{"id":6170,"date":"2026-03-20T15:18:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rossweb.bus.umich.edu\/faculty-staff-blog\/?p=6170"},"modified":"2026-03-23T09:23:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T13:23:03","slug":"qa-faculty-and-staff-share-how-community-partnerships-strengthen-michigan-ross-and-southeast-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rossweb.bus.umich.edu\/faculty-staff-blog\/2026\/03\/20\/qa-faculty-and-staff-share-how-community-partnerships-strengthen-michigan-ross-and-southeast-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Faculty and Staff Share How Community Partnerships Strengthen Michigan Ross and Southeast Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Michigan Ross, maintaining strong connections with organizations across Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan is central to our mission of building a better world through business. Through action-based learning, student-led ventures, and collaborative projects, community engagement enriches the educational experience and drives positive change across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this Q&A, faculty and staff share why community partnerships matter and how local engagement strengthens teaching, research, and economic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Melissa<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Melissa Zaksek<\/strong>, managing director, Erb Institute<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you believe it is important for Michigan Ross to interact with and support the local community? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all live, work, and play here in the Ann Arbor and southeast Michigan area, and I can think of no better reason for us to engage with and support our local communities! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond that, connecting with our communities gives us the opportunity to positively represent Michigan Ross and the University of Michigan, serve as ambassadors of the great work that is happening here on campus, and build new partnerships. It helps us keep in touch with what is happening in our community, and gives us the opportunity to think creatively about how our work can impact the real world \u2014 both immediately and in the long term. 
For the last two years, we have organized an Erb community service opportunity for our staff, faculty, and students at Food Gatherers<\/a>, an Ann Arbor food bank and food rescue program, where we sort food donations and stock shelves. This experience has led to some great discussions among those who volunteered about food waste and the circular economy, both of which are critical sustainability topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you describe initiatives, programs, or partnerships within your unit that have contributed to the economic development of Ann Arbor, metro Detroit, or Southeast Michigan?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Erb Institute has deep roots and connections in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan, and we are very connected to the business sustainability community in our state. We have numerous programs that support local start-ups and businesses. One example is Erb Impact Projects<\/a>, which pairs Erb business sustainability students with business leaders to recommend solutions to improve sustainability practices and operations (cutting costs, reducing risk, and finding growth opportunities). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also lead and organize the Michigan Business Sustainability Roundtable<\/a>, a group of senior-level sustainability leaders from some of Michigan\u2019s most influential and innovative companies. These individuals represent companies from the automotive, food, agriculture, manufacturing, and financial sectors, among others. Guided by the research and expertise of Erb faculty and students, MBSR members share ideas and best practices to make Michigan businesses more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. They meet regularly to discuss real-world challenges, learn from each other, and collaborate on innovative solutions for sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Gregg<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Gregg Latterman<\/strong>, executive director and clinical assistant professor, Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you believe it is important for Michigan Ross to interact with and support the local community? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building relationships within the community is essential in entrepreneurship and venture capital. At the Zell Lurie Institute, we help connect students with talented people who have developed innovative ideas and\/or may be willing to fund a new venture. Some of these opportunities are in Southeast Michigan. By doing this, we support our students\u2019 growth and help strengthen the local community and business environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZLI interacts with the local community through our Zell Entrepreneurs<\/a> Program, which provides year-long, tailored support to students launching new ventures or acquiring existing companies. Each year, our students participate in a trek to Detroit, visiting key entrepreneurship hubs, such as Newlab, a venture platform for mobility, energym and materials startups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also host events such as the Michigan Innovation Reunion, bringing alumni together and showcasing the growth of entrepreneurial communities in Ann Arbor and Detroit. Events like this provide compelling reasons for faculty, students, and alumni to build and scale their ventures in Michigan, while also fostering relationships and enriching research and teaching with real-world examples of successful entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you describe initiatives, programs, or partnerships within your unit that have contributed to the economic development of Ann Arbor, metro Detroit, or Southeast Michigan?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zell Lurie Institute offers several venture funding and accelerator programs that can make a huge difference for an entrepreneur pursuing their venture full-time. The Michigan Business Challenge awarded $200,000 to student ventures in 2025 and provided mentorship to student startups, many of which are local. Supporting local entrepreneurs is especially important because it keeps talent and investment in our community, creating jobs and strengthening the regional economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example is MeetYourClass, a startup founded by recent U-M graduates and supported through Zell Lurie programs. The platform helps incoming college students connect with future classmates and roommates, and the founders chose to launch and grow the company in Detroit. By building their venture locally, they are creating jobs, attracting investment, and contributing to Michigan\u2019s growing startup ecosystem. Similarly, Milieu, founded by a recent graduate and based in Ann Arbor, is another example of a venture choosing to grow in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also offer accelerator programs that support early-stage ventures in scaling their businesses. These include the Desai Accelerator<\/a> for alumni and the Summer Student Accelerator<\/a>, both of which provide resources, funding, and local mentorship to help ventures grow and thrive in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Megan<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Megan Anda<\/strong>, managing director, Office of Action-Based Learning<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you believe it is important for Michigan Ross to interact with and support the local community? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think that when faculty and students get out and interact with the local community, it broadens their understanding of what’s happening in business and society. It also opens up future opportunities for them. For example, we\u2019ve seen students get full-time jobs and completely change their career paths after working on action-based learning projects with local organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you describe initiatives, programs, or partnerships within your unit that have contributed to the economic development of Ann Arbor, metro Detroit, or Southeast Michigan?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We work with a variety of businesses in Ann Arbor and Detroit, including Argus Farm Stop, Sartorius, Rocket Companies, Ilitch Companies, Goodwill Greenworks, General Motors Co., and the Detroit Regional Chamber.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, 59 of 205 ABL projects involved organizations in Southeast Michigan. Our students worked on projects across a variety of business disciplines and addressed a range of business challenges, including developing strategic growth plans and optimizing supply chain models. For one project, students worked with Ross faculty and the Detroit Regional Chamber to help them develop a plan to measure the health and prosperity of the Detroit region.<\/p>\n