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 2021 Student Blogs
- The Final BowAfter rereading my first blog post, I feel like I accomplished the broad goals I set for myself this summer. I said I wanted to gain new understandings and interests and I definitely did. Before the program, I’d decided …
- Week 9: Thank you DCERP & Nortown CDC!I can’t believe how fast these 9 weeks went by! Looking at my first blog post, I’m really proud of everything I accomplished this summer. Something I hoped to learn at the beginning of this program was to understand …
- Week Nine: Everyone’s Done Already?!HOW is it already everyone’s last week? This is so crazy, it feels like we just started! Looking back on my first post, I kind of knew what I was getting into when I was placed with 826michigan. I …
- Week Nine: What a Way to End off!Looking back at my first post it’s incredible to see how much the views stayed the same on the community aspect and even grew in many aspects that I would’ve never pictured of before. At first I just thought …
- See you later?It feels like just yesterday I was panic texting Serena and Totti thinking our mentor forgot about us. This summer really flew by, and although I am so grateful for everything that has happened, I am so sad that …
- Week 9: The End and The BeginningFirst of all, I want to thank all of the fellows and Ray for being so amazing! I have to say that i learned so much from you all in all of our conversations, serious and lighthearted; from the …
- Week 9: ¡Fin!Hey, The big show has closed its curtains. The experience was riveting. I’ve got to say, while reading my first blog-post I could practically see the words jumping out of the screen with excitement – rightfully so. I think …
- Week 9: The End of All ThingsIt’s the END???!!! That’s crazy! But in all seriousness, this has been such a wild trip. I am so glad to have gotten this opportunity because I made so many wonderful connections with people at DCERP and LGBT Detroit. …
- Week 9: Time FliesIt is unreal to think that over a month ago was when I first started my internship. While my time at Hamtramck City Hall is not quite done yet, as my project still has two weeks to go, I …
- Week 9: What??This program feels like it went by in a blink of an eye! I feel as if I wrote my first blog post 10 days ago. In such a short time I have learned so much about the nonprofit …
- Week 9: Reflecting on the Dream Storytelling ProjectWhen I started DCERP, I hoped to learn more about Islam and the Black Muslim community in Detroit. These past nine weeks have taught me so much about both of the aforementioned topics. I have gotten the chance to …
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- Week 8: Oral History InterviewsThe Dream Storytelling Project has given me insight into the various forms of research. I used to always think of research as the type of thing that was conducted by scientists wearing lab coats and safety goggles. Being part …
- Protected: Week 7: Environmental Justice and Carbon FootprintsThis content is password protected.
- Week NineHey Everyone, I’m really sad that this experience is coming to an end, but I can’t wait until we’re on campus and I get to see everyone in person. At least for a short time. I reread my first …
- Week 9: HOPE Village is the place to be!!In my initial post, I wrote about community and how it pertains to comfort; community as an extension of the home. After working at HOPE Village for these past few weeks, I stand by this definition. So many of …
- Week 9: The End Already?Week 9. I can’t believe it! Over the course of this summer, I definitely think I have evolved and developed some more clarity on Policy in Detroit, and what it takes to advocate, plan, educate, and work in that …
- Last week: ReflectionOn my first blog post, I wrote about what community was to me. I said that on a micro level, I believe community is about belonging. I read a scholarly article stating that students who feel like they belong …
- Protected: Week 6: A New LocationThis content is password protected.
- Already over?Wow, I really can’t believe we are at the end of the program! I’m sad that it is ending, but I’m so thankful for this experience and to have had the opportunity to meet all of you. While this …
- Week 9: ReflectionsThere’s only a couple days left of DCERP, and it’s crazy how fast the past couple months have gone by. Reflecting on my very first blog post, I can say that I am proud of the work I accomplished, …
- Week 9: Look at Where You Came From, Look at You NowI remember when I was applying to be a part of this program, I immediately began reading the blog posts from the 2020 cohort. The first ones that popped up were the week 9 reflections, and it’s crazy to …
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- Week Eight: The Project and Its Progress!With so many different projects that I have for 826michigan, it’s incredible to see how much progress the work I’ve done for 826michigan is being put into use! I had a last minute project to email about 100 families …
- Week Eight: Can’t Believe We’ve Come This FarI can’t believe we are coming up on our last week together. Although I will still be working with my community placement until the end of the summer, I am still really sad that I won’t be able to …
- Week 8: I’m a little late and frazzledMy week has been so hectic and crazy. My project is actually coming to a head this weekend by putting on Hotter Than July. I’ve had to work testing zones for 12 hours, which is insane, but such important …
- Week 8: FulfilledI remember the first day I arrived at Hamtramck City Hall. I was so nervous, yet so excited at the same time. Mara, my mentor, came out of her office and gave me the biggest hug. From that moment, …
- Week 8: Reflecting on my projects!Throughout the summer, my main project involved conducting research and creating a database regarding the ownership and tax status of residential properties, which can be used by my organization to plan future development projects. At the beginning of the …
- WOW WEEK 8??I’ve worked on so many projects with Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision. I worked with the Healthy Air department to contact trucking businesses and educate them about switching to more environmentally friendly trucks. I worked with the Land and Water …
- Week 8: bite-sized victoriesMy project involves a lot of interviews. I’m interviewing past students out of the organization’s program, as well as past (or continuing) community partners with DFA. I learned through this process that conducting interviews with people can be very …
- Week Eight Already??Hi friends! Reflecting on the entire summer, I must say that my project has come so far. I learned a lot about economic disenfranchisement in Detroit and general personal and business finances. Lately, I have been working on tying …
- Week 8: Is it Imposter Syndrome?I started this experience with little knowledge on justice reform, and I am nearing the end of this program with new perspectives and outlooks on jail diversion and possibilities for community courts. When I read and listen to the …
- Week 8: Articles, Interviews, and Calling the Wrong NumberFrom the beginning, my project was always very general. I knew I would be researching and writing stories about the Great Lakes, but beyond that, there weren’t many details. What kinds of articles would I write? Would they be …
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- Meet my Mentor: Katrina McCreeKatrina McCree just celebrated her one year anniversary at NSO in mid July, but her career is built off a wide array of experiences that has helped her fostered success and prepare her for her current position. Katrina went …
- Week 8: Julie Rice (aka Madam President)Last week, I had the chance to sit down and talk with the farmers market manager, Julie Rice. She is very quick, very successful, and seems to know every single person who steps foot in our market. Julie has …
- A Reflection on my time with Thinking HabitatsI’ve learned so much from being at my site these past couple of months (which flew by!) Being in this type of office work environment was a very new experience for me but it was also enjoyable. I liked …
- Week 8: Almost at the End?!My project coming into the DCERP program looks drastically different from the work I’m doing now at NSO, but a large part of that is because Abby and I completed all of our original tasks much faster than all …
- Week 8: Learning about housing policy & initiativesI can’t believe it’s Week 8 of the fellowship! Only one more week to go everyone! Reflecting on my time with CDAD, I feel thankful for the deep-dive of housing policies and initiatives in Detroit. Housing equity has always …
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- Week 8: Reflecting on my projectThis is a difficult prompt for me because I was never really assigned one project. Instead, I worked on a variety of things and acted more as support on those projects. I think that these past weeks have taught …
- 6/15 MeetingA guest speaker that really stood out to me was Ms. Tiffany Brown from Detroit Food Academy and Developing Despite Distance (3D). Her presentation was multifaceted and informative. Something that stood out to me about Ms. Brown’s time with …
- Week 7: Speaker that Stood out to meOne of the many, amazing speakers that stood out to me was Deandre Calvert. I am really interested in pursuing a career in public policy, and hoping to get my degree from the School of Public Policy. Lately, the …
- Week Seven: A Great Group Presentation!This week was full of lots of work when it came to my internship but that didn’t delay our community group, The Antiracist Rockstars, to present our group presentation! It was so much fun being able to interact with …
- Week Seven: Theater Writers Club! Our Main Project!Now, for the moment we’ve all been waiting for! This Wednesday and Thursday was our first experience in our Theater Writers Club! Our team met up on Monday to discuss our roles and responsibilities for the club. We also …
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- Week 7: Learning Group PresentationsThis week, I really enjoyed the Antiracism and Environmental Justice presentations! During Tuesday’s meeting, the privilege “walk” made me realize I’m privileged in more ways than I had ever thought about. I never used to consider “not having to …
