The University of Detroit Mercy is collaborating with Ford Motor Co. to create projects that help local schools, senior homes, businesses, organizations and several other groups.
University students are working with the automaker through its Ford Community Corp. Partnership, a way for students to propose projects of interest to them and work with the community and city.
“FCCP is a program that incorporates leadership, service learning, and community all in one,” said Molly Sullivan, the coordinator of the project. “The purpose is to reach out and impact the community around us.”
FCCP is part of the Ford’s Blue Oval Network, which also helps several schools within the state of Michigan receive funding.
Along with an idea, students need a faculty or staff member to advise the student and a class that is also able to participate.
After the semester and projects are completed, information is gathered on how much impact each project has had on the community and that information is reported back to Ford.
Some examples of projects this semester are the House of Providence, Boys to Men, Healthy Kids Camp, Criminal Justice and Crime Mapping, DPAC: Detroit Prevention and Awareness in the Community, etc. Other projects are helping high school seniors transition into college, encouraging the appreciation for books and educating senior citizens on their health.
“We are very excited about these projects this year,” said The Rev. Timothy Hipskind, the director of service learning. “These are all creative ideas that either students or faculty members thought of to have Detroit Mercy students use something they are learning in the classroom to help some non-profit organization.”
