Institute for Social Change
The Institute for Social Change (ISC) is a cohort-based spring program that allows students to explore the conceptual and practical dimensions of public scholarship—the diverse ways we can create and circulate knowledge for and with publics and communities. The program introduces graduate students to an array of publicly engaged scholarship, pedagogy, and practices focused on social change and university-community partnerships.
The Institute for Social Change will take place May 9 to 12 and May 15 to 17, 2023. Sessions will be scheduled between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. There will be shorter half days mixed in, but participants applying should plan to be available during these dates and times. A final schedule will be confirmed by April. Participants may need to complete small reflection assignments between program dates.
Sessions will be held in person on campus in Ann Arbor and at off campus locations (transportation provided). At this time, there will not be an option for online/remote participation. Lunch will be provided during most session days.
During the program, participants will have the opportunity to begin to develop an idea sketch or preliminary plans for a publicly engaged scholarly project relevant to their interests and field.
Application Information
To participate, students need to complete a short application.
The deadline to apply is March 24, 2023.
Learning Goals
The Institute for Social Change aims to support your professional and academic development by helping you:
- learn about diverse modes of publicly engaged scholarship through panels, discussions, and reflection activities that explore the practical and theoretical dimensions of publicly engaged work in a variety of professional, community, and organizational contexts;
- connect with peers in a supportive and collaborative space to imagine possibilities for connecting your scholarly and/or intellectual interests to community needs and the greater public good;
- increase confidence in applying scholarly expertise and skills to collaborate with community partners;
- become more familiar with the resources and support available for graduate students in public scholarship at the University of Michigan and beyond.
Contact the Program in Public Scholarship
1530 Rackham Building
915 E. Washington St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070
Email: rackpublicscholarship@umich.edu
Hours
The Program in Public Scholarship is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays and on the following holidays: Thanksgiving (Thursday and the following Friday), Christmas through New Year’s, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4), and Labor Day.
