MSU social work student finds purpose in serving Detroit youth

August 12, 2025 - Brandon Drain

Social work is much more than a career path—it’s a calling. For those who heed the call, it not only has the power to transform their lives individually but also positively impacts the lives of those they touch thereafter.

For rising junior Kai Matsushita, this call began the moment he got to college. Matsushita first entered Michigan State University studying international relations at the James Madison College, with a strong passion to create systemic change.

That changed during his sophomore year when he “realized that my passion lay closer to fixing the systems that are failing our youth, especially those within juvenile justice and child welfare,” said Matsushita.

He switched to social work to better align with his deepening commitment to systemic change. This change would be “one of the best decisions I have ever made,” he said, as he was now exposed to a wide variety of professions along with the immense career agility a social work degree could provide. “As I enter my junior year, I can finally say that I am beginning to figure out how to make my dreams of impacting systems a reality,” he continued.

This past summer, Matsushita interned at the General Motors Student Corps Program: a community outreach program focused on supporting high school students from underserved Detroit neighborhoods. His role allowed him to work directly with at-risk students who face significant barriers to success.

He worked at Mumford High School in Detroit, MI, a school with one of the highest rates of child welfare-involved youth in the state of Michigan, he said.

“Many of these youth have experienced trauma and are placed in environments beyond their control,” said Matsushita. “Hearing their stories and experiences so early in life left me deeply impacted, and pushed me to work harder and inspired me to create an environment where they feel valued, heard, and, most importantly, safe.”

The program had two components: one focused on career readiness, and the other on community service projects.

One of those projects was revamping the ‘Senior Room’, which was a space created for seniors to relax and study. “This year, the students wanted to build upon that by providing their class with a space not only to relax and study but also to gather resources to support them after high school,” said Matsushita.

Mumford High School doesn’t have a library, and although Matsushita and his team didn’t have the funds/resources to build one from scratch, they instead elected to build a mini version themselves.

“We purchased bookshelves and countless books to support the students in the fall,” he said. “With literacy rates declining and resources and funding being cut, it was important to provide students with access to literature.”

Additionally, he and the team added an information board to the room, which included regular postings of various networking events, job training, and financial aid opportunities.

Despite this, one of the most powerful additions to the room was the college pennants hanging from the overhead, he noted. “The students were able to touch their future,” said Matsushita.  “They could physically reach their goal. Their aspirations became tangible. It was a strong reminder that even the smallest details in a space can spark the biggest dreams.”

His impact on the students went beyond just providing resources. He was able to connect with the students in deep, meaningful ways, which contributed a lot to his success as an intern. “What I realized is that being the first to open up leaves the door for them to walk through,” he said. “It creates that trust and connection that was once blocked as strangers, but now we share that connection and create a relationship where we can learn from one another.”

A large part of his role was to be there for the students when they needed him, even responding to late night emails and text messages whenever students had questions. “That is what it is all about,” he said, “being a support system in an environment where one is not always given.”

Matsushita’s experience in his summer internship further solidified his transition into social work. “The program pushed me out of my shell and helped me realize that I have always had leadership traits within me,” he said. “Being part of a space where I could connect with communities and listen to young people made me even more certain that social work is the right path for me.”