The U.S. EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation at MSU has awarded two new Student-Led/Faculty-Guided Projects for the 2022 project year.

MSU Urban and Regional Planning Practicum course students will be working under the guidance of Dr. Zenia Kotval to assist the Wayne County Land Bank this spring semester. Students will create strategies to return vacant and abandoned property to productive use. Additionally, they will help assess how many vacant properties are returned to productive use and how this fits with the Land Bank's mission for strategic planning recommendation.

Projects such as the REI Student-Led/Faculty-Guided opportunity assist students to work on real-time community issues with community partners, under University expertise, helping bridge their future transition to professional practice. We look forward to keeping up to date on their progress! For more information, please see www.reicenter.org.

MSU’s U.S. EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation is excited to share new 2022 Student-Led/Faculty-Guided project: the Vanguard Community Development Corporation Commercial Campus Study. Student-Led/Faculty-Guided projects can be coordinated with colleges and universities throughout Michigan working with community partners. In this case, students from MSU’s School of Planning, Design, and Construction with guidance, from Dr. Zenia Kotval, will work with the Vanguard Community Development Corporation - a nonprofit community development corporation that is committed to the advancement of Detroit’s Historic North End Business District. Students will conduct a feasibility study and development plan to assist Vanguard’s revitalization of properties along the East Grand Boulevard, in the vicinity of Vanguard’s Community Campus. This project will aim to address the needs of long-time community residents who have been negatively impacted by gentrification, by repurposing establishments to better serve the community. For more information regarding this Student-Led/Faculty-Guided project, please visit reicenter.org.