6A - Thursday, March 27, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
mEVENT SPOTLIGHT: Detroit Partnership Day
By Alicia Adamczyk, Weekend Roundup Editor
vi-
University students volunteering at DP Day in 2013.
DP Day, now in its
15th year of op-
eration at the Uni-
versity, has become an in-
tegral part of the campus
service community.
Sponsored by the De-
troit Partnership, a stu-
dent-run nonprofit at the
University that coordi-
nates student volunteer
programs with communi-
ties in the city, the event is
the largest day of service-
learning at the University.
While it can be viewed
by students as a day to
travel sans cost to De-
troit and participate in
club-mandated commu-
nity service, this year DP's
organizers are trying to
engage students to think
critically about their ex-
periences and engage
with the Detroit commu-
nity in a substantive way.
Students will work at
19 different sites across
the city in an effort to con-
nect to and serve Detroit.
LSA senior Samantha
Edwards, the executive
director of the Detroit
Partnership, said her main
goal for the year was to in-
corporate more students
who live in Detroit into
the program. Edwards
herself is from the city.
"What makes me feel
like I can leave on a posi-
tive note is that our Detroi-
ter representation, vol-
unteers, has increased,"
Edwards said, noting that
Detroiters currently com-
prise 6.5 percent of DP,
as compared to 4 percent
last year.
"Even as a Detroiter on
the planning team there
were times when I felt
isolated, I felt like 'is this
organization really for
me' ... I realized that it is
a struggle and it will take
time for Detroiters to ac-
tually trust DP, but we're
making strides toward
that."
Additionally, the direc-
tors strove to change some
perceptions around the
day of service this year.
Public Policy junior
Patrick Sier, DP's major
events director, oversees
the planning and logistics
for DP Day. In more than
12 months of planning, the
DP directors reevaluated
every site and program
detail this year in order to
provide students and the
Detroit community with
the best possible service-
learning experience.
"DP Day became a
thing your student org
just sort of does," Sier
said. "It wasn't a thought-
ful event, it was done be-
cause it was done in the
past. I think we made
it more intentional and
more targeted."
To encourage students
to think critically about
their time in the city, this
year the rally held at the
end of the day will be
transitioned to a reflec-
tion that will hopefully
promote further engage-
ment among students.
"It's less about 'Con-
gratulations great job,
you did such a great thing
today,' and more about
let's think about this, why
are you here, what did
you gain, what did the
community gain and how
can we continue this in
the future," Sier said.
The reflection will
include speeches from
Lloyd Carr, former Mich-
igan football head coach,
Stephen Henderson, the
editorial page editor of
the Detroit Free Press,
and Raquel Castaneda-
Lopez, a member of the
Detroit City Council.
It will also move
to Belle Isle from the
Brightmoor neighbor-
hood, which is meant to
symbolize the organiza-
tion's commitment to
representing the entire
the city. Sier said Belle
Isle is "integral" to how
people view Detroit.
"We've emphasized
the strength of the com-
munity and bonding to-
gether to be able to work
together on these proj-
ects," he said. "But we
really wanted to show
people physical strength
as well. Detroit isn't just
your charity case. It's a
strong city with a lot of
vitality."
"We're trying to have
a transformative year for
DP Day to reflect that it's
a transformative year for
Detroit and we need to
change as it's changing,"
he added.day," she said
of Friday's event. "I think
coming at night adds a lit-
tle bit of a different vibe
than you get during the
day."
FIVE THINGS TO
TAKE AWAY
FROM DP DAY
1. The symbol for DP Day this
year is the fist of Joe Louis.
"The Fist" symbolizes the
strength of the city and its
fight against injwustice.
2. DP Day is about service-
learning. After DP Day, think
not only about the work
you did, but the community
members you met and what
you learned.
3. Reflect on the experiences
you had and the how your
identities, background, and
perceptions influenced your
service.
4. The Detroit Partnership
is more than just DP Day.
We have weekly volunteer
opportunities and campus-
wide education events.
5. DP Day is just one day, but
it doesn't have to be.
- Samantha Edwards &
Patrick Sier
CAMPUS
EVENTS
Feminist Coming Out
Day
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Diag
Interarts Winter
Showcase
8 p.m.
Walgreen Drama Center
Baseball vs. Iowa
4 p.m.
Wilpon Complex
Dance Mix Performance
7 p.m.
Power Center
Men's Basketball vs.
Tennessee
7:15 p.m.
Indianapolis, Id.
Men's Tennis vs. Iowa
12 p.m.
Varsity Tennis Center
Women's Water Polo
vs. Indiana
12 p.m.
Canham Natatorium
Arabian Dance Ensem-
ble: Annual Hafla
7 p.m.
Michigan Union
Men's Tennis vs.
Nebraska
12 p.m.
Varsity Tennis Center
Men's Basketball
Midwest Regional Finals
Indianapolis
Holi "Color-Tag"
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Diag
Your engagement with Detroit doesn't have to end after DP Day
G a
DP Day is a great way to
give back to the commu-
nity, but it only accounts
for one day out of the whole
Volunteer with the
Ginsberg Center:
WHO, WHAT,
WHERE: The
week in review
By EMILIE PLESSET
Weekend Roundup Contributor
ta been a long and
eventful week. It's dif-
ficult to keep track of
and remember everything
that's happened so the Dai-
ly has rounded up some of
the most significant events
that have happened around
campus and around the
world this week.
Around Campus
Divestment sit-in and
resolution attract nation-
al audience
After a week of peace-
ful protests and six hours of
speakers, the Central Stu-
dent Government voted to
reject a controversial reso-
lution to divest from compa-
nies associated with the Is-
raeli military with a vote of
25-9 with five abstentions.
The event garnered national
attention as hundreds of
students crowded the Mich-
igan Union to watch the
debates and over 2,000 peo-
ple viewed the event via a
livestream on CSG's website.
Greek Week begins
University Greek Life
kicked off its annual Greek
Week Tuesday night with
the Journey of Dreams open-
ing ceremony. The upcom-
ing week will be filled with
service projects and events
dedicated to raising money
for a variety of charities in-
cluding Habitat for Human-
ity, Camp Kesem and the
Ronald McDonald House,
among others. Greek Life
will also be holding a blood
year.
other
to get
the g
in De
ways
with t
If y
you s
drive in the Union all week. does not recognize them.
MRacing unveils new car Ukranian women boycott
sex
There are plenty of The Ginsberg Center for
ways for students Community Service and
t involved with all of Learning also coordinates
ood work being done a lot of community service
troit. Here are three work in Detroit. Some of its
to continue engaging programs include mentoring
he Motor City: students in K-8 schools such
as Phoenix Multicultural
Join Detroit Academy as well as initia-
-tri tives to increase literacy in
Partnership other Detroit schools. The
center also organizes alter-
you enjoyed DP Day, native spring break trips to
hould consider join- Detroit.
The College of Engineer-
ing MRacing program un-
veiled its finished Formula
SAE racecar after working
on it the past 10 months.
Some of the organization's
members will race the car
at upcoming races at the
Michigan International
Speedway, in Lincoln, Neb.
and at the Hockenheimring
racetrack in Germany.
Around the World
Federaljudge finds Michi-
gan's ban on gay marriage
unconstitutional
It was a joyous day
for hundreds of gay cou-
ples across the state Fri-
day when District Judge
Bernard Friedman ruled
Michigan's ban on gay
marriage unconstitutional.
Michigan Attorney Gen-
eral Bill Schuette imme-
diately filed an emergency
appeal and request for stay,
and Republican Gov. Rick
Snyder declared Wednes-
day that while the marriag-
es performed before the
stay was issued are legal,
partners are not able to re-
ceive benefits and the state
In the midst of sanc-
tions and demonstrations,
a group of Ukrainian wom-
en began their own cam-
paign to protest the cur-
rent Russian annexation
of Crimea. In an attempt
to put pressure on Russia,
the women are campaign-
ing to stophaving sex with
Russian men. The women
are selling shirts that read
"Don't give it to a Rus-
sian," on a Facebook page.
Proceeds will be donated
to the Ukrainian army.
Flight 370 reportedly
crashed in Indian Ocean
Over two weeks after the
Malaysian Airlines Flight
370 disappeared, the Ma-
laysian Prime Minister an-
nounced the plane crashed
intothe IndianOceanand no
one is expected to have sur-
vived. Though search teams
have yet to find the exact
location of the crash, satel-
lite data has located floating
objects suspected of being
plane debris. Teams are still
looking for answers regard-
ing the plane's location and
what caused it to crash.
ing the student organi-
zation that made the day
possible. Detroit Partner-
ship is a non-profit orga-
nization run by University
students whose goal is to
connect University stu-
dents with the city. Along
with coordinating large
events like DP Day, the
organization also orga-
nizes smaller events with
communities in Detroit,
including weekly and
one-time service-learning
experiences. You can also
join the planning com-
mittees and gain valuable
leadership experience.
Spend a semester in
Detroit
Ifyouwantto trulybecome
immersed in Detroit's cul-
ture and community, then
the University's Semester
in Detroit is perfect for you.
Students in the program live
in dorms at Wayne State Uni-
versity, take classes on the
history of Detroit and also
participate in community-
based internships in the city.
The program is conducted
during spring and winter
terms.
.
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