January 2025 Newsletter
.jpg)
Do You Have an Idea for an Impactful Venture?
Join us for our interactive Impact Studio Open Labs — where innovation and entrepreneurship come together for the common good. These sessions are open to all students, and will provide one-on-one coaching for impactful ideas and early-stage impact ventures, and hands-on experience in tools such as design thinking, prototyping, and entrepreneurship basics. Stay tuned for additional open events to be announced.
- Wed, Jan. 22 @ 3:30-5pm: Drop-in Spark Session – Workshop your early stage impactful idea with our coaches. Sign up for a slot here.
- Fri, Feb. 7 @ 12:30-2pm: Drop-in Sandbox Session – Coaching sessions to take your impactful venture to the next level. Sign up for a slot here.
.jpg)
Use Gen AI to Design Adaptive Business Models in the Impact Studio Grad Course
The Impact Studio graduate course (BA670) prepares students to be architects of an equitable, just, and sustainable future. In Winter ’25, this award-winning course will focus on the clean energy transition. We will be engaging with neighborhood partners in Detroit to design equitable and feasible business models for innovative green energy models that support communities.
This year we have added two new features:
(1) Students will gain hands-on experience using a suite of generative AI tools for design and business modeling. We will be using BoodleBox, which includes one-stop access to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Semantic Scholar, and other GAI tools.
(2) A focus on collaborative adaptive learning with teammates and faculty, and specifically how to adjust to changing policy environments in real time. During the course itself, policy changes will unfold that create challenges and opportunities, and we will be working as a learning community to understand and adapt to these changes.
ESG Workshop Series
ESG Data, with Professor Jerry Davis
Thurs, Jan. 16 @ 5-7 pm
Michigan Ross, R1220
Nearly all major corporations release ESG reports, and global ESG (environmental, social, governance) assets under management are projected to pass $50 trillion in 2025. Some see ESG data as an essential tool to guide corporations toward positive social impact. Yet the investment strategy has become controversial, and some states have banned the use of ESG standards for government funds. What is ESG, how can I get and use ESG data, and why is a seemingly niche investment strategy suddenly so political? Students can learn more at one of these upcoming workshops.
ESG Dilemma Design Challenge Finals
Banks face diverging political pressures, with increasing transparency requirements on one side, and anti-ESG backlash on the other. How might banks navigate these political straits while advancing towards a net zero financial system? Come to the finals of this event to see what teams from around the world developed!
Fireside Chat with Prof. Xavier Blot
Professor Xavier Blot of Emlyon Business School in Lyon, France is visiting Ross in late January to share his insights on integrating climate education within business schools. Hosted by Ross Prof. Jerry Davis, this fireside chat will explore Prof. Xavier Blot’s insights from integrating climate and sustainability education into business schools in Europe, enabling Prof. Davis and attendees to compare and contrast these findings with those of business schools in the United States. This event is open to all Ross faculty, staff, and students. Prof. Blot’s visit is sponsored by the Erb Institute and Business+Impact. Dinner will be provided.
.jpg)
Summer Impact Internship Funding Application
Each summer, Business+Impact awards competitive grants for summer internships in the nonprofit or public sectors to MBAs and BBA juniors in the Ross School of Business as well as MPP students in the Ford School of Public Policy.
The application for these monetary awards has a first deadline of Wed, Mar. 12, and a final deadline of Wed, Apr. 16. Award decisions will be based on the level of need (taking into account other funding being received), consideration of the position, the organization’s impact, and the quality of the application.
DNEP is Hiring Accounting Consultants!
Juniors, Seniors, and incoming MAcc students — If spreadsheets make your heart go pitter-patter and you are interested in a career in consulting or entrepreneurship, put your financial skills to the greater good, by working as an accounting consultant with B+I’s Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project! Students work every other Friday on-site in several Detroit neighborhoods. Mileage is reimbursed, and travel time paid. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Details posted on the Get Involved page of our website.
We Need Your Feedback! Have You Used the Impact Roadmap?
B+I has created a Feedback form, collecting data on the UM Impact Roadmap — a resource for social impact and sustainability students at Ross and across the UM Campus. The site includes a calendar, careers, clubs, co-curriculars, colleagues, community impact, and courses for social impact students. Have you used it? Please submit your feedback and you could win a local gift. Bonus: if you provide a testimonial that we use in our marketing, you’ll win a gift basket!
Ross Events
 |
 |
| Zell Lurie: MBA Campus Visit Fri, Jan. 31 @ 10:30 am – 3 pm Michigan Ross K1521 |
Business+Tech: Datathon Mon, Feb. 3 @ 5-7:30 pm Blau Colloquium |
Map Your U-M Journey with the Impact Roadmap
The Business+Impact Impact Roadmap (UMImpactRoadmap.com) provides you with a single location for all social impact on the U-M campus. Here you’ll find all of the events, courses, people, and key partners working to use their learning to make a real impact in the world.
At the University:
GINSBERG CENTER
Foundations of Community Engagement
Fri, Jan 17
Wed, Jan 22
Mon, Jan 27
Tues, Feb 4
Wed, Feb 12
The Ginsberg Center offers multiple workshops to support students and staff who are working with communities through courses, student organizations, or independently. Learning in Community (LinC) is an educational workshop and training series focused on supporting those interested in community engagement, social justice, democratic engagement, advocacy, activism, and philanthropy.
WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE
2025 DEI Global Case Writing Competition
Applications due: Fri, Jan. 31
The topic of this year’s WDI case study is on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a business-related dilemma that must be solved by a protagonist grappling with time-sensitive decisions within any type of business discipline. The dilemma can be cross-disciplinary, i.e., affecting various disciplines such as accounting, marketing, supply chain operations, strategic management, information technology, economics, entrepreneurship, sustainability and leadership, to name a few. The geographical setting for the case can be domestic or international.
FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
Policy Events
Effects of Climate Change – Fri, Jan. 17
Sister Insider – Fri, Jan. 24
Take Care: Democracy, Art & Healing – Thurs, Jan. 30
The Ford School hosts a diverse array of timely, meaningful events that engage students, community, and public policy leaders.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Social Work Events
The National Day of Racial Healing – Tues, Jan. 21
Empowering Latine Communities – Wed, Jan. 22
Advancing a Healthy and Peaceful Society through Productive Aging Activities – Tues, Feb. 18
The School of Social Work hosts a diverse array of timely, meaningful events that engage impact students across campus, as well as community, and social work leaders.
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC MULTICULTURAL INITIATIVES
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium
Featuring a Keynote Memorial Lecture by Erica Alexander, this weeks-long symposium riffs on the theme, “Restless Dissatisfaction: An Urgent Call for the Pursuit of Justice and Equality,” inspired by Dr. King’s concept of “divine discontent.” The Symposium includes concerts, lectures, and panel discussions on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
UM DETROIT CENTER
UM Detroit Center Events
MLK Day/George Floyd Moment
Mon, Jan 20 @ 9:30 am – 2 pm
DeMystify Detroit
Mon, Jan. 27 @ 9-Noon (Save the Date)
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the UM Detroit Center! Honor Dr. King’s legacy with a day of learning and conversation. The event starts by streaming the 2025 MLK Jr. Symposium from UM’s Ann Arbor campus. Then, join Khary Frazier, founder and host of Detroit is Different, for an engaging panel: “A George Floyd Moment: An Intergenerational Analysis of Racial Justice and Social Change.” Lunch will be provided.
CENTER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
Sign up for Racial Justice Reading Circles
Reading circles are interdisciplinary gatherings, comprised of three 2-hour meetings, in which a small group of graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and research staff collectively explore a topic relevant to the study of race, (anti)racism, and racial justice. In reviewing applications, we aim to curate reading circles with diverse disciplinary perspectives and research interests. Selected applicants will receive a $200 stipend (subject to taxation) at the end of the semester for their participation.
INSTITUTE FOR FIREARM INJURY PREVENTION
Firearm Injury Prevention Internship
The Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention is pleased to announce 5 paid internship positions for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students for the summer of 2025. The internships are designed for University of Michigan students interested in firearm injury prevention research experiences. Interns will be matched with a mentor from the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention. Each selected applicant will be provided a stipend of $1,900 per month for three months (for a minimum of 318 hours).
.png)
MARSAL FAMILY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
James A. Kelly Learning Lever Prize
The James A. Kelly Learning Lever Prize is a competition designed to challenge University of Michigan students to invent digital tools with the potential to significantly improve student learning. This prize encourages a culture of innovation in education, and rewards the creative, interdisciplinary work of University of Michigan students.
U-M CGIS
U-M Global Social Impact Internships
Apply between now and Sat, Feb. 1
Join this program to find independent social impact internships in fields including health, engineering, education, human rights, sustainability, gender-based advocacy, and a trusted pathway for academic credit and peer support. Alongside your internship, you will engage in critical dialogue and reflection about the complexities of striving for justice while crossing differences of culture and power, and you will create a series of digital storytelling posts that document your experiences.
ERB INSTITUTE
Erb Undergraduate Fellows
Apply by Sun, Feb. 23 @ 11:59 pm
The Erb Fellows application is now open! Are you interested in using business as a tool for good? Are you hoping to pursue a career with impact after graduation? Apply to join the Undergraduate Erb Fellows program and lead with purpose! The Fellows program includes a mixture of curricular and co-curricular requirements. To be eligible to apply, you must have a major or minor in either the Ross School of Business or the Program in the Environment, and be a rising junior, current sophomore
MI.jpg)
CHIGAN ROSS
Ross DEI Awards Seeking Nominations
Nominate for Awards by Fri, Mar. 7
Nominate for BBA Senior Thesis by Sun, Mar. 23
The Ross Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, in collaboration with the Dean’s Office and the Ross Faculty and Staff DEI committees, is pleased to announce the fifth annual Ross DEI Awards. The Ross DEI awards celebrate and honor research and impact related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The awards include up to two research awards for faculty, one PhD student research award, one undergraduate senior thesis award, the J. Frank Yates Diversity and Inclusion Teaching Excellence award, and the Ross Staff DEI Impact award. The awards will be presented at the Annual DEI Awards event on Monday, April 28, 2025.
LSA
Semester in Detroit
Apply between now and Fri, Mar 31
Semester in Detroit accepts undergraduate students from all schools and departments at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn, UM-Flint and Grand Valley State University. All students, from First years to Seniors or Super Seniors are eligible to apply. Applicants should have a strong interest in the city of Detroit and in questioning dominant narratives; engaging with challenging new perspectives on contemporary issues; and building community with one another, SiD faculty and staff, and community members at internship sites and beyond.
In the Impact Community:
NEW Events
Centering Justice
Wed, Jan. 15 @ Noon-1:30 ET
Online
Board Brilliance
Tues, Jan. 17 @ 9 am – 1 pm
1100 N. Main St., Ann Arbor
Stay Woke
Mon, Jan. 20 @ 9 am – 3:30 pm
1100 N. Main St., Ann Arbor
NEW Center hosts online and in-person events periodically throughout the year that focus on nonprofit organizational skills and learning.
New Ideas: A Dialogue Project Competition
The Dialogue Project at Duke is searching for undergraduate students dedicated to exploring the different ways business can be a force for good in society. Current students in their freshman, sophomore or junior year of a four-year degree program at a U.S. college or university are invited to share their proposal for how a company, set of companies or industry sector can have positive impact on a specific community, population, location, industry or the environment at large. Ten grand prize winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Duke’s Fuqua School of Business where they will present their proposals to influential business leaders and participate in a live case study.
Become a Certified Nonprofit Professional
The CNP is the only nationally recognized credential in nonprofit management that showcases learning and real-world experience. The CNP means you will perform better in your job and be 7x more likely to lead in the workplace. Take part in the Professional Track or the Accelerated Professional Track.
Apply for MBArk Expo West
Apply by Sun, Jan. 26 @ Midnight MST
Expo West Event: March 4-7
Can you design a new business or NGO that delivers a proven poverty intervention at scale? Submit your design for a new organization that solves one of our Distribution Challenges below. We will award the most promising teams with up to $20,000 USD to launch their new organization wherever extreme poverty exists. Challenges include Health, Water, Education, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Energy, and Public Services.
Wind Investment Awards
Back for 2025, our annual Wind Investment Awards celebrate best practice and leadership in the global onshore and offshore wind industries. Are you the best in the business? If you win one of our 21 awards, you will gain recognition for your team as industry leaders and trailblazers, as well the trophy itself.
Volunteer to Prepare Taxes
United Way of Southeast Michigan sponsors volunteer tax preparers from December 7 through April 16. As a volunteer tax preparer, you can ensure that our clients get the best return on their taxes. No need to be an accountant: we arm you with tax law training and on-site expert support so that you can confidently complete accurate returns. With a minimum commitment of 30 hours, you can help us return millions of dollars to members of our community this season.