University Of Michigan – Dearborn

U-M Dearborn study: students with some college desire degrees

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August 27, 2009

Could Michigan's best chance to raise the number of its college graduates lay in the present, not the future? Such a question seems likely to have "Yes" for an answer in light of a new survey from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Michigan has 321,000 young adults (ages 25-34) with some college experience but no degree, giving the state the third largest percentage (25.7 percent) in the U.S. Metro Detroit has a similar percentage of young adults that fit this profile (25.3 percent), however, it is the largest percentage of any major metropolitan area of the country.About 57,000 young adults in this demographic (39 percent) said they are likely or very likely to return to college in the next few years. "It's a group of people that is just as big as the seniors who graduate from high school in Metro Detroit each year," says Tim Davis, director of iLabs in the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Center for Innovation Research, which conducted the survey.The survey identifies this group as "stop-outs" and believes it is a target-rich environment for higher education. About 85 percent of these stop-outs already have at least one year of college under their belts and 25 percent have three years.Stereotypical reasons, time and money, prevent them from doing it. The survey advocates for more flexibility in the higher education system to make it work for this group."We really see these people as potential consumers of higher education," Davis says. "They are easy people to re-enroll in the process."Source: Tim Davis, director of iLabs in the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Center for Innovation ResearchWriter: Jon Zemke

Latest in University Of Michigan – Dearborn

U-M Dearborn attracts students with Entrepreneurship Academy

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Entrepreneurship

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August 6, 2009

The University of Michigan-Dearborn is getting started earlier when it comes to entrepreneurship. The university, along with Ford, held its second Entrepreneurship Academy, or E-Academy, this summer. The two-week program brought together high school students from across the metro area to compete for scholarship money.The students put together business plans as a way to prepare them for the always-changing business world. The five high school students formed their own teams that focused on transferring academic work to the business world. These business plans often focus on networking, sales and financing, among other things.The Ford Fund provided $9,450 in Blue Oval Scholarships to the E-Academy, so each participant received $500. The U-M Dearborn College of Business matched it if the students chose to attend the university. Source: University of Michigan-DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

U-M Dearborn creates virtual world with Ford Fund grant

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Community Development

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July 9, 2009

People have lots of bright ideas to solve the world's problems, but they're rarely implemented and those that are usually become as successful as originally planned. So the University of Michigan-Dearborn is creating a virtual world to test out some of these potential solutions and even come up with a few more. The Campus of Hope initiative allows U-M Dearborn engineering students to create a virtual world where people can address social needs and changes without the consequences that come with trying them in the real world.The initiative is being funded by a $100,000 grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund. The first focus will be on food banks. Participants can buy virtual land to address the hunger problem.This online world will mirror U-M Dearborn's actual community and is based around interactive food-bank themed games scripted by the students. For information, click here.Source: University of Michigan-DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

U-M Dearborn welcomes Connected Vehicle Proving Center

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Community Development

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June 4, 2009

The Connected Vehicle Proving Center is moving from Ann Arbor to Dearborn, but still staying within the shadow of the University of Michigan.The center is making its new home at UM-Dearborn's College of Engineering and Computer Science. It previously was located at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor.The center is a state-launched, independent initiative focused on growing state industries that develop safer, more efficient vehicles and roads. Think of the companies and research that allows cars and roads to talk to each other electronically. The idea is to help prevent accidents and streamline automotive logistics on highways.The center got its start in 2006 with money from Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund. It is meant to serve as a one-stop shop for product development, testing and evaluation of this emerging technology. The move to UM-Dearborn allows the center to collaborate with the university's Institute for Advanced Vehicle Systems, laboratories, garage, research facilities, and staff that work with the world's major automakers.Source: University of Michigan-DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

Zaragon Place opens doors in Ann Arbor’s downtown

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Arts and Culture

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May 14, 2009

Zaragon Place has hit its zenith in Ann Arbor now that it has opened its doors to new residents.Excerpt:Ann Arbor's newest mid-rise --Zaragon Place-- is now open for business. The first tenants moved in Friday.The 10-story building features 66 apartments in 100,000 square feet. The apartments sit above ground-floor retail space and about 40 underground parking spots on 619 East University, just north of East Quad. The new housing development is targeting students attending the University of Michigan's Central Campus across the street."Everything has gone great," says Rick Perlman, developer of Zaragon Place. "Leasing is going great."Read the rest of the story here.

Dearborn looks to attract film industry investment

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Arts and Culture

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April 30, 2009

Most people can imagine themselves in the movies. Dearborn is encouraging its residents to help make the city a star too. How? By getting them to be de facto location scouts."There are so many different looks that would look good as a movie set," says Randy Coble, a spokesman for the city of Dearborn. They could range from the deep woods in the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus to the heavy industrial area of the Rouge Complex. City officials want residents to send in pictures and descriptions of these special places that are unique to Dearborn.They want to compile them onto a website so filmmakers can browse these images and see if anything in Dearborn fits their shooting needs. The idea is to attract more movie shoots to Dearborn, thereby bringing in more economic development and activity. For information on the initiative or to send in photos, send an email to dearbornmovies@ci.dearborn.mi.us. Source: Randy Coble, spokesman for the city of DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

Lawrence Tech, U-M Dearborn push forward with scholarships, job fair

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Arts and Culture

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March 12, 2009

Local institutions of higher learning are helping to reinvigorate Metro Detroit's economy from two ends. The University of Michigan-Dearborn is taking the traditional job fair route, while Lawrence Technological University is trying to inspire the next generation of workers.Lawrence Tech is teaming up with local start-up darling ePrize to launch the Technovate competition aimed at high school students. These teens will be tasked with creating something of value out of an everyday object. Josh Linkner, ePrize's founder and CEO, will announce the object via a video on the Technovate website. Students or teams of students have until April 17 to create something of value out of the object and make a three-minute video about it. The idea is to push the students to figure out what value means to them. The competition is inspired by Stanford University's Global Innovation Tournament, which challenges college students to create value using an everyday object over a 48-hour period.The winners will be announced on April 25. They will receive up to $2,000 in scholarships to Lawrence Tech. For information, contact Karen Evans at (248) 204-3508 or kevans@ltu.edu.Before all of that gets underway, the University of Michigan-Dearborn will host a job fair centered on small businesses on March 25. The job fair will allow small business owners to attract new employees without being overshadowed by the big boys of business. The job fair will be held between 5-8 p.m. at UM-Dearborn’s Fairlane Center, 19000 Hubbard Dr. For information, click here or call (313) 593-5422. Source: Lawrence Technological University and University of Michigan DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

Students skip the beach for spring break to help out metro Detroit

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In The News

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March 12, 2009

Not everyone goes to Cancun for spring break. Some people don't go anywhere. And some other people stick around and volunteer their time to improving metro Detroit. It's called Alternative Spring Break. And instead of sunscreen and sand in the shorts these kids have a hammer and nails and toolbelts.Excerpt:Alternative Spring Break participants not only give up potential time in the sun relaxing, they also forego trips to volunteer in hurricane-damaged areas along the Gulf Coast. Instead, they perform service projects to help those in need elsewhere. Detroit is one of several non-disaster locations. About 50 students are working in metro Detroit, building wheelchair ramps in Detroit and Warren and performing service projects at Vista Maria in Dearborn, the Lighthouse Path in Pontiac and Franklin Wright Settlements in Detroit.The student volunteers are from several different states. Many were here last year for the inaugural program and are returning this year as project site leaders.Read the entire article here.

Ann Arbor’s NanoBio brings in $12 million in venture capital

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Economic Development

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February 26, 2009

Despite the start-up's name, Ann Arbor's NanoBio isn't so small anymore with $12 million in new financing.Excerpt:NanoBio is attracting some big investment these days. The Ann Arbor-based firm just secured $12 million in new financing to help develop the company, bringing the total amount invested to $80 million.The 3-year-old firm, University of Michigan spin-off, employs about 20 people and a handful of interns. It has hired several ex-Pfizer people after the pharmaceutical giant closed the doors to its Ann Arbor campus in 2007.Read the rest of the story here.

U-M Dearborn rakes in biggest alumni donation yet, $2 million

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Community Development

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January 8, 2009

The University of Michigan-Dearborn has been setting more than a few fundraising records this year. The latest is the largest gift given to the school ever, $2 million.Ed Elliott made the gift to the university's School of Management just before the new year. Elliot graduated from the school in 1967 and is now the principal of an international investment group based in Chicago. Elliot recently served on the Chancellor’s Campaign Council. Part of that $2 million will pay for a chaired professorship in memory of his late wife, Betty F. Elliott, whom he met at U-M Dearborn. The rest of the money will be used to recruit and retain faculty, academic curriculum and research. U-M Dearborn recently broke its record for latest capital campaign that concluded last year. The university brought in $45 million from 11,000 donors, including alumni, faculty and staff and other campus supporters since 2004Source: University of Michigan-DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke