my blog post with, but it is true. I really enjoyed working on my presentation with my group and presenting the research we found. …
- Week Nine: The Best Has Yet to Come
Dear Rakira, Wow. Is it really the end already? I bet you would have never imagined that these nine weeks would be over so quickly. As I reread my letter to you I couldn’t help but smile as I … - Week 9: Reflecting on a Virtual SummerWhen this program began, I was worried that Covid-19 would mar my experience working with the Detroit community. I was concerned that virtual communication and working remotely would hamper my ability to connect with my coworkers and peers and …
- Final ThoughtsLooking back on my first reflection ever written, I have definitely grown and learned so much from this program. I learned new skills such as how to use google sheets effectively and how to relate to different people. I …
- BittersweetIn my letter to myself during the first week, I emphasized the importance of community and my hopes and excitement in joining the community over at FoodLab. As the fellowship has come to an end, I am so glad …
- Here we are – Week 9
Wow. Reading back on my first post, I noticed how authoritative it was. Very motivational, of course, but I can tell now that with all of the events that was occurring back in June, especially with BLM, it definitely … - To Chloe from Week 1, It went by too fast.Dear Chloe from blog post week 1, In your post from week one, you mentioned reading about the history of Highland Park and I remember that reading. You learned, from a very distant perspective, facts about the city, the …
- Week Nine Blog: Shattering Expectations
Dear fellows, Nine weeks may not seem like very long, but as I read the letter I wrote to myself week one, I can’t help but notice many of my expectations (good and bad) of this summer were not … - Week 9: It’s over already?
Just like that, the DCERP program is over and our time at our placements is finished! I’ve had an insightful and empowering summer at HOPE Village Revitalization, just as I predicted in my Week 1 blog. I still can’t … - Farewell DCERPAfter reading the letter I wrote to myself in week one, it is clear to see I have learned so much and grown significantly in just a short amount of time. While before I had a general understanding of …
- A Brief Reflection and Thank YouI see that I was optimistic as to my own growth, development, and contribution as of week one. In week nine—that went by so quickly!—I see that my judgement was largely right on. This was truly an enriching experience, …
- Week Nine Blog: ALL THO WE’VE COME TO THE END…Wow! Our time with this program is coming to a close. It is really hard to believe that nine weeks have gone by so quickly. I am incredibly thankful for Detroit Community-Engagement Research Program (DCERP) and …
- Health Inequities and EducationAs the learning groups presentations came to an end this week, I realized that our time as DCERP fellows is coming to a fast end! It is very bittersweet, as I’m so happy to have experienced all that I …
- Week Eight: Equitable Partnerships in Research
Learning more about Community Based Participatory Research was one of my favorite group meetings because I got to see from a different angle what I had been apart of the entire summer. Community Based Participatory Research is a form … - Week 8One of the most memorable DCERP meetings for me was the one in which a professor from the school of Public Policy spoke. He mentioned how working in government work, particularly local government, is like a giant game of …
- Journeys: week 8The most important thing I’ve learned from the DCERP group meetings is to trust that everyone takes their own unique journey and will end up exactly where they need to be. It often feels like we’re forced to decide …
- On ‘How to Kill a City’The novel “How to Kill a City” by P.E. Moskowitz tells the story of various cities’ gentrification. The book prefaces a lot of this with the economic model for gentrification that allows the process to take off. A lot …
- Week Eight Blog: Encouraged by Others
Dear fellows, As I reflect on my experience with the DCERP group meetings, I can’t help but be in awe of my fellows (all of you guys). Their true commitment to social justice and to Detroit was evident in … - Coming to an EndI’ve learned soooo much from the DCERP meetings. Being a Detroit native, it’s lowkey embarrassing how much I didn’t know about my own city so the learning groups were easily one of if not my favorite part of the …
- Passion in the PresentationsI really enjoyed the presentations that each learning group put on. I thought the fellows, in addition to working full time jobs and juggling life, presented really thoughtful and powerful presentations. I thought each group brought their own style …
- Reflecting on How to Kill a CityThough it’s not perfectly fresh in my mind, my reading of How to Kill a City challenged, changed, and strengthened my understanding of gentrification. I appreciated the author’s detailed explanation of the “steps” of the gentrification process—this was something …
- “How to Kill a City” ReflectionAfter reading this novel, I now see gentrification in a new light. Before reading this novel, I automatically paired it with Detroit or surroundings cities. I didn’t realize how much it affects other cities such as New Orleans or …
- Our Learning GroupIt’s insane how fast time flies and how we’re already finishing up week 8. I feel like it was only yesterday when I wrote my letter to my future self and yet here we are! These past few weeks …
- Week 8: Learning About Detroit, Not Just the “7.2”Upon joining Nortown CDC and reading “How to Kill a City,” I realized that my previous experiences with Detroit were very one-sided. While in middle school and high school, I volunteered with an organization to help serve homeless people …
Week 8: Learning About Detroit, Not Just the “7.2” Read More »
- The Wonderful Presentations from my Fellow Fellows- Week 8
Before I get into anything I can just say how shook I am that it’s week 8?! I felt like as the internship went on, the faster it became, and now I’m already here. I’m about to complete my …The Wonderful Presentations from my Fellow Fellows- Week 8 Read More »
- Summer LearningOver the course of 8 weeks, I had not expected to learn the amount of knowledge I had over the short (but surprisingly fast) amount of time. I enjoyed all of the guest speakers that had come and talked …
- LearningI’ve enjoyed the small learning groups throughout DCERP a lot. They feel special! Each cohort fully immerses themselves into the process of learning, as they play the role of both student and teacher during presentations. It’s interesting to see …
- Week 8: Camaraderie with the DissatisfiedDear Angel, Having the opportunity to work with a group of people (Chloe, Madgean, and Diana) who truly care about the issues that you lose sleep over has been one of the most comforting aspects of the program. I …
- Week 8: Learning from Learning GroupsCan you all believe that this is our second to last week of the internship?? It’s crazy to see how fast this summer has flown by, DCERP and all of the fellows have been the highlight of my summer …
- Week Eight BlogHey,It is hard to believe that DCERP is coming to an end and we will all be on campus within a few weeks. I can honestly say that this program has given me so much insight and opportunity. The …
- How to Kill a City, In Relation to My SiteReading How to Kill A City was highly informative for me, as it reinforced everything I’ve learned from previous classroom experience and research during my internship about gentrification in Detroit. Given that I work at a site that is …
- Virtual CohortWith the shift of DCERP to a virtual platform, I was anxious and curious as to what my experience would be this summer. I was afraid that the new platform would not allow me to get close with anyone …
- A Small CoincidenceI really didn’t know how our DCERP group would function going completely online, without that in-person living community and face-to-face interactions. I still find it weird that I’ve been talking to so many people and getting to know so …
- Surprising Moments in DCERPOne of the moments during the DCERP program was definitely while reading the “How to Kill a City” book. I didn’t expect there to be “advantages” to gentrification. Every time I thought about gentrification, I thought about negatives or …
- Beyond WorkTo be real for a moment, the experiences that we would’ve had beyond our site and in our interactions with the cohort, the city, and the community of Detroit have been substantially limited by the circumstances surrounding COVID-19. But …
