1. Life After LEAD: Jamie Thompson

    Mark Rivett posted June 14, 2021

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    The Umich Alumni Association catches up with one of our former LEAD Scholars, Jamie Thompson:

    Following graduation, I returned to my hometown of Detroit to teach kindergarten in the Detroit Public Schools. While working full time, I returned to U-M to earn my teaching certificate and a master’s degree in education policy. In 2020, I worked on U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s reelection campaign, registering voters in Detroit while delivering absentee ballots and personal protective equipment, and assisting families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Today, I am a legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in Washington, D.C., focusing on education and issues related to women, children, and families, such as early childcare and college affordability. I attend congressional briefings and hearings, take meetings with organizations and constituents from our district, conduct research on current events and policy, and provide input on legislation that Rep. Stevens should support.

    In 2006, Michigan voters passed Proposal 2, which banned, among other things, preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity in college admissions. In addition, universities could no longer accept donations for race- or gender-specific programs.

    The following fall, one of the least diverse freshman classes in recent history enrolled on the Ann Arbor campus.

    For these reasons, the Alumni Association established the LEAD Scholars program for those who embody leadership, excellence, achievement, and diversity. The scholarship is available to accepted students to help the best and brightest make their way to Michigan. The Alumni Association — independent from the University — takes full financial and administrative responsibility for this program.


  2. Shrijesh Siwakoti Diversity Internship Award Recipient

    Mark Rivett posted April 26, 2021

    In April, 2021 U-M School of Information presented the Dr. Veronica Wilkerson-Johnson Diversity Internship Award to Shrijesh Siwakoti.

    Shrijesh Siwakot is a second-year graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI), studying Data Science. He is also a recipient of the Dr. Veronica Wilkerson Johnson Diversity Internship Award, which is intended for School of Information students in underrepresented populations to support their annual internships. Dr. Veronica Wilkerson Johnson is the former Director of the UM Lansing Service Center.

    Shrijesh worked as a data science intern for the Detroit Police Athletic League’s Program Administration team this summer. Detroit PAL is a nonprofit organization in Detroit that serves its youth through several sports, academic and leadership development programs, and aims to improve community-police relations by bringing them together. He worked with their sports and demographic data from 2019, his work involved extracting, cleaning up and analyzing data to create several annual reports.

    He also got the opportunity to work in Lansing with the UMSI Citizen in Design Program (CID). The Citizen interaction Design Program is a course that aims to create information tools that support 21st-century citizenship. This is a project-based, experiential learning course where students apply their skills to create information products in partnership with a Michigan community. Students will work with partners in Michigan communities to deliver information tools and services that foster an engaged citizenry. Students will work in teams, travel to the partner community, and have support of administrative staff to manage projects.

    Shrijesh Siwakoti

    Shrijesh Siwakoti

    With the successful completion of this internship, I got the opportunity to work with real world datasets and reiterate my interests in working in the social sciences field and certainly was the first step towards launching my future career as a data scientist. None of this would have been possible without your generosity. I sincerely appreciate your kindness and support. I hope to have the opportunity to meet with you in the future.

  3. Democracy & Debate Theme Semester: John Lewis: The Legacy of a Life Lived in Good Trouble

    Mark Rivett posted October 22, 2020

    Register for this event here

    Troy, Alabama. Selma. Nashville. Washington, DC. John Lewis’ journey bore witness to the trials and tribulations of the civil rights movement. Please join us for an important conversation on the biographic documentary about the life of this legendary civil rights pioneer, activist, and congressman, John Lewis: Good Trouble. Moderated by Robert M. Sellers, Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, the panel includes Jim Burnstein, Director of of the Screenwriting Program; Sydney Carr, graduate student in Public Policy and Political Science and president of Students of Color of Rackham; Edie Goldenberg, Professor of Public Policy and Political Science and founder of the voting advocacy group Turn Up Turnout; and Riana Anderson, Assistant Professor of Public Health and founder of EMBRace (Engaging, Managing, and Bonding through Race).

    Sponsored by: The Democracy & Debate Theme Semester and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The University of Michigan.

    If you are having trouble registering for this event please contact rivett@umich.edu

    Register for this event here