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.
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 2022 Student Blogs
- My Fourth Week in Detroit: Culture and CuisineOne aspect of culture that I’ve enjoyed exploring, especially here in Detroit, is food. It seems to be an arena where the value of diversity shines and becomes physically real. While restaurants only represent a small part of local …
- Week 4: Everyone is AmazingNow that I have had time to meet everyone from the program and in my non-profit, I am very pleased with everyone I have met. I was nervous as usual when starting a new job but I am glad …
- Week 4I have found the culture within Hope Village Revitalization and in the surrounding Hope Village community to be friendly and welcoming to each other and outsiders. My coworkers have cultivated the most comfortable and supportive environment where I always …
- Week 4: FamilyThe culture that I have been exposed to at my community site is very much a positive one. Everyone I work with seems to be friendly no matter the kind of day they might be having. Overall, we work …
- Week Four: Tours Galore🚶🏾♀️This week I’ve had the chance to give several tours to groups that have come to visit the DPFLI. It was really nice to see so many people interested in urban culture and excited to learn more about urban …
- Week 4: 7 Lanes of Moving TrafficPretty much all of my time this week was spent focusing on engaging local businesses with our organization. The previous week, I had done a lot of business survey work – looking at land parcel data, old tax documents, …
- Week Four: Who is it all for?
Communities come in all shapes and forms. My site works in a predominantly Hispanic community called Southwest Detroit. Right next to this area is Dearborn, a city outside of Detroit that is predominately Muslim. I find it interesting how … - Week 4: A little bit of everythingOn the way home from work today, Maya and I were talking about how something feels like it shifted this week for the better. For me, this is the first week when I’ve felt solidly in control of all …
- Week 4Although I’ve worked in an office setting before, this is the first time I’ve had a full-time desk job. Coming in, I was nervous that it would live up to the stereotypes of a 9-5 government desk job: dull, …
- Week 4!!Hi everyone! I want to talk about my nonprofit because just this Sunday we had one of our biggest events at Chandler Park. It was stressful planning and we all worked together as a team to pull it all …
- Week 4: Creating CultureI have had the great fortune of working in a variety of work cultures, but this is my first time working in the city government. I originally thought that it would be similar to other public sector work that …
- Week 3: Reflections on How to Kill a CityWorking in city government and reflecting on the gentrification of Detroit, I was really struck by the way the book enumerated the many ways that private industry and individuals have had so much control over the way that the …
- Week Four: Handling GravityThis week was an especially busy one at my site. This entire month, we’ve been working on this huge grant proposal to fund a human trafficking victims program and it was finally due yesterday. When I had first read …
- Week Four: Site CultureThe culture at my site seems relaxed but focused. My coworkers seem close; they know each other’s kids, they go out to eat with one another on the weekends, and they share their personal goals and struggles. Concurrently, there …
- Week 3Chandler Park has been a great resource for the community especially during the pandemic. When COVID hit many people were able to walk around the park to see other people and enjoy nature. The pandemic was terrible in terms …
- Week 3: Chronic AbsenteeismChronic Absenteeism is “missing at least 10 percent of days in a school year for any reason, including excused and unexcused absences”. – AFT This week I did research on what my site does and what is their mission. …
- Week 3: How To Kill A City – The ArenaFirst, I want to say that reading How to Kill a City was quite interesting as we saw the perspectives of the gentrifiers. Something that particularly stood out to me was when the author had mentioned Mike Ilitch and …
- Week 3: Learning More Every DayHello again! I am back to write about my third week in Detroit and what’ve learned from it so far. Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned is that in this city, especially through my experience with the NSO, is …
- Week 3: Past is Nothing like the PresentWhile doing research behind the reason why Detroit filed bankruptcy in 2013, I learned about the numerous black businesses and homes that were destroyed by the federal government to make room for new highways. What stood out to me …
- Week Two & Three: Getting Started + How To Kill A CityWeek Two Blog – Hi everyone! The community organization I am working with this summer is CDAD (Community Development Advocates of Detroit). CDAD is known for its public policy work for nonprofits, community organizations, and overall advocating for improving …
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- My Third Week In Detroit: Gentry GiantsI found the excerpts from How to Kill a City incredibly compelling. The book did a good job of contextualizing the current economic moment that Detroit is experiencing. It was especially relevant considering that I currently live in the …
- Week 3: How to Kill a CityWe read the book How To Kill a City this week. The book was really eye-opening and I learned many things I had not known before. I thought the author did a good job reiterating that gentrification is caused …
- Week 3: A Bumpy Bike RideOne of the largest factors and causes of the housing crisis in Detroit is the impact that overassessments on properties and those that call these properties home have had. Overassessments by the city of Detroit have cost Detroit taxpayers …
- Week 3: How to Kill a CityNow that we’ve read the Detroit Section of How to Kill a City, I want to talk about how it has influenced my understanding of some of the work that my site does. The story that How to Kill …
- Week 3: How to Kill a City ReadingOne of the things about this reading that struck me is how intentional all the steps of the gentrification have been. Including Mayor Albert Cobo’s racist rhetoric and subsequent policy decisions and redlining, and also the more covert racism …
- Week Three: Forgotten Places“Katrina without water” This line from the book “How to Kill a City” is painful to read. I’ve seen how the devastation of Katrina continues to affect New Orleans, my home, to this day. There are striking similarities between …
- Week 3: Strawberry Jamboree🍓While reading How to Kill a City what stood out to me was that Detroit’s public government invests a large amount of its money to incentivize private companies to invest in the city. This has resulted in large portions …
- Week 3: Expungement FairHi Everyone! It’s funny that part of this week’s prompt is about COVID, because it has definitely impacted my week. This Wednesday, SWDCJC hosted an Expungement Fair for members of the community to come learn about the process of …
- New week, New meThis has been a really hectic week, but really fulfilling. I went back to Ann Arbor and almost missed my bus to come back 🙂 Anyway I found a really cool hat at Eastern Market during the Juneteenth Festival, …
- Week Three: How to Kill a City ReflectionIt was so interesting to read up on the ways that Detroit has become the city that it is today. I have heard some things about the transformation and about the corruption going on but to read it in …
- Week Three: the structure of this is bad but thanks for readingI feel so grateful that my site coordinator had me set up introduction interviews with every member of the team individually during the first week. Getting to hear about the journeys the women I work with have taken to …
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- Week 3!!While working with Chandler Park, I have learned a variety of things about Detroit. We had a Sounds of Music event where I got to learn about some of the history of Detroit’s music. I have learned the prominence …
- Week 3One thing that jumped out to me while I was reading How to Kill a City is how involved I am in the gentrification of Detroit. Despite growing up just 30 minutes from the city, I realized while reading …
- Week 1 + Week 2Hi everyone, my name is Om and I’m working with the City of Detroit’s Department of Civil Rights, Inclusion, and Opportunity. I’m from Troy, MI which is about half an hour outside of Detroit. While I’ve visited the city …
- Week Two: Getting into ItHappy Sunday! (My bad for being a bit behind lol.) My community placement is with Detroit Public School Community District’s [DPSCD] Talent Pipelines and Professional Growth. This is a team within the Human Resources department focused on growing the …
- Week 2: Friends of ParksideReporting back for Week 2, starting with a little run-down! First, for my community placement, I’ve been assigned to work with Friends of Parkside, a non-profit organization located on Detroit’s east side. Since 1991, Friends of Parkside’s mission is …
- Second Week in Detroit: Cool People, Cool PlacesThis summer I am working with Downtown Detroit Partnership, the non-profit responsible for many of the parks of downtown Detroit including Campus Martius, Cadillac Park, Beacon Park, and others. DDP is also responsible for the Business Improvement Zone, a …
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- Week Two 🙂After this week, I can truly say that my community placement is a great fit for me. As I mentioned last week, I am partnered with Hope Village Revitalization, a community development organization working to improve health and quality …
- Week 2: Feeling grateful for good company and delicious foodHi All! I hope everyone’s second week is going well. I’m Caitlin and I am working at Bridging Neighborhoods, which does several housing programs for people in the Delray neighborhood affected by environmental injustice. Bridging Neighborhoods runs an environmental …
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- Week Two: New ExperiencesHey Y’all! Aminata here Joining DCERP is one of the best decisions I’ve made! My cohort is so fun to be around. Everyone is so friendly and funny! We’ve gone on mini field trips and learned so much about …
- Week TwoThis summer I am so happy to be working with Chandler Park Conservancy. It has already been an amazing start to the program and getting the opportunity to work with such an incredible organization. Chandler Park’s mission is to …
- Week 2: It’s so hot🥵I’m researching with the Michigan State University Extension: Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation (DPFLI) this summer. This organization grows food in an urban garden and donates it to 2 food pantries in the Brightmoor area. Their most …
