Cat Johnson, in her new role as managing director of the Business+Impact initiative at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, has a global vision that often starts with local action in Detroit.

Akoaki, a design studio in Detroit, has been working with the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm for nearly four years to develop a vision and “guiding plan” to make it self-sufficient and sustainable.

A Detroit Economic Growth Corp. plan to support entrepreneurs that are just getting started with short-term, low risk, pop-up opportunities got a boost from University of Michigan students who recently competed in the annual Social Impact Challenge.

The seventh annual Social Impact Challenge (SIC) features a partnership between the University of Michigan (U-M) Ross School of Business’ Center for Social Impact and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC).

Rick Haas has been passionate about cars from a young age, purchasing his first vehicle with lawn-mowing money before he was old enough to get behind the wheel. His passion never waned, steering him toward engineering and a career in the automotive industry.

Organized by the Sanger Leadership Center, the Impact Challenge is one of the most immersive and collaborative programs of its kind among top business schools. More than 400 first-year Full-Time MBA students will embark on a journey involving complex problem-solving, innovative business development and true social impact.

The Social Impact Challenge is an opportunity for students to collaborate on graduate and undergraduate teams across a dozen U-M schools and colleges to tackle complex social issues in a competitive environment with real-world implications.

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business annual Impact Challenge is considered one of the most ambitious and immersive leadership development programs of its kind for business school students.

A new Detroit mini business, Cass Coasters, has grown from a U-M course that brings together students of business, engineering and art and design.