Practice and Partnership
Don't Wait Until Graduation to Get Experience
You don't need to wait until senior year to start building your professional experience.
In LEAPS, working with organizations and communities is part of your education.
Through multi-year community-engaged learning placements, you'll have opportunities to contribute to real work, build professional relationships, and apply what you're learning in the classroom.
More Than an Internship
A typical internship might last a few months.
LEAPS takes a longer, strategic view.
Your community-engaged learning experience can develop over multiple years as you become more familiar with an organization, its work, and the community it serves.
You won't just show up, complete a project, and leave.
You'll have the opportunity to become part of the work.
Learn. Contribute. Grow.
Your role can evolve as your skills and confidence grow.
- Explore. Begin by learning about the organization, its mission, and the community it serves.
- Contribute. Use your skills to support real projects and organizational priorities.
- Lead. Take on greater responsibility as you develop experience and expertise.
- Mentor. More advanced LEAPS students may help welcome and support newer students working with the same organization.
Work Alongside People Who Are Making a Difference
LEAPS partnerships can connect you with organizations working across Detroit and beyond.
You might find yourself working with organizations focused on:
- Education
- Youth development
- Arts and culture
- Community development
- Entrepreneurship
- Civic engagement
- Social innovation
- Neighborhood development
Your experience will depend on your interests and our LEAPS staff works closely with students to facilitate internship and project work that aligns with each student's goals.
Put Your Learning to Work
Community-engaged learning gives you a chance to practice the skills you're developing in your courses.
You'll learn how to:
- Communicate with professionals and community members
- Work as part of a team
- Manage projects
- Build relationships
- Navigate ambiguity
- Adapt to new situations
- Take initiative
- Contribute to shared goals
And you'll have real experiences to talk about when you apply for jobs, summer internships, graduate programs, or other opportunities.
LEAPS isn't about collecting experiences to add to your résumé.
It's about learning how to contribute.
Make Your Experience Matter
You'll discover what it means to be a reliable teammate, thoughtful partner, effective communicator, and emerging leader—and you'll begin building a professional network long before graduation.