Flint Community Initiative

The Flint Community Initiative prepares and invests MSU's most vital resource -- the time, gifts and talents of students passionate to make a difference -- to engage in meaningful work in nonprofit community organizations in Flint while providing our students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in hands-on, collaborative community development projects.

The Context: Flint in the Aftermath of the Water Crisis

Precipitated by cost-saving measures that led to the poisoning of the water supply, the Flint Water Crisis has served as a catalyst for community change during the past five years. Yet like many Rustbelt cities, the city had struggled with the effects of decades-long economic disinvestment prior to the crisis. The magnitude of the crisis, however, spurred a bottoms-up, collaborative approach to creating authentic community development as a path forward to enhance the health and well-being of the city and its residents.

Our Mission

The Flint Community Initiative began its internship program during the Summer of 2019. At the core of our mission is the belief that the key to revitalizing distressed areas is to look at neighborhoods and communities not for their deficits but for their assets. Our internship program pairs students and leaders of nonprofit community and civic organizations to engage in collaborative, community-driven projects that help to expand community assets and contribute to a thriving future for Flint residents.

Program Essentials

• The program runs for 10 weeks during the summer plus one intensive weekend orientation.
• Faculty and staff work with community partners to place students for a community-based internship project experience.
• Students enrolled in 6+ credits will receive a minimum of $3,000 scholarship to defray living, work, and transportation expenses.
• Housing options are provided as part of the program in the Riverfront Residence Hall.
• Open to advanced undergraduate and graduate students across every major and College.
• Students take a 3 credit project-based skills course (SW 492/ SSC 490 - Flint Community Initiative: Asset-Based Approaches to Community Work), plus 3-6 internship credits (SSC 493).
• Students interested in taking only the skills course (SW 492/SSC 490 - Asset Based Approaches to Community Work) should contact program coordinator, Monica Villarreal, villar42@msu.edu.
• All class sessions and internships will be in-person with potential for hybrid format depending on COVID-19 guidelines and project needs.
• Faculty leaders work with students and their community supervisors to achieve a common goal: the completion of one or more products from a high-impact project that build upon the ways our nonprofit agency partners utilize and leverage existing assets to address social, political, and economic priorities within the community.
• During the internship, students will have opportunities to network and connect with community leaders representing various backgrounds and work experiences.

2023 Community Projects

League of Women Voters Flint Area – Voter Education Youth Initiative

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. The League influences public policy through education and advocacy. Students will work at the Voter Outreach Center in north Flint to increase LWV’s presence in the community and build capacity by developing youth programming. Students will provide education to youth about democracy through the creation of interactive workshops on history, government, and elections. Students also will develop a process to evaluate the program and prepare a final report.

Community Foundation of Greater Flint – Grantmaking and Equity Evaluation Project

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) partners and leads by influencing and connecting generosity to Genesee County needs. For Good. For Ever. For Everyone. Students working with CFGF will experience first-hand the role and work of philanthropy through learning about a variety of local community projects. This internship will focus on data collection, data analysis and data reporting to evaluate grantmaking with an equity lens.

Communities First, INC - Flint Community Programming, Assessment, Advocacy, and Planning Initiative

The mission of Communities First, Inc. is to build healthy, vibrant communities through economic development, affordable housing, and innovative programming. Students will gain hands on experience in urban planning, development and mapping. Students will learn how to do community assessments, create and implement surveys, and evaluate programs. Students will attend neighborhood meetings and engage with the community to advance community organizing and advocacy.

The Flint Downtown Development Authority - Community Engagement Project Management Internship

The Flint DDA works to enhance and support business development in the downtown area. Students will engage with small and large business owners to develop an awareness campaign to boost interest in the products, services, and amenities of downtown Flint through engaged research and development methods. Students will also work with DDA staff and community sponsors to create marketing strategies for Flint’s famous Back to the Bricks week.

Flint Fresh & Edible Flint – An Asset Analysis of Flint’s Food System

Flint Fresh and Edible Flint collaborates with local stakeholders to develop and implement strategies that support an equitable and sustainable food system enhancing resident access to healthy food in Genesee County. Students will learn about Flint’s food system, develop an inventory of local community gardens, conduct stakeholder interviews and surveys, and use GIS to map food system resources to facilitate food access by Flint families.

Application and Contact Info

The Flint Community Initiative has no application fee and no program fee.

Semester: Summer 2023 (May 17 - August 4)

Application Deadline: February 17, 2023

To learn more about the program, contact: Monica Villarreal, villar42@msu.edu.

Scholars Showcase Ceremony at the Applewood Estate from Summer 2021

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Scholars Showcase Ceremony at the Applewood Estate from Summer 2019

Please visit our Scholars Showcase Ceremony event page to learn more about our student's experiences during the summer of 2019.