'Study away' immersive program announced in Grand Rapids

Students will have an opportunity next spring to "study away" in a familiar place: Grand Rapids.

The Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will sponsor a Semester in Grand Rapids (SIGR) program during the spring/summer semester. The immersive nine-credit program is open to all Grand Valley students who wish to live in the city, learn from community leaders and complete a community-based internship.

Anne Hiskes, dean of Brooks College, said the pilot cohort of students will live in Secchia Hall on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus and take classes together. SIGR is modeled after other immersive, city-based programs, including the Semester in Detroit program, operated by the University of Michigan and available to Grand Valley students.

"It's for the student who has a passion for activism, learning and community engagement, a study-away program rather than study abroad," Hiskes said. 

Matthew Daley, associate professor of history, will teach a course, "Race, Class, and Community Formation in Grand Rapids," and has plans to take students into the city each week to engage and learn from community members.

"It will allow students to consider how community history is shaped and how it impacts the experience of residents," Daley said. "Also, students will be working with original source material to craft a project based on their community experiences."

Applications for SIGR are now being accepted, visit gvsu.edu/sigr to learn more. Questions can be directed to Kristin Moretto, director of the Brooks College Office for Community Partnerships and Student Professional Development, at [email protected].