Michigan Engaging Community through the Classroom (MECC)

Refugee Ready Region (RRR)

This semester saw a strong start to the RRR MECC project which will continue running over the next several years. Keep reading for a brief summary of some of the work accomplished during this term:

Sharon Haar’s architecture and urban design students created models and presented their sketches for what affordable housing and community development could look like in the city of Inkster. 

Chris Mueller and his business students worked with arcGIS to assist Wayne Metro Community Action Agency in mapping and selecting potential site locations based on criteria outlined in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) application available through Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). For more information, read their final report here.

Nick Tobier and his design students built relationships with residents in Hamtramck’s Freedom Village to inform their development of public art installations for the area.

Dr. T.J. Klein and medical students with the U-M Asylum Collaborative (UMAC) began assessing the best ways to connect newly arriving refugees with medical and mental health services.

Jade Marks and her science communication students stitched all of these efforts together by working with each unit to break down pedagogical barriers and develop communication strategies for presenting highly technical information in terms everyone can understand.

From Lakeshore Erosion towards Coastal Resiliency

Over the past 16 months, this MECC project evolved from measuring and mapping lakeshore erosion to developing resources for resiliency in coastal management. During the initial Winter 2021 semester, students studying environmental sustainability, law, and urban planning worked with officials from Chikaming Township to assess erosion patterns along Lake Michigan.

Over this past Winter 2022 semester, the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) students and faculty have continued this work and collaborated in part with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to produce a final report outlining their findings and recommendations. This student team also produced several amazing resource libraries which you can review at the links below. 

• Great Lakes Comprehensive Coastal Resiliency Resource Database
• Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Recommended Resource Database
• Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Funding and Financing Resource Database

Mapping Food Security in Oakland County

This MECC project actually grew out of work produced during the Fall 2021 semester by students in the Ford School of Public Policy. This student team worked with officials in Oakland County to conduct a food landscape survey that will be used to better understand and plan for food security in this community located in Southeastern Michigan. Their report can be read here and it will serve as a valuable resource for future teams continuing this work throughout the summer and upcoming fall semester.