UDM freshmen to start college by working alongside northwest Detroit neighbors

More than 600 University of Detroit Mercy freshmen will begin their college careers by working alongside northwest Detroit neighbors in community engagement projects on Aug. 26-27.

The community engagement projects are an invaluable part of UDM’s freshmen orientation — known as Prologues, Transitions and Viewpoints (PTV) — allowing new first-year students to live out the University’s Jesuit and Mercy mission.

The projects include work at community gardens, various community centers and agencies and neighborhood beautification projects.

PTV is the final part of freshman orientation at UDM.

The Viewpoints portion, which includes this community engagement activity, is an introduction to Detroit's remarkable social and cultural environments. The program helps students meet their neighbors in northwest Detroit, work in partnership in the community and begin to understand the needs of the city and its residents and the benefits collaboration can bring to both the neighborhood and UDM. This effort also helps students begin to develop the leadership skills they will need to participate in their community and professional lives.