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Urban Planning Students Revitalize
Communities + Connections Through AmeriCorps Program
By Sharon Carney |
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While the UM Detroit Center and the annual urban design charrette are highly
visible examples of the University’s and the College’s commitment to contributing
to economic and civic enhancement efforts in Detroit, equally important are
the student operatives "on the ground." At any given time, dozens of urban
planning students are engaged in service learning activities in Detroit and
other communities.
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Raju
Mann mixes paint for a community
mural project coordinated by the
nonprofit group Southwest Detroit
Environmental Vision (SDEV).
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For a decade AmeriCorps
has drawn urban planning students to Detroit
where they help to stimulate economic, environmental,
and community improvements in local neighborhoods.
This year, the work of six students, the tenth
class of AmeriCorps students from the Urban and
Regional Planning Program, are once again proving
the value of AmeriCorps to Detroit neighborhoods and community organizations.
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Laura Bozgo (left) with Focus:HOPE community development specialist Nedra Sims Fears at the site of an upcoming senior citizen housing development in northwest Detroit.
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The work of AmeriCorps
students makes a visible impact on the organizations
they serve, and the students themselves are greatly
appreciated assets. Debbie Fisher, Director of
Community and Economic Development at Focus:
Hope said, "…students
bring a different perspective on issues, processes, and goal attainment that
can shed light on new or alternative ways Focus:HOPE can make progress. Students
also come from different backgrounds and have contributed resources and information
from past work and life experiences. In short, the AmeriCorps students we have
hosted have made a significant and lasting difference in our community."
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Robert Cameron, working with Rebuilding Communities, Inc. (RCI), developed plans for converting a stretch of six abandoned properties into a park.
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Only a few weeks into
his AmeriCorps commitment, Robert Cameron recognizes
the critical responsibility of the urban planner
to understand the people of the community. He
cites shortfalls in this understanding as a major
obstacle to successful community development,
saying, "Until we connect this gap we still
may continue to make the same mistakes urban
planners have made in the past."
This article appeared
in
Portico 2005/2
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Laura
Bozgo wants to use her
background in construction management
to improve living conditions
for low-income communities by
building affordable quality housing.
At Focus:Hope Laura worked to
obtain funding for the redevelopment
of the Bell Building, along with
other Brownfield redevelopment
projects. She was also responsible
for coordinating several cleanups
that will took place during summer
2005.
Christopher Bryant earned his B.S. in computer engineering from
Michigan State University and is concentrating his studies on economic and community
development. Born, raised, and still living in Detroit, Christopher is motivated
to improve his city. He conducted on-site fieldwork in several neighborhoods
and prepared a market study of the area for nonprofit residential developer
Northstar Community Development Corporation.
Robert Cameron worked at Rebuilding Communities, Inc. (RCI),
an affiliate of the Warren/Conner Development Coalition. At
RCI, Bob maintained the Tool Lending Library, a tool resource for neighborhood
cleanups, in addition to coordinating park development projects and site cleanups.
He also developed plans for converting a stretch of six abandoned
properties into a park.
Howard Karp, a San Francisco native, helped the Detroit Eastside
Community Collaborative (DECC) to develop a greenway stretching from 8 Mile to
the Detroit River by monitoring Phase II construction, coordinating monthly committee
meetings, and researching funding sources and best practices for greenway management.
He also drew on his communications background to promote the project within
communities along the future greenway.
Raju Mann served the Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision
(SDEV), an organization committed to encouraging Brownfield remediation and development
and promoting sustainable land use. He worked to increase environmental code
education and dumping enforcement for SDEV, constructing
a work plan to implement a surveillance program to reduce dumping, promoting
the initiative, and coordinating community cleanups and projects.
Brandon Zwagerman grew up in Western Michigan and graduated
from UM in 2003 with a B.A. in history. A self proclaimed "raving urbanist," Brandon
is focused on land use and environmental planning. He worked with Grandmont
Rosedale Development Corporation, where he coordinated volunteer site cleanups,
collected data on commercial property maintenance, and generally supported the
organization’s Clean & Safe program.
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