November 2026 Newsletter
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Become an Impact Studio Founder or Fellow this Winter
The Impact Studio Incubator offers real-world experiences and resources to launch impactful ventures. The Studio offers 2 experiences:
- Apply for Founders Program: for any U‑M student committed to launching an impactful idea; no prior entrepreneurial experience required
- Apply for Applebaum Impact Design Fellowship: for U‑M students with strategic, operational, and technical skills to support founders.
Central & North Campus applications are now open, and will close on Fri, Dec. 11 at NOON.
2026-27 Actionable Tools for Impact Workshop Series
Appreciative Interviewing
Wed, Nov. 18 @ 5:45-7:15 pm
Shared Ownership Lab
Tues, Dec. 1 @ 4:30-7:30 pm
ESG Data Bootcamp
Thurs, Dec. 3 @ 5-6:30 pm
Above are the opening three workshops from the new Actionable Tools for Impact workshop series. This series is open to the campus community and aims to equip you with concrete examples and actionable tools to make an impact. Additional details will be sent to registrants closer to the event dates.
Announcing 2026-27 Skip & Carrie Gordon Scholars
Business+Impact (B+I) is pleased to announce Aaron Brodkey (MBA ‘27), Abigail Alpern Fisch (MBA ‘27), Mariana Chapouto Lopes (MBA/MS ‘27), and Licieli Olivo (MBA/MS ‘27) are the recipients of the 2026-27 Skip and Carrie Gordon Scholarships for outstanding commitment to impact. The award comes with $7,500 for each recipient. Gordon Scholars serve as B+I Student Ambassadors for the 2026-27 academic year.
Winter ’27 Social Impact and Sustainability Courses on the UM Impact Roadmap
As a resource to all UM students, the UM Impact Roadmap shows all of the social impact and sustainability courses in Winter 2027. The resources shows up-to-date courses actually being offered at UM, for both undergraduates and graduate students.
DNEP to Say Farewell to Christie Baer, Seeks New Managing Director
The Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project’s Co-Founder Christie Baer announced that she is stepping aside as managing director of DNEP effective December 31. Christie created DNEP ten years ago starting from zero, and it is now one of Detroit’s largest business support organizations for microbusinesses. (Read Her Full Message)
The job posting for the managing director role is now up, with the goal of filling the position by early January. Apply Here
Meanwhile, as DNEP prepares to move into the new U-M Center for Innovation this summer, the department is also hiring a part-time (15 hour per week) Data & Operations Coordinator to use agentic AI to manage DNEP’s data and support program operations. Apply Here
Events at Ross:
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| CPO: DEFY-How to Speak Up Tues, Nov 17 @ 1-2 pm Online |
B+T: AI Forum Fri, Dec. 4 @ 9:30 am – 4 pm Various Ross locations |
Map Your U-M Journey with the Impact Roadmap and Sustainability Navigator
The Business+Impact Impact Roadmap (UMImpactRoadmap.com) provides you with a single location for all social impact on the U-M campus.
The Sustainability Navigator (UMSustainabilityNavigator.com) helps you identify sustainability resources across the University of Michigan so you can chart your personalized roadmap to a more sustainable future.
At the University:
CEW+
CEW+ International Travel Fellowship Panel
Tues, Nov. 17 @ 5:30-7:30 pm
1680 SPH I, School of Public Health
Please join us for a panel discussion featuring CEW+ Fellowship recipients discussing their research experiences abroad in Brazil, Kenya, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea, Bangladesh, and Nepal. There will be time for questions from the audience after the panel, as well as socializing and a light dinner. Families are welcome.
ERB INSTITUTE
Erb Fellows Program
Info Session
Mon, Nov. 16 @ 5 pm ET
Online
Are you a freshman or sophomore interested in Business and Sustainability? Come learn about the Erb Institute Fellows Program. Join us for a virtual information session to learn all about the Erb Fellows Undergraduate Program. We’ll cover program details, application questions, and leave time for Q&A.
FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
Policy Talks
Cash Plus Psychosocial Interventions for Economic Mobility – Nov 13
The Importance of Research and Data for Policy and Social Change – Nov 20
The Ford School hosts a diverse array of timely, meaningful events that engage our students, community, and public policy leaders.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Social Work Events
Master of Arts in Social Impact Leadership Virtual Info Session – Nov 17;
The Road Home – Nov 18
Explore the latest events from the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Learn about research impact, outreach and advocacy, and highlights from our community.
PLANET BLUE
Sustainability Honors Cords
The Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program is designed to recognize students who went above and beyond to advance their knowledge, skills, and practice of sustainability ethics while studying at the University of Michigan. The acceptance to the Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program will allow students to receive an Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord for graduation, join an exclusive alumni LinkedIn network, and be part of a sustainability spotlight series.
GINSBERG CENTER
Ginsberg Internships for Social Change
Learn about community internships available with a focus on social change through the Ginsberg Center, a community and civic engagement center that connects communities and the University of Michigan to deepen the knowledge, capacities, and relationships necessary to address pressing social issues through collaboration.
UM DETROIT CENTER
What’s On Your Plate? Detroiters Speak on Food Justice
Fri, Nov. 13 @ Noon-2 pm
3663 Woodward Ave., Suite 150
Everyone deserves access to healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food. Join us for What’s on Your Plate with Detroiters Speak as they preview their upcoming series as well as meet their org partners. During this Practice Series we will focus on those that are directly impacted by the current food climate and take a peek into some of their future food justice topics.
WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE
Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange
This is a new eight-week virtual exchange certificate program that brings together undergraduate students from the United States, Ghana, and Mexico to design entrepreneurial solutions to climate challenges. Built on WDI’s proven Entrepreneurship Exchange model and adapted for a climate focus, the program is delivered by WDI in partnership with Academic City in Ghana and Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) in Mexico.
In the Impact Community:
The Mosaic Fellowship
The Mosaic Fellowship — Impact Capital Managers’ (ICM) flagship Talent & Leadership Development program — is designed to cultivate skilled, diverse talent in the impact investment industry.
D-Prize
D-Prize is a grant-funded nonprofit targeting extreme poverty. We seed social impact organizations that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Most founders in low-and-middle income countries don’t have access to startup capital, and we provide philanthropic seed support so their ventures, NGOs, & charities can launch.
Facilitating Effective Meetings & Dialogue Spaces
Thurs, Nov. 19 @ 9 am – Noon
1100 North Main St., Ann Arbor
This practical, interactive workshop introduces the foundational elements of designing and facilitating effective meetings and meaningful group dialogue. Participants will leave with a practical framework for planning and facilitating purposeful gatherings where people discuss, navigate challenges, make shared decisions, and advance work towards their mission.
Impact + Profit Conference
Learn how you can implement a “double bottom line” on your projects, meet producers and storytellers who specialize in impact, and build powerful relationships that take your ventures to another level of effectiveness, profitability and social benefit. Co-presented by the SIE Society and the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Global Engagement Summit
The Global Engagement Summit (GES) is accepting applications from young changemakers around the world to be delegates in a conference on shared global problems. The summit will take place between April 21st-25th 2027 and will be hosted on Northwestern University’s campus in Evanston, Illinois. Delegates are expected to stay for the entire duration of the summit and attend all required events.
New Ideas Competition
We’re searching for undergraduate students dedicated to exploring the different ways business can be a force for good in society. We hope your proposal will highlight any ways in which your idea will contribute to improving civil discourse and reducing polarization in society. Students of any nationality or citizenship and all academic majors are welcome to apply. Applicants must also be 18 years of age by March 1, 2027