September 2025 Newsletter
Meet Impact Centers & Student Clubs from Across Campus at the B+I Showcase
Thurs, Sept. 4 @ 11 am – 1 pm
Ross School of Business
Sixth Floor, Tauber Colloquium
Welcome new and returning students! We hope your summer was invigorating, because we have a lot of opportunities coming up for you. As part of our mission to make students aware of impact opportunities across campus, we welcome students to our 8th annual Business+Impact Showcase at Ross. U-M students will have a chance to meet with over 30 organizations and map out their impact journeys. The event will also feature other fun, engaging activities.
Apply for Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program
Make an impact and hone your skills through an action-based leadership experience! Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows are U-M graduate students of all disciplines who serve on a nonprofit board through the entire academic year while leading a strategic project and building community with other mission-driven leaders. Interested students should watch the info session recording before reviewing application materials. Note: You must view the Info Session in order to apply.
Applications will be due this Friday, Sep. 5th at noon.
Build a Venture in the Impact Studio Incubator – Applications Open
Apply by
Fri, Sept. 5 @ Noon ET
Calling all current U-M students! Do you have an idea for a venture that you want to bring to life? Want to explore the entrepreneur’s journey from concept to scale? If so, we want you! Come join our vibrant collaborative community in the Impact Studio incubator. We partner with BCG, Ann Arbor SPARK, and other ecosystem partners to provide mentorship and resources for students to launch their impactful ideas.
The Impact Studio Founders Program helps impact-driven creators and innovators bring impactful ideas to life that build a sustainable and just world for all! Using business knowledge, design tools, and research expertise, our experienced and interdisciplinary coaches and fellows roll up their sleeves and work alongside founders to accomplish great things.
Applebaum Impact Design Fellows are part of an interdisciplinary cohort working to support the Impact Studio Founders Program & prototype studio concepts.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BOTH PROGRAMS
Private Equity Impact Fellows
Apply by
Fri, Sept. 19 @ Noon ET
Interested in sustainability, private equity, and new product launch? Apply today for our first-ever Private Equity Impact Fellowship! Impact Private Equity Fellows will work with one of Cranbrook Partners & Co‘s portfolio companies to launch a new sustainable product line. The Fellowship includes a paid trip to New York City and a stipend. It will run from October 2025 — February 2026, with the opportunity for further collaboration with Cranbrook Partners after February 2026. Apply by September 19 at noon.
AI Show & Tell for Small Business
Mon, Sept. 8 @ 1-4 pm
UM Detroit Center
Mon, Sept. 15 @ 1-4 pm
Jefferson East Neighborhood Resource Hub
Mon, Sept. 22 @ 1-4 pm
Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation
Mon, Sept. 29 @ 1-4 pm
Detroit Design Build Green Hub
Unlock the power of AI for your Detroit small business or nonprofit in a fun and supportive environment! Join us for DNEP’s new AI Show & Tell Workshop — a hands-on, fully-interactive experience led by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. You will discover practical ways to use AI in your daily work to save time and money, with topics determined by live voting from participants.
ESG Data Workshop
Instructor: Professor Jerry Davis
Fri, Sept. 12 @ 10-11:30 am
Virtual
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. his hands-on workshop provides hands-on experience with ESG data to answer three questions: (1) How can I evaluate a specific company’s ESG performance (e.g., a potential employer)? (2) How can I assess ESG mutual funds and ETFs that I might invest in? and (3) How can I use ESG data to create a portfolio that matches my values?
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Impact Tabling Events Where You Can Meet Us!
Business+Impact will be taking part in a number of tabling events during the next month where you can meet us and find out more about our programs and our mission:
- B+I Showcase – Thurs, Sept. 4 @ 11am – 1 pm in the Ross Tauber Colloquium
- UMSI Cross-School Resource Fair – Tues, Sept. 9 @ Noon – 1:30 pm on North Campus
- Social Work Resource Fair – Wed, Sept. 10 @ Noon – 2 pm in the SSW Commons
- BBA Parents and Students – Fri, Sept. 12 @ Noon – 2 pm
- So Cool, So Just – Wed, Sept. 24 @ Noon – 2 on the Diag
- Earthfest – Tues, Sept 30 @ 10am – 2 pm on the Diag
- One Year Masters Open House – Thurs, Oct. 9, 4 – 6 pm in the Ross Winter Garden
- Virtual Centers & Institutes at Ross FTMBA Event – Thurs, Oct. 16, 3 pm Online
Ross Events
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| Ross Exec Ed: Empowering Emerging Leaders in Turbulent Times Tues, Sept. 9 @ 2-3 pm Virtual |
Tauber: Spotlight! Fri, Sept. 12 @ 9 am – 4 pm Sheraton Ann Arbor 3200 Boardwalk Drive, Ann Arbor |
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:
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Social Work Events
“Undoing Racism Workshop”
Tues, Sept 16 @ 3-4:30 pm
Zoom
Disability Justice Installation Celebration
Thurs, Sept 18 @ 3-5:30 pm
Zoom
The University of Michigan School of Social Work hosts regular events at the intersection of social impact and social work. B+I lists highlights from these intersection events.
FORD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
Policy Speaker Events
The State of U.S. Democracy
Wed, Sept. 17 @ 4:30-6 pm
Rackham Auditorium
The Ford School of Public Policy hosts a diverse array of timely, meaningful events that engage students, community, and public policy leaders.
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OFFICE OF CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY
Earthfest
Tues, Sept 30 @ 10 am – 2 pm
The Diag, Ann Arbor Central Campus
Earthfest celebrates sustainability initiatives across U-M and the surrounding communities, while providing an inclusive platform to educate and engage the campus community on opportunities to support sustainability and environmental justice on campus and in our daily lives. Business+Impact will be represented at this event.
POVERTY SOLUTIONS
Fall 2025 Speaker Series
Friday, Oct. 17 — The High Cost of Mass Deportation
Friday, Oct. 31 — Lessons from the Water Warrior on Community Coalition Building for Water Justice
Friday, Nov. 14 — The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers
This series is free and open to the public, every Friday at Noon in ECC 1840 at the School of Social Work. It is also a one-credit course available for U-M students during the Fall 2025 semester. Students can enroll in SWK 503 Course #25751 on Canvas.
In the Impact Community:
Rally Accelerator 2025
Apply Now
Serve Jan 19-May 12, 2026
Each year, Rally selects early-stage entrepreneurs who are tackling critical challenges in housing, health, education, the environment, and more. Our 16-week accelerator equips them with mentorship, customized curriculum, peer support, and pilot opportunities in Central Florida.
Detroit Month of Design
The 14th Annual Detroit Month of Design Festival is a citywide celebration of creativity that gathers designers and the greater community to celebrate Detroit’s role as a national and global design capital. Check out 175+ creatives, 80+ events, and meet 50,000 attendees in various Detroit neighborhoods throughout the month.
Bamboo Events
Bamboo Detroit Community Coworking – Tues, Sept. 9
Bamboo Ann Arbor Community Coworking – Wed, Sept. 10
Bust the Biases that are Limiting Your Potential – Wed, Sept. 17
Join us at our next event and expand your network. You are also welcome to host a meeting space or event in Detroit, Royal Oak, or Ann Arbor.
Up to Us Competition
The Up to Us Campus Competition is a nationwide leadership development and civic engagement initiative that mobilizes young people to build public awareness campaigns that educate their peers about the long-term national debt. The application is now live – apply today! (US-based student opportunity only.) There is a $10,000 grand prize, in-person and funded leadership training in Washington, DC.
Board Brilliance
Thurs, Sept. 11 @ 9 – 11 am
NEW Center
1100 N. Main, Ann Arbor
Step into a transformative experience where board and staff members from all backgrounds come together to reimagine nonprofit governance for today’s challenges. During our time together, we’ll break down outdated structures and explore approaches that support resilience, shared decision making, and values-driven leadership.
Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits
Fri, Sept. 12 @ 1 – 4:30 pm ET
Virtual
The Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits, convened annually by Independent Sector, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), and Nonprofit Policy Forum, is designed to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore key questions and issues related to public policy affecting nonprofits and philanthropy.
Ele’s Place Healing Hearts 5K
Sun, Sept 14 @ 11 am
6300 Interfirst Dr., Ann Arbor
Help raise awareness of and support for grieving children, teens, and their families who are grieving in Ann Arbor, and the surrounding southeast Michigan area. Ele’s Place Ann Arbor families and the community are invited to participate in this family-friendly event to honor, celebrate and remember a special person who has died. This event is an opportunity to put “one foot in front of the other” to help fund our peer grief support programs and ensure they remain FREE OF CHARGE to all who are in need of our services today, tomorrow and always. So, grab your walking/running shoes AND join us for the Ele’s Place Ann Arbor Healing Hearts Family 5K Walk/Run
Home for Good
Thurs, Sept. 18 @ 6 pm
Morris Lawrence Build
Washtenaw Community College
Home for Good is Avalon Housing’s annual fundraising event. When you sponsor Home for Good or buy a ticket, your gift helps Avalon provide care and support to help people stay in their homes—for good. Join us in building healthy, safe and inclusive supportive housing communities as a long-term solution to homelessness.
Climate Week NYC
This September, Climate Week NYC returns to the City of New York. It will bring together inspiring heads of government and leaders from the world of business, tech, academia, and civil society. Together, they’ll share ideas, challenge, create, collaborate, and energize.
Wege Prize
Wege Prize is an annual competition that ignites game-changing solutions for the future by inspiring college/university students around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries to redesign the way economies work. Participants contend for $65,000 (USD) in total cash prizes, all while learning — and helping to show the world — what the future of problem solving looks like.
RECESS 25
Oct. 13-15, 2025
Detroit Marriott
Rennaissance Center, Detroit
RECESS25 is your onramp into the clean energy sector. Now in its third year, the conference opens doors for career changers, job seekers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders ready to explore one of today’s fastest-growing industries. Join us to connect, learn, and discover how you can create, expand, or transform your path in clean energy. Energy belongs to everyone—and so does the opportunity.