Student Opportunities & Resources
Get Involved.
Learn more about yourself.
- Attend the Nourish program in Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA).
The Nourish Program is a partnership by the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) and the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to address some of the unique needs and experiences of women of color. The Program seeks to empower participants around issues of identity, intercultural competency, and health and wellness concerns in an open and spirited atmosphere.
- Join a student organization that explores identity.
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 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 the opportunity to grow personally through a deeper understanding of the role of a responsible citizen.
- Participate in one of the organizations that makes up the Association of Religious Counselors (ARC).
The Association of Religious Counselors (ARC) is an independent association of representatives from religious and spiritual communities that serve the students, staff, and faculty of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Committed to the central role of religion and spirituality in the development of the whole human being - body, heart, mind, and soul - ARC advocates for the religious, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of university life.
- Sign up for courses in ethnic or gender studies.
The University of Michigan is known 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
- Take the Culture Bus to an arts event through Arts at Michigan.
Arts at Michigan believes that the arts are essential to shaping our individual and collective identities and understanding what it means to be a citizen of a diverse multi-cultural society. Arts at Michigan programs actively engage undergraduate students in the arts as a meaningful way to build connections between academic and co-curricular experiences and engage student life overall.
- 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.
- Take Advantage of the POSSE program in the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI).
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.
- Join the Coming Out Group with the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Affairs (LGBTA).
The Office of LGBTA Affairs offers two coming-out groups: one in the Fall Term, and another in the Winter Term. This is a closed and confidential eleven-week discussion and support group that helps participants explore a variety of coming-out issues. It is intended for people who are questioning their sexuality and/or people in the early stages of their coming-out process. Topics include exploring same-sex attractions, issues of self-esteem, and coming out to self, friends and family, as well as other topics related to these issues.
- 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.
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Interact with people from different backgrounds.
- Apply for a Psych 122 course— the InterGroup dialogue courses with the Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR).
Intergroup Dialogues are 2-credit courses carefully structured to explore social group identity, conflict, community, and social justice. Each intergroup dialogue involves identity groups defined by race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic class, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.
- Register for language and culture courses through the College of LSA.
- The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC) is a center for the exploration of the humanities of Asia, where students are invited to cross the boundaries of nations (including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Korea) and of disciplines (including literature, film, language, religion, and history) in order develop two vital qualities: a deep local knowledge and a broad global perspective.
- Germanic Languages is home to U-M’s German Studies, Scandinavian Studies, and Dutch and Flemish Studies programs.
- Modern Greek courses explore the Greek world from late antiquity to the present, with special emphasis on Greek society of the past 200 years — classes in Greek on language, literature, and culture; classes in English introducing students to Greek culture, travel literature about Greece, Greek literature in translation, and diaspora experiences including the Greek American, all of which fulfill distribution requirements for undergraduate degrees; and graduate courses in a variety of fields.
- Ojibwe courses of Anishinaabe language and culture are offered by the Program in American Culture. Ojibwe is an endangered language, it is of utmost importance that we make sure the language is learned and used. This is a beautiful language with much to teach about living in this place.
- The Department of Near Eastern Studies offers several programs of study in Near Eastern languages, literatures, civilizations, linguistics, history, Ancient studies, Biblical studies, Egyptology, Medieval Islamic history and Islamic studies.
- The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures prepares students of French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish with more than basic reading, writing and speaking skills. Its courses also feature the histories, politics, cultures, customs, and literatures of countries that speak Romance languages. The Department has active language clubs, study-abroad opportunities, as well as a top-class Language Resource Center and Summer Language Institute.
- Slavic Studies offers courses on Russian and East European culture, aimed at the general student audience, and that can fulfill graduation requirements. The college language requirement may be completed in Russian, Czech, Polish, Bosnian-Serbo-Croatian, and Ukrainian.
- 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.
- Make plans to study abroad through the Office of International Programs (OIP).
OIP programs are designed to enrich the undergraduate experience by offering students opportunities for cultural immersion, intensive language learning, and participation in another educational system.
- Join a community service student organization.
There are many student organizations that interface with the surrounding community to get students out in the real world and build relationships with those not part of the university. Take time to get to know someone who is not a U-M student.
- Join a housing co-operative through the Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC).
The ICC is an independent organization, available to all University of Michigan students, and owned and run by the members who live in the coops. We, the member-owners of the ICC, provide a home for students that equally embodies quality living, community and social equality, all within the cooperative movement. We continuously strive to maintain and improve our organization and our houses through shared work. We are committed to furthering our education by building life skills, a strong community, and personal relationships.
- Go on an Alternative Spring Break through the Ginsberg Center’s SERVE program.
Alternative Spring Break is the Ginsberg Center’s 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.
- 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.
- Register for Project Community (Sociology 389), a Ginsberg Center program.
Project Community is one of the nation’s oldest continuously running service-learning courses. Each year approximately 500 students combine academic learning with meaningful service in the community. Project Community is 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.
- 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 a faculty member who will guide you through the learning cycle and make your experience educational and enjoyable.
- 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.
- Apply to be part of the Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates (GIEU).
GIEU sends small (ten to fifteen students) diverse teams with a U-M faculty member for three to four weeks to culturally rich sites domestically and around the world to work on mutually beneficial projects. It includes short courses (1 credit) before and after travel (UC 275) and a paid summer internship while on site.
- 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 student leadership opportunities in the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI).
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.
- Apply to the Program in Global Engineering.
The Program in Global Engineering integrates courses dedicated to a specific region, language classes and other international topics with a required overseas experience and intercultural training. It is a flexible program open to all engineering disciplines that can be completed without extending time to graduation (22 credits plus a student abroad experience).
- 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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Challenge yourself.
- Register for a First Year Seminar or a UC170 class through the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA).
This introductory course is designed to encourage you to explore issues of social justice and social identity in the context of engaged citizenship. In a participatory, educational manner, you will examine yourself and others as you begin to navigate the University of Michigan campus and the rich diversity offered here. You will learn skills such as how to communicate with others, how to manage and engage in conflict, how to explore values and opinions different than your own and how to reach beyond the United States for learning. Being in community and being an engaged citizen is not a given in our society — through this class, you will explore the richness of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion, and the power and privilege in our society.
- 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.
- Develop an independent study course or major to combine your academic and co-curricular interests through the College of Literature Science and the Arts (LSA).
To develop an independent study course, talk to a faculty member or advisor in the home department where you think the course would fit, or who serves as a faculty sponsor or participant in the activity you wish to build on. Michigan also has an Individual Concentration Program for entirely self-designed majors.
- Join a politically active or an arts-focused 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.
- Become part of the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership at the Ginsberg Center.
The Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership (MAP) at the Ginsberg Center includes eight graduate and undergraduate programs at the University of Michigan that annually serve nearly 40 diverse non-profit organizations, primarily based in Detroit. A domestic version of the Peace Corps, MAP strives to address local human needs through direct service program activities related to education, urban planning, social work, health and economic development. Students and community residents earn a stipend and educational award by working on meaningful projects in partnership with non-profit organizations.
- Apply for a Residence Life staff position with University Housing.
There are many possibilities, from Resident Advisor to Minority Peer Advisor, academic assistant or computer resource person and a wide range of buildings and programs to practice these skills.
- 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.
- 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 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 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.
- 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.
- Register for Project Community (Sociology 389) a Ginsberg Center Program.
Project Community is one of the nation’s oldest continuously running service-learning courses. Each year approximately 500 students combine academic learning with meaningful service in the community. Project Community is 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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