The 2026 Summer English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program concluded on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 when students shared research projects from their U.S. Culture and Society course. These group projects encouraged students to get out of the classroom and into the Ann Arbor community as they talked with a variety of people about hot topics relevant to their new academic home.

Student panel presentation topics included “Rethinking College Athletics:  A Value Creation Ecosystem for the University of Michigan,” “Data Centers Come to Michigan:  Controversy, Community Perspectives, and Recommendations,” and “Tipping and Tipped Wages:  Rethinking Tip Credit in Michigan.”

“A few weeks ago, I doubt the students would have walked up to a stranger on Main Street,” said Dr. Deric McNish, instructor for the U.S. Culture and Society class, “By the end of their projects, they’d collected data from more than 100 people. By digging into arguments that people are actually having, they learned about US culture in a way that you just can’t experience in a lecture.”

The ELI Summer EAP program is a highly interactive, intensive English experience for incoming international graduate and professional students who will begin their studies at U-M in the fall.  Participants in this year’s cohort represent the fields of business, law, and engineering.  You can learn more about the Summer EAP program here.

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