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State Outreach personnel provide a direct line of communication between the University of Michigan and communities statewide. Their goal is to connect U-M resources such as faculty expertise, student projects, unique facilities, research opportunities and findings to the needs of Michigan communities. To that end, they regularly travel the state to establish and maintain personal contact with community organizations, associations and local leaders.
State Outreach includes the Lansing Service Center which manages the Wolverine Caucus that links the expertise and research of University faculty with legislators, staff and interested alumni in the greater Lansing area. The monthly caucus seminars provide relevant research findings about topics of current interest to the state’s policy makers.
State Outreach also manages the Michigan Road Scholars Tour, a traveling seminar around the State of Michigan for UM faculty. This educational tour exposes faculty to the state’s economy, government, culture, educational systems, health and social issues, history, and geography. The goal is to encourage university faculty to think about ways their own academic work can help organizations, individuals and communities in our home state.
LaSonia Forte
Associate Director of State Outreach
[email protected] | 734-845-2404
LaSonia Forte is the Associate Director of State Outreach in the Office of Government Relations, serving the eastern region of the State of Michigan. This includes Detroit, Saginaw, Bay City, Midland, and Alpena. Her role involves building strategic partnerships in the business, institutional, government, education, and nonprofit sectors in the east side of Michigan. Additionally, she co-leads the annual 5-day Michigan Road Scholar Tour and is an alum of the Detroit Regional Chamber's Leadership Detroit class XLIII.
Dana Sitzler
Associate Director of State Outreach
[email protected] | 734-763-5554
Dana's areas of outreach include the west side of Michigan, northern, Tribal Connections and Project Manager for Michigan Road Scholars Tour.
