The new U-M Detroit Center was a flurry of activity Sept. 21 as the University celebrated the opening of the 10,500-square foot facility that will be home for several University-sponsored programs in Detroit. “This community engagement by the University, whether around the corner or around the globe, is essential to our creating leaders who have a comprehensive understanding of our rapidly changing world,” President Mary Sue Coleman said. One such leader is School of Education senior Kaellen Weld-Wallis, who told participants the timing for the center is perfect. “For, while I am the first to defend Detroit from stereotypical fear and criticism, I am not blind to its many problems. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I have seen its poverty, its brokenness, its struggles. Some of those closest to me are young mothers, high school dropouts and young men who’ve succumb to the allure of the city streets… This is exactly why places like the Detroit Center and the programs it will house are needed here in our city… As a student I am proud of U-M, the Detroit Center, and its programs. As a Detroiter, I am thankful. But tonight, most of all, I am excited to see what tomorrow holds for my city.” (Photo by Scott Galvin)
