The associate professor of public health talks about her sometimes uncomfortable relationship with academia, the politics of community-centered research and the challenge of getting today’s students to talk in class.
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April 22, 2025
Thompson launches The Common Wealth podcast for Community Enterprise Clinic to explore urban issues
A new podcast from the Community Enterprise Clinic (CEC) highlights work being done by the clinic’s clients as well as issues they and others face in community building. Called The Common Wealth, the podcast is produced and hosted by Professor Dana Thompson, ’99, the director of the CEC and an expert on community economic development and urban revitalization issues.
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April 8, 2025
Potential of grocery delivery services to increase food access in Detroit
New research from the University of Michigan points to potential ways to leverage grocery delivery services to improve food access in Detroit, where 32% of residents live a mile or farther from a full-service grocery store.
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June 5, 2025
Detroit voters have an opportunity to pick a mayor who will ease zoning, improve transit and protect long-term residents
“Helping Detroit residents improve their neighborhoods will be an important task for the city’s next mayor,” writes Brian Connolly, assistant professor of business law.
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May 12, 2025
New partnership leads to credits — and confidence
Thanks to a dual-enrollment partnership between Detroit Public Schools Community District and UM-Dearborn, the Cass Tech High School students began as Dearborn Wolverines last fall, working on college credits and toward a certificate.
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May 12, 2025
Poverty Solutions convenes panel on youth-led rapid rehousing in Detroit
University of Michigan Poverty Solutions and the Detroit Phoenix Center produced a documentary — Rapid Rehousing Designed By Youth, For Youth — and hosted a screening and panel that discussed the future of youth homelessness response in Detroit.
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May 12, 2025
U-M, Detroit build community ties via seven new programs
The 2025 Engage Detroit Workshops grant program, now in its fourth year, has chosen seven new projects for funding.
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April 16, 2025
Poverty Solutions research assistant leads with heritage, community to enrich research
Nahiely Reza knew her fluency in Spanish could be an asset to her work at Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. But she didn’t anticipate some of the ways the language would open up new connections with the communities engaged in the research.
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April 3, 2025
From the Peace Corps to The Greening of Detroit, Fai Foen connects people to their natural environment
Lessons from her Peace Corps work in West Africa led alum Fai Foen to want to foster connections through landscape architecture.
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In The News
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June 19, 2025
Model D
Detroit nonprofits unite to foster next gen community development leaders
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June 19, 2025
Outlier Media
Why so many Detroiters are shut out of the workforce
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May 16, 2025
Planet Detroit
Why Detroit’s energy grid still fails its poorest residents
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May 16, 2025
Detroit Free Press
Detroit automakers want Silicon Valley talent, but need Michigan engineering knowledge
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May 14, 2025
Crain's Detroit Business
Detroit is slowly sinking — but it’s far from alone
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June 19, 2025
Model D
