DETROIT – Wayne State University’s Detroit Revitalization Fellows program is accepting applications for its 2017-19 fellowship. The application period opens Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 10. Six information sessions will be held for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Arab American National Museum (13624 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, MI 48126);
• Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Matrix Center (13560 E. McNichols, Detroit, MI 48205);
• Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. at Marygrove College, Madame Cadillac Building, Main Dining Hall (8425 W. McNichols Rd. Detroit, MI 48221)
• Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. at TechTown (440 Burroughs St., Detroit, MI 48202);
• Tuesday, Jan. 31 at noon (Virtual, visit detroitfellows.wayne.edu to register);
• Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at Detroit Cristo Rey High School (5679 Vernor Hwy., Detroit, MI 48209).

Detroit Revitalization Fellows matches talented mid-career leaders with civic, community and economic development organizations working at the forefront of Detroit’s revitalization efforts. The program strengthens the city’s talent pool while building the capacity of key organizations driving progress in the city. Fellows serve full time for two years in salaried positions while engaging in rigorous leadership development, which includes monthly workshops, study trips and “Detroit Dialogues” with community leaders around key issues.

Approximately 20 fellows will be selected from a competitive national pool. Fellows come from across the United States, and the program is especially interested in receiving applications from Detroiters already living in the city and those who have left the region and are ready to bring their talent home. Sixty-seven fellows have completed the program since it began in 2011. More than 650 applications were received for the 2015-17 program. A bachelor’s degree and a minimum five years of professional experience are required.

Detroit Revitalization Fellows have played leadership roles in numerous projects in Detroit, including Motor City Mapping, the Detroit Public Lighting Authority, Eastern Market’s Sunday Street Market, the Jefferson Avenue Streetscape and the Downtown Detroit Business Improvement District.

“Being a Detroit Revitalization Fellow is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a role in the transformation of a great American city,” says Asandi Conner, director of Detroit Revitalization Fellows. “These are meaningful positions for emerging leaders ready to drive progress while building a strong network, learning firsthand about urban challenges and opportunities, and working side-by-side with Detroiters who are deeply invested in our city’s future.”

“If you care about Detroit and you’re dedicated to seeing a Detroit that is providing opportunities for everyone who is here, in addition to the people that want to be here, this is really an unparalleled opportunity for having an impact,“ adds Aaron Goodman, a 2015-17 Fellow serving as community engagement manager at Community Development Advocates of Detroit.

For more information or to apply, visit detroitfellows.wayne.edu.

Detroit Revitalization Fellows are talented mid-career leaders who are stimulating progress within Detroit’s civic, community and economic development landscape. This select group of doers engages in a rigorous two-year leadership development program while serving full time at organizations working to further key programs and projects across Detroit. Detroit Revitalization Fellows is a program of Wayne State University’s Office of Economic Development and has been generously supported by the Kresge Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Skillman Foundation, the DTE Energy Foundation, the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Charitable Foundation, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Rock Ventures, and Wayne State University.