For nearly a decade the Michigan–Mellon Project on the Egalitarian Metropolis has supported impactful programs and initiatives.

The University of Michigan Center for Innovation in Detroit broke ground Thursday with high-energy musical performances and 13 shovels held by leaders of the partners bringing the project to fruition. “Today’s groundbreaking is far more than the promise of a new building. It is a profound expression of our sustained and lasting commitment to the city of Detroit, and of our faith in a shining future for the State of Michigan,” said U-M President Santa J. Ono.

An interprofessional liberal arts major, “Learning, Equity, and Problem Solving for the Public Good” will create learning leaders equipped to tackle complex issues that exist across all areas of society. LEAPS is a four-year program leading to a bachelor’s degree in education.

The research project was one of only three nationwide to receive funding as part of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initiative aimed at addressing the disparities that exist for borrowers of color and other underserved groups.

A series of three surveys from the University of Michigan’s Detroit Metro Area Communities Study sheds new light on which media platforms are shaping Detroiters’ views. Television is by far the most commonly relied upon source of news, with 74% of Detroit residents saying they typically get news from TV.

As AliReda Jeafar approaches graduation at UM-Dearborn, he has a full-time job with the City of Detroit that he loves. But it took a reassessment of goals and a life detour to find a career path he’s passionate about.

“We had the privilege of collaborating with the University of Michigan, which provided us with valuable data and evidence-based measures. As a result, we were able to conduct additional focus groups. It was wonderful to gain the data piece.”

~ Shardaya Fuquay, executive director of Journey to Healing

“There is so much structurally that holds back businesses owned by people of color, and the network I am a part of is hoping to turn that upside down.”
~ Lily Hamburger, Ross School alumna

Crescendo was founded by alum Damien Crutcher in 2013. It’s an after-school program for children ages 5 to 18 that develops music and dance programming to promote artistic excellence and character building. Crescendo has worked with roughly 125 students in Detroit and also has partnerships with institutions like U-M and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.