Student Opportunities & Resources
Make a Difference
Find your own way to contribute to a community.
- Take notes for someone through Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).
Services for Students with Disabilities provides services to students with visual impairments, learning disabilities, mobility impairments, hearing impairments, chronic health problems, and psychological disabilities—and student volunteers can make a difference. Services include accessible campus transportation, adaptive technology, sign language interpreting, readers, and guidance regarding course accommodations.
- Register for Project Community (Sociology 389), a Ginsberg Center program.
Project Community is one of the nation’s oldest continuously running service-learning course committed to engaging students in meaningful community service and complementary active learning. Through community engagement, students improve the lives of those in the community as well as enhance their own learning and development. Students grow in social responsibility, develop critical thinking skills, assess personal values, and come to better understand themselves, and are primarily involved with individuals in the community who experience social inequalities, and learn with, from and about them.
- Join a community service or a cultural student organization.
Maize Pages is the University of Michigan’s online directory of student organizations. You can explore all 1,000+ organizations, or use the site's search engine to locate specific themes or interests.
- Attend or volunteer for the Day of C.H.A.N.G.E. through the Division of Student Affairs (DSA).
A Day of C.H.A.N.G.E. provides ALL students with the opportunity to connect with Michigan’s commitment to diversity. This event celebrates and appreciates this central, long-term ethic at Michigan by bringing together the campus community in educational and social events.
- Participate in a learning community through Michigan Learning Communities (MLC).
The Michigan Learning Communities are an ideal way for you to benefit from the unparalleled resources only a large research university can offer. At the same time, a learning community provides a smaller college setting within which you can develop more personal relationships. You are part of a friendly, supportive, and challenging learning community within the larger university environment.
- Attend Michigan LeaderShape through Student Activities and Leadership (SAL).
Michigan LeaderShape is a dynamic, interactive 6 day program designed to support and develop U-M students’ perceptions of leadership. It offers one the opportunity to grow personally through a deeper understanding of the role of a responsible citizen.
- Go on an Alternative Spring Break through the Ginsberg Center’s SERVE program.
The University of Michigan’s Alternative Spring Break is a SERVE-sponsored program that offers a community service learning experience during the traditional Spring Break of the academic calendar. Students spend the year learning about the culture and history of a particular area, community, or issue.
- Volunteer with the Office of Student Conflict Resolution (OSCR).
OSCR builds trust, promotes justice, teaches peace and supports the values of civility, dignity, diversity, education, equality, freedom, honesty, and safety among all U-M students.
- Attend the Intercultural Leadership Seminar through Student Activities and Leadership (SAL).
Intercultural Leadership Seminar is an interactive 5-day program intended to provide participants with a deeper understanding of how to work more effectively in intercultural settings. The seminar design deliberately addresses attitudes, awareness, knowledge and skills as central aspects to developing intercultural competence.
- Join the Speakers Bureau at the Spectrum Center (formerly known as the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs).
The goal of the Speakers Bureau is to educate people on the current realities and personal histories of those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Ally. Through personal story-telling, speakers share their experiences and growth, thereby promoting knowledge, compassion, and understanding about LGBTQ identities, issues and concerns.
- Take advantage of the SAMI program in the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI).
The Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) created Student Academic Multicultural Initiatives (SAMI) in 1993 to provide students and student organizations with a source of funds for involvement in academic multicultural activities. OAMI is a student-focused office located at the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor Central Campus. OAMI is responsible for administering a variety of educational multicultural programs and outreach services for the University. Please explore our website to learn more about what we offer and how you can take advantage of OAMI’s resources.
- Participate in North Campus Service Day.
North Campus Service Day is organized by the Engineering Council in collaboration with Project SERVE and other North Campus academic units. The day promotes community service and social action in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti communities.
- Attend a Growing Allies Training sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.
This is a new initiative whose goal is to engage students in their identities as social justice allies and empower them to act as allies every day.
- Become an Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator through the Program on Intergroup Relations.
Intergroup dialogue facilitators are trained undergraduate students who lead a group of peers through a semester of intergroup dialogue. Facilitators are trained in dialogic communication, group building, conflict surfacing and de-escalation, and social justice education. They work in pairs to facilitate dialogue, not simply as teachers, but also as learners with dialogue participants.
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Join others thinking critically about social issues.
- Become part of SERVE’s Issue Education and Awareness Team at the Ginsberg Center.
The Issue Education and Awareness Team is dedicated to educating all of its members about the complicated and interconnected social issues that communities face. Students dedicate themselves to learn more about social issues and create and disseminate education resources to SERVE programs and others on campus.
- Register for Detroit Initiative (Psychology 317, 319, 325).
The Detroit Initiative seeks to provide opportunities for students and faculty to engage in further education, service, and research in the Detroit area through a focus on community-identified priorities.
- Register for Project Outreach (Psychology 211).
As an Outreach student you will be engaged in real work in the community, designed to meet community needs. You will have a chance to explore careers and significant social issues. You will be involved with a small group of students, led by an undergraduate under the supervision of a graduate student, and faculty member who will guide you through the learning cycle and make your experience educational and enjoyable.
- Apply to be part of the Michigan in Washington program with the College of LSA.
The Michigan in Washington Program offers an opportunity for 20-25 University of Michigan undergraduates from all majors to spend a semester (Fall or Winter) in Washington, D.C. The program provides a chance for students to combine coursework with field research in an internship that reflects each student’s particular area of academic interest.
- Join the Expect Respect student organization.
The Expect Respect Campaign is a unique partnership between campus administrators and students to unify the university community. Their goal is to promote awareness and understanding among diverse groups of people, cultures and organizations and of their beliefs and ideas.
- Sign up for courses in ethnic or gender studies.
The University of Michigan is know for the excellent quality of its variety of programs that offer both majors and minors in ethnic and gender studies, as well as a fascinating array of elective courses, many of which fulfill important distribution requirements as well. Learn more about yourself, your fellow students, and the many experiences of the human world.
Program — Current Course Listings
- Attend the Ethics in Public Life lectures and programs through the Office of the President.
The Ethics in Public Life (EinPL) Initiative was launched by President Mary Sue Coleman at the beginning of the 2005—06 academic year. These lectures and programs address ethics in a variety of contexts and situations.
- Become an Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator through the Program on Intergroup Relations.
Intergroup dialogue facilitators are trained undergraduate students who lead a group of peers through a semester of intergroup dialogue. Facilitators are trained in dialogic communication, group building, conflict surfacing and de-escalation, and social justice education. They work in pairs to facilitate dialogue, not simply as teachers, but also as learners with dialogue participants.
- Register for Project Community (Sociology 389), a Ginsberg Center program.
Project Community is one of the nation’s oldest continuously running service-learning course committed to engaging students in meaningful community service and complementary active learning. Through community engagement, students improve the lives of those in the community as well as enhance their own learning and development. Students grow in social responsibility, develop critical thinking skills, assess personal values, and come to better understand themselves, and are primarily involved with individuals in the community who experience social inequalities, and learn with, from and about them.
- Attend or volunteer for the Day of C.H.A.N.G.E. through the Division of Student Affairs (DSA).
A Day of C.H.A.N.G.E. provides ALL students with the opportunity to connect with Michigan’s commitment to diversity. This event celebrates and appreciates the central, long-term ethic at Michigan by bringing together the campus community in educational and social events.
- Take the courses and participate in the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP)
The Prison Creative Arts Project’s mission is to collaborate with incarcerated adults, incarcerated youth, urban youth and the formerly incarcerated to strengthen our community through creative expression.
- Apply for the Public Service Intern Program (PSIP) through the Career Center.
PSIP assists talented undergraduates from all academic departments in securing summer internship positions with congressional and congressional support offices, executive offices and agencies, judicial offices, special interest and lobby organizations, arts/museums, and print and broadcast media, in Washington, D.C.
- Request a CommonGround Workshop through the Program on Intergroup Relations.
The Common Ground workshop program is one way that student organizations, residence halls, Greek life, classes, and other campus communities can request workshops on topics such as (but not limited to) racism, sexism, classism, or heterosexism.
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Stand up for social justice and people you care about.
- Attend LGBTQ Ally Training at the Spectrum Center (formerly known as the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs).
Ally Program participants attend an eight-hour training (spread over two days) designed to strengthen their ability to serve as allies to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students, staff, and faculty at the University of Michigan.
- Volunteer with the Men’s Activism Program at the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC).
The Men’s Activism program aims their efforts at male students and focuses on educating men on campus about how they can stop rape, what they can do when a survivor friend comes to them for support, and how to challenge sexism in every day life.
- Go on an Alternative Spring Break with the Ginsberg Center’s SERVE program.
Alternative Spring Break is a Ginsberg Center SERVE-sponsored program that offers a community service learning experience during the traditional Spring Break of the academic calendar. Students spend the year learning about the culture and history of a particular area, community, or issue. During spring break, groups travel to a selected site to engage in meaningful action towards a greater understanding of root causes of relevant issues.
- Join the Speakers Bureau at the Spectrum Center (formerly known as the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs).
The goal of the Speakers Bureau is to educate people on the current realities and personal histories of those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Ally. Through personal story-telling, speakers share their experiences and growth, thereby promoting knowledge, compassion, and understanding about LGBTQ identities, issues and concerns.
- Attend a Growing Allies Training sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.
This is a new initiative whose goal is to engage students in their identities as social justice allies and empower them to act as allies every day.
- Become an Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator through the Program on Intergroup Relations.
Intergroup dialogue facilitators are trained undergraduate students who lead a group of peers through a semester of intergroup dialogue. Facilitators are trained in dialogic communication, group building, conflict surfacing and de-escalation, and social justice education. They work in pairs to facilitate dialogue, not simply as teachers, but also as learners with dialogue participants.
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