Internships and Service Programs

Overview

If you want to get involved beyond the classroom, these programs place you in gardens, neighborhoods, and organizations across Michigan. You earn credit while contributing real work to the communities you join.

East Quad Garden: The East Quad Garden is a student-, faculty-, and staff-built urban oasis right outside your door, with raised planters and a hand-built pollinator habitat. The garden serves as an outdoor classroom, a serene space for study or social gatherings, and a venue for music and poetry events.
Semester in Detroit (SiD): SiD invites you to live, study, and work in the city during the spring and summer terms. You and your cohort will be housed at Wayne State University, located in the heart of Detroit's cultural district and within walking distance of the U-M Detroit Center. There, you’ll take experiential courses on Detroit history, art, and activism, plus intern 16 hours a week with a local organization of your choosing. Credits earned during this program may be applied to an LSA minor in Urban Studies.
Spanish Language Internship Program (SLIP): SLIP is a three-credit engaged learning course, RCSTP 307/LATINOAM 307/AMCULT 397, that connects Spanish-speaking students with community organizations and schools serving the Latine community. Students attend weekly discussions and intern three hours each week in roles ranging from tutoring and translation to health and legal advocacy, building real-world Spanish skills while deepening their understanding of Latine experiences in the United States. Students interested in enrolling should contact the instructor, Teresa Sanchez-Snell, at tssnell@umich.edu for placement requirements.

Click the accordions for more information.

East Quad Garden

East Quad Garden is an interdisciplinary project conceived by students, faculty, and staff in the spring of 2013. Nearly three years in the planning, the garden is an accessible space that features an outdoor classroom, raised planters, picnic tables and benches, and a hand-built pollinator habitat.

The garden’s Faculty Director, Virginia Murphy, and local craftsman, Rob Heroux, collaboratively designed the habitat. Through the generosity of the Maltz Family Foundation, the garden has recently added bio-boxes to extend its growing season, and a rain collection watering system. Fruit trees ring the 18 planters that each season hold a myriad of vegetables, while the adjoining hillside is dedicated to over 50 species of indigenous, perennial pollinator plants.

Our community partners include the Ginsberg Center’s Cultivating Community Garden, UM Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, UM Sustainable Food Program, the UM Campus Farm, and the Summer Bridge Scholars Program.

In our continuing efforts to create new communities of social space, Eco Forum and Food Forum, student led groups, were conceived in response to the garden. Students learn about sustainable farming methods and decide on each year’s crops through a course taught in winter semester, ultimately using the harvest in a cooking demonstration, and donating the abundance to a local food pantry.

Please contact East Quad Garden Steward, Mike Zhai with any questions.

Semester in Detroit

PHOTO CREDIT | Jason Hall

Semester in Detroit (SiD) is an immersive program that works with U-M students to explore and develop a community engagement practice rooted in equity and justice.

While living, studying, and working in Detroit, SiD students practice reciprocal relationship-building in a city steeped in history, activism, and creative vision. Through collaboration with local leaders and grassroots organizations, students learn more about themselves and the transformative social movements that connect the people and neighborhoods of Detroit, as well as the larger world.

What up doe – but did you know?

Semester in Detroit is one of the only cohort programs within the University that connects students across all three U-M campuses. In addition to hosting students from U-M Dearborn and Flint, SiD also welcomes students from Grand Valley State University.

Students earn 9 credits while participating in SiD’s summer program, over half of the credits needed to earn a Minor in Urban Studies.

From the Underground to Motown: A Course on Detroit's History is a required class for students accepted into the summer program and is taught by Jamon Jordan, the Official Historian for the City of Detroit.

Since its launch in 2009, SiD has built community partnerships with nearly 100 organizations in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, MI. Internship categories include arts and media, business, community, and neighborhood development, education, environmental justice, urban agriculture, policy and law, public health, and more.

Although SiD’s immersive internship program takes place during the summer, students connect with the program all year long through courses taught by SiD faculty on campus, the Detroiters Speak community classroom series, and day trips.

Curious about ‘What up doe’? Take a listen.

Spanish Language Internship Program

The Spanish Language Internship Program (SLIP) connects Spanish-speaking students with partnered community-based organizations and schools to provide unique service-learning opportunities with the Latine Community.

This engaged learning course exposes students to a broad study of Latine experiences in the U.S. and focuses on crossing borders, fair labor practices, citizenship, racism, Latine history in the U.S., comparisons of discrimination and inequality, along with current political and community issues. Through volunteering efforts, students gain insight and a stronger understanding of Latine experiences in the U.S.

SLIP offers this unique opportunity for students to engage in experiential learning related to community service work as well as improve and apply their Spanish speaking and writing skills. Students are required to volunteer three hours, one day per week, and attend a discussion that takes place on Thursdays 4-5:30 pm. Transportation is provided through CEAL-Ride to students with a valid driver’s license.

Contact Teresa Sanchez-Snell when the course guide opens to review placement opportunities and proficiency requirements for each site.

Note: This course is open to all undergraduate students and is offered during the Fall & Winter semesters. It counts towards the following: Social Theory and Practice Major, the MCSP Civic Engagement Course Requirement, the Undergraduate R&E Requirement, the Latino/a Studies Major, fulfills a 300-level Cognate course for RLL Spanish Majors, and general Social Science credits.

Register for SLIP

RCSTP 307, AMCULT 397, and LATINOAM 307; 3 Credits

Contact

Teresa Sanchez-Snell, tssnell@umich.edu

Internship Opportunities

There are a wide variety of internships available for all levels of Spanish proficiencies! See below for placements in advocacy, education, public health, immigration law, communications, translation, and more.

Corner Health Center: Interns support efforts to provide judgment-free, quality, affordable health services to young people aged 12 through 25. Volunteers will assist in translating patient information forms, clinic documents, and create website content into Spanish. Intern will also work directly with clinic staff to assist with additional administrative duties when needed.
Hope Clinic: Interns will assist clients with checking in and making appointments, sharing clinic resources in Spanish, assisting with administrative translations, and translating for clients as needed.
Fortis Academy (K-8) & Ann Arbor Public Schools (K-12th grade): Students can select the grade level they would like to work with and will assist Spanish-speaking English language learners in the classroom with individualized language support. Students will review class materials, translate materials when necessary, and assist with homework. Students will also support EL learners with vocabulary retention, reading, and encourage social acclimatization.
Mexiquenses en Michigan: This organization was established by a committed group of Spanish-speaking immigrant parents affected by socioeconomic, cultural, and immigration-related barriers. Volunteers will support first-generation high school students with the SAT prep project, review materials from the study guide, assist with the college application process, and serve as mentors. Volunteers will meet once a week with high school students on Thursdays 6:30 - 8 pm.
ALIANZA Washtenaw: Assist Washtenaw Health Project staff with a health-focused outreach initiative for Spanish-speaking clients. Intern will attend ALIANZA Washtenaw Coalition meetings to help provide updates on work being completed for the project. Manage the AW Instagram account and provide bilingual posts. Create a bilingual community AW newsletter, and should be familiar with Canva. Intern may provide translations for the community and will be expected to be on-site at least 2x per month.
Washtenaw Health Plan: Intern will assist in bridging language barriers for walk-in Spanish-speaking clients and English-speaking staff. In this role, the intern would need to feel comfortable speaking in Spanish and help direct any questions. Conversational Spanish is preferred. One of our successes in the community is that we can serve clients in Spanish, and an intern will help us continue this quality service delivery and feel how critical this is for our work and community.
Immigration Law and Justice Michigan (ILJM): ILJM provides affordable immigration legal services through family reunification and humanitarian-based cases. JFON helps immigrants understand their choices and navigate the complexities and barriers of the immigration legal system. Pro bono legal services are also provided to low-income immigrants living in Michigan communities. Students will work under the direction of a staff attorney, provide translations, and help with administrative duties.
The Women's Center of Southeastern Michigan: Provides individual counseling, career coaching, financial coaching, and divorce support/education services to individuals ages 16 and over. The Center is expanding its reach to Spanish speakers by providing community advocate positions to assist clients with resource navigation. Work is expected to change based on the needs of our clients and the center, but interns can expect to assist with translation, referrals, and direct client communication.
SafeHouse Center: The mission of Safe House Center is to empower survivors of violence by providing advocacy, support, and promoting social change within our community. Intern will support staff with translations of program materials and assist with community outreach.
Bright Futures, Afterschool Program: Students assist Program Director with afterschool tutoring, reading, and other activities with Spanish-speaking elementary school students. This program requires volunteers to be comfortable reading aloud in Spanish and speaking conversationally. This program operates Monday through Thursday, 3-6 pm.
En Nuestra Lengua Program: Students would assist with the Saturday morning Spanish program for heritage language speakers of Spanish. Duties range from classroom support to administrative support, depending on Spanish proficiency. ENL operates entirely in Spanish.
ESL Coach, St. Mary’s Student Parish: Students support adult ESL learners with basic English classes and conversation. Materials are provided. The adult ESL sessions are on Sundays at 12:45 pm and 3:00 pm.

Note: A background check is required for placements involving minors. Please refer to U-M Children on Campus for more information or contact faculty advisor Teresa Sanchez-Snell for details.

Last Updated: 07/31/2026

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