Through the Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program (DCERP), undergraduate students
from the U-M spend the summer working with a wide variety of Detroit non-profits on research and creative projects led by the organizations themselves. Fellows participating in this 9-week program are paid a stipend, provided housing in Detroit, 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 getting to know the city, its culture and history through a social justice lens, community engagement, personal growth and professional development. The program culminates with a public showcase, during which DCERP fellows present about their projects and the insights they have gained.
Liana Ysabel Bautista
Rising Senior
Program: Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience
DCERP Placement: Hope Village Revitilization Center:
A newly formed community development organization with programs in food security, sustainable housing and arts & culture.
Sharonda Chiangong
Rising Sophomore
Program: Pharmacy
DCERP Placement: Friends of Parkside:
A community-based organization for residents on Detroit's East side with programming such as youth development, sports, health initiatives, and food security.
Ruchita Coomar
Rising Sophomore
Major: Public Policy
DCERP Placement: Deadline Detroit:
An independent grassroots digital media organization that provides original content and commentary on Detroit-focused news.
Sarah Chung
Rising Junior
Major: Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience
Minor: Community Action and Social Change
Public Health/Social Work track
DCERP Placement: Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, which involves residents, community organizationns, government and other stakeholders to address air quality, blight, safe housing and other priority issues.
Madison Daminato
Rising Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering
DCERP Placement: Southwest Detroit Community Justice Center
A non-profit that assists court-involved and at risk residents with a restorative approach, including opportunities for community service and access to social work services.
Le'Elle Davis
Rising Senior
Major: Psychology and Women's Studies
DCERP Placement: Downtown Detroit Partnership
Maintains and operates programs in Detroit's downtown parks.
Sasha Fraser
Rising Sophomore
Program: Biology, Health and Society
DCERP Placement: Detroit Food Academy - A non-profit that inspires young Detroiters through culinary arts and food entrepreneurship to become holistic leaders who are healthy, connected and powerful change agents in their communities.
Sean Gillikin
Rising Junior
Majors: History and Sociology
DCERP Placement: Nortown Community Development Corporation- Focuses on the revitalization of Northeast Detroit by promoting safe and affordable housing, historic preservation, greenway development, environmental improvements, and job opportunities for low/moderare income populations
Chloe Hale
Rising Junior
Major: Political Science and Social Theory and Practice
DCERP Placement: Soulardarity
Focuses on energy democracy in Highland Park and surrounding neighborhoods through education, organizing and community-owned clean energy.
Mackenzie Hewitt
Rising Senior
Major: Art & Design and Sociology
Subplan: Law, Justice and Social Change
DCERP Placement: ProsperUs -A place-based economic development strategy designed to empower and foster entrepreneurial success in low and moderate income, immigrant and minority populations.
Leslie Igbo
Rising Sophomore
Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology
DCERP Placement: Authority Health -an organization that strengthens the healthcare safety net through community-based primary care services, issues advocacy, health insurance enrollment and navigation, and a health data portal.
Madgean Joassaint
Rising Sophomore
Major: Sociology
DCERP Placement: Detroit Public Schools Community District
- Consists of 106 schools educating 50,000 children. It champions a whole-child approach that combimes academics with socio-emotional, extracurricular, and health services tailored to each individual student's needs.
Torisa Johnson
Rising Senior
Major: Sociology and African American Studies
DCERP Placement: FoodLab Detroit -A community of food entrepreneurs committed to making the possibility of good food in Detroit a sustainable reality. They design, build and maintain systems to grow a diverse ecosystem of triple-bottom-line food businesses as part of a good food movement that is accountable to all Detroiters.
Jasmine Mumpfield
Rising Sophomore
Major: Gender and Health
Minor: AfroAmerican and African Studies
DCERP Placement: Authority Health -an organization that strengthens the healthcare safety net through community-based primary care services, issues advocacy, health insurance enrollment and navigation, and a health data portal.
Angel Phillips
Rising Senior
Major: Economics
Minor: Intergroup Relations
DCERP Placement: Bridging Neighborhoods Program
Administers Home Swap and Environmental Mitigation community benefits programs for homes in the Delray neighborhood and near the expanded I-75 service drive in Southwest Detroit.
Grace Tate
Rising Junior
Major: Health & Human Sciences with a Public Health concentration
DCERP Placement: Chandler Park Conservancy
Offers educational, recreational and conservation opportunities at Chandler Park a 200-plus acre regional park in the City of Detroit.
Blaine Teahan
Rising Senior
Major: Community and Global Public Health
DCERP Placement: Developing Despite Distance (3D)
An organization that helps young men in Detroit positively 'develop despite the distance' of their incarcerated parent.
Rakira Urquhart
Rising Sophomore
Major: Public Health
DCERP Placement: Friends of Parkside
A community-based organization for residents of Detroit's East side with youth development, sports, health iniatives and food security programming.
Betsaida Valdivia
Rising Senior
Major: Political Sciences
Minor: Art and Design
DCERP Placement: EcoWorks
A non-profit that creates just, equitable, and inclusive solutions to climate change and other community sustainability challenges.
Diana Yassin
Rising Senior
Major: Secondary Education
Concentration: English and Political Science
DCERP Placement: Brilliant Detroit -creates early child and family centers in neighborhoods. It provides holistic services for kids 0-8 predicated on evidence-based programs around health, family support and education.
