Category Archives: Community Engagement

UM-Flint Student Receives Grant for Theatre-Based Workshops with Area Youth

thorpe
This spring, UM-Flint student Ella Thorp, a Criminal Justice major and Women & Gender Studies minor, received a New Leaders grant from the Michigan Council on Arts and Cultural Affairs to develop and implement gender-based theatre workshops for young women detained at Genesee County’s youth detention facility (GVRC). These workshops are part of the Buckham/GVRC Share Art Project, led by UM-Flint faculty members Shelley Spivack of CRJ and WGS, and Traci Currie from Communications. The Share Art Project also includes weekly visual arts and theatre workshops for young men at the facility.

When asked about doing this kind of work as an undergrad, Ella said, “[It] has been incredibly life changing. I’m working harder in school and in everyday life to make sure the kids I have the opportunity to work with have the best me possible. I want to take the opportunities I have been given throughout my life and give back to my community in every single way possible, and this is the capacity that fits me and my personality. I don’t know that I would’ve been given the chance to participate in the Buckham/GVRC Share Art project if I hadn’t been a student at UM-Flint.”

Ella’s workshops take place every other week, alternating with another for Spoken Word. Through traditional theatre exercises that help actors develop elocution, posture, and projection, Ella is helping her charges find much more than a way to be heard from stage. With these games the girls are building self-esteem, finding their voices, and learning how to positively represent themselves to others.

Says Ella, “While designing the class, I wanted to make sure each activity, exercise, and story told would teach a number of things, the most important thing being confidence in themselves.”

On Monday, July 14th, Ella, joined by fellow CRJ undergrad Cakhilah Durden, graduate student Colette Legault-Fields, and UM-Flint Theatre alum Sarah Jarrett, arrived at GVRC to teach that week’s workshop. The building, which houses juveniles from 10-17 years old, is reminiscent of a middle school in spite of its security doors and cameras. After being buzzed in, and then signing in, they began setting up for that evening’s activities: putting out an easel with a dry-erase board, setting out large sheets of paper, a giant box of markers, and pushing back tables to create an open space in the center of the room. The theme of the week was “Happiness.”

Nine girls arrived just after 5:30p.m. They shuffled in and took seats at the tables, a few eager to be there and others seemingly reluctant.

The exercises for the evening began with a “circle of encouragement” where the girls each gave a little inspiration to everyone else in the room:
“I encourage you to step out of your shell… because no one here is going to judge you.”
“I encourage you to have an open mind.”
“I encourage everyone to do good… to have fun… to keep smiling… to be happy.”

Still standing in the circle, the girls started warm up games. When one sat down before the last exercise, the rest automatically adjusted the circle to still include her. And they made sure she participated. The games had them laughing, but they were also speaking up, enunciating, and making eye contact.

Next the girls moved on to more individually focused games. They played charades, and more lessons on eye contact, posture, and body language were intertwined with acting out driving a car, making a sandwich, or playing a sport. Again, they moved from reluctance to vying to be the next to go, or to have a third or fourth turn.

“I want the hardest one.”
“I think I’m good.”
“Oh yeah, I got this.”
For the last activity of the night, the girls were given large sheets of paper and markers. They were directed to write down a story about something that made them happy and then stand in front of the group to talk about it, leaving their papers with Ella in case they needed a prompt.

As each girl took her place at the front of the room she was asked to plant her feet, puff out her chest, and articulate clearly. They were proud of their stories; many wanted to have their illustrations displayed after they talked. The happy memories poured forth:

A surprise movie with mom…
Getting a puppy for Christmas…
A hopeful letter from family…

They spoke of cell phones and candy, favorite foods and being with their friends. They spoke of feeling safe, and having a second chance. They spoke about freedom.

Once all the papers were collected and all the stories told, and after some got up to tell additional stories, it was time to wrap up the evening.

When asked what they had learned that day, they recounted the importance of how you look at people, how you stand when you talk. One girl answered, “the way you present yourself tells people how you feel about what you’re saying.”

As they lined up to leave the room, the girls were standing straighter than when they entered, and as they exited, waving goodbye, there were smiles on their faces.

Ella and her fellow leaders were smiling, too.


To learn more about the Share Art Project, listen to an interview of Shelley Spivack by Michigan Radio.

A book by Jill Rosenbaum and Shelley Spivack, Implementing a Gender-Based Arts Program for Juvenile Offenders, is available through Anderson Publishing.

UM-Flint’s STEM-Focused Community Club for Girls NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The University of Michigan-Flint, in partnership with Longway Planetarium and Kettering University, is excited to announce the Curiosity Academy: a STEM-focused community club for girls.

The program will begin its first year in fall of 2014 and will be open to 7th and 8th grade girls living in Genesee County. Space is available for 20-30 girls and the program will run from October 20th to June 8th. Meetings will be held weekly on Mondays from 4-5:30pm. Applicants will be accepted from public, private, and charter schools, as well as from homeschool families. Acceptance to the program is based solely on interest and is open to students of all abilities and aptitudes. There is a program fee, although limited need-based scholarship funds are available.

The program aims to provide an opportunity to explore STEM concepts without the pressure of grades or standardized tests, and to encourage further studies in STEM fields. Curiosity Academy will promote a positive image of chemists and other scientists and demonstrate the strong role women play in advancing science by engaging the girls in exciting and meaningful activities.

The project’s first-year scenario will have the girls working as employees of a personal care company who must create a new product. They will take different roles in research and development as they move from conception to production of their chosen product. Their activities will be grounded in biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering as they work to achieve the perfect formulation and packaging. Towards the end of the project, they will learn about business, promotion, and design principles as they consider how they would market what they’ve made.

Curiosity Academy participants will be using university labs and equipment, working with professors and undergraduate students, and engaging with industry and community members throughout the project. Regular weekly meetings will be held in order for the girls to develop the necessary thought processes, safety, and hands-on skills required to accomplish their goals.

By promoting a positive image of chemists and other scientists, as well as demonstrating the strong role women play in advancing science and society, the Curiosity Academy hopes to make an impact on the lives and futures of all participants.


The Curiosity Academy is NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Complete this FORM and mail to the Longway Planetarium (1310 E. Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48503) by October 8, 2014. Questions? Contact Monique Wilhelm of the UM-Flint Chemistry Department at [email protected] or 810-762-3275.

UM-Flint and Vintage Baseball

Faculty members, students, and alumni of UM-Flint join community members over the summer to make up the Lumber City Baseball Club–Flint’s vintage baseball team. Their goal is to “entertain audiences with authentic competition in a way that provides a meaningful connection with the sport, recreation, and history.” It’s also a lot of fun!

Home games are held on the UM-Flint campus alongside the Flint River at 509 Harrison Street, starting at 2pm.

There are many home games remaining in the 2014 season:

Saturday, May 10 – Wyandotte Stars
Saturday, May 31 – Union BBC of Dexter
Saturday, June 7 – Port Huron Welkins
Saturday, June 21 – Detroit Early Risers
Saturday, June 28 – Bay City Independents
Sunday, July 13 – Wahoo Club of Royal Oak
Sunday, July 20 – Richmond Bees
Saturday, July 26 – Saginaw Old Golds
Saturday, August 2 – Northville Eclipse
Saturday, August 10 – Chelsea Monitors
Saturday, August 23 – Walker Wheels

The public is welcome, games are free of cost, and the players are happy to stick around afterwards to visit with fans.

To learn more visit their website or Facebook page.

Theatre Faculty and Students Find New Stages for the Summer


It’s spring semester on the UM-Flint campus, and the Theatre Department is much quieter than it will be in September. However, its quiet halls belie the busy summer schedules of the department faculty and students!

Many of them spend these months involved with professional companies and theatres across the country and world, utilizing what they’ve learned on campus and absorbing new skills for the upcoming season.

Following are some of the appointments and performances in which our Theatre members will be involved:

Nicole Broughton, Lecturer
• Production Manager on a professional production of Les Miserables for Spiro Productions at the Avondale Performing Arts Center, begins June 21.

Stephanie Dean, Assistant Professor
• Assistant Directing on a professional production of Les Miserables for Spiro Productions, Avondale Performing Arts Center, begins June 21.

Janet Haley, Associate Professor
• July 17-August 17: Janet returns for her ninth season at the Michigan Shakespeare Festival as Gertrude in Hamlet and The Queen in Cymbeline.
• Janet is currently working with Michael Rohd of Sojourn Theatre/Northwestern University, Flint Youth Theatre, and a collective of community artists to develop a new site-specific production at the Flint Farmers’ Market, which will showcase how local food and local markets nourish a community (opens Fall 2014).

Bill Irwin, Assistant Professor & Chair of the Theatre Department
• June 23-28: Directing a week long intensive in the Performance of Shakespeare at the Bay View Fine Arts Camp in Petoskey, MI.
• July 14-18: Conducting an acting technique intensive for the Michigan Opera Theatre at the Detroit Opera House
• July 21-25: Returning to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC to train and perform in comedic improvisation

Kendra Babcock,Student – BS Theatre Design/Technology Major
• Company member in Spiro Production’s Les Miserables at the Avondale Performing Arts Center, beginning June 21.
• Costume Design Assistant (assisting faculty member Adam Dill) on the Flint Youth Theatre’s production of Alice in Wonderland. Performances August 8-10, 14-17.

Cat Boss, BS Theatre Design/Technology Alumna
• Company member in Spiro Production’s Les Miserables at the Avondale Performing Arts Center, beginning June 21.

Bridgid Burge, Student
• Designer with faculty designer Shelby Newport and faculty choreographer Adesola Akinleye to create “Light Steps” – a contemporary dance piece to be performed at the Turner Contemporary Art Museum in Margate, England. Performance August 10.

Michelle Hathaway, Student
• Costume Designer and wardrobe work for Children’s Theatre at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company in Lake Dillon, Colorado.

Zach Kentala, Student
• Working in Technical Direction at the Jenny Wiley Theatre in Prestonburg, Kentucky.

Annadelle Kimber, Student – BFA Theatre Performance
• Company member in Spiro Production’s Les Miserables at the Avondale Performing Arts Center, beginning June 21.

Kelsey Knag, Student
• Production Assistant at the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan.

Ashley Kok, Student
• Costume Design Assistant (assisting faculty member Adam Dill) on the Flint Youth Theatre’s production of Alice in Wonderland. Performances August 8-10, 14-17.

Kaitlyn Pitcher, Student
• Stitcher for summer season and costume designer for Alexander and the No Good, Very Bad Day at the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, MI. Performances held in June, July, and August.

Amanda Velasquez, Student – BS Theatre Design/Technology Major
• Company member in Spiro Production’s Les Miserables at the Avondale Performing Arts Center, beginning June 21.

Jessica Wilkowski, Student
• Scenic Charge Artist at the Jenny Wiley Theatre in Prestonburg, KY. This position entails adding realistic color and texture to the scenery surfaces.

When asked about the value of faculty and students engaging in these pursuits outside of the school theatre, department chair Bill Irwin expressed the following:

The values we place on our professional work/creative activity as an actor and/or director are four-fold:

1) Collaborating with other professional theatre artists affords me an opportunity to exchange ideas about the work, to stay relevant, to experience the current climate/culture of working professionals in the field, and to uncover what material/information/experiences my students need to be exposed to during their time of study at UM-Flint before entering the profession for themselves.

2) It is also during these endeavors where our work is reviewed either by professional theatre critics or by professional peers (actors, directors, or teachers). Although these critical assessments are of only one performance, of which they are not always privy to the creative process that led up to it, they do appraise the work and inform what we do in the future.

3) When we garner work acting or directing professionally, we personally employ, test and validate the creative concepts and performance techniques we teach our students. Quite literally, we practice what we preach in these professional creative endeavors.

4) The successes and struggles we have as professional actors or directors naturally afford us certain credibility teachers of these forms. I strongly affirm that great teachers of theatre performance must have the capacity to do it themselves. Without that facility, the acting/directing teacher can only speak of methods or techniques and not the actual experience of employing them and their actual worth.


To view photos and learn more about the experiences of the UM-Flint students traveling to England “for 4 weeks to study theatre performance, history and design,” follow their blog, England Through Our Eyes.

To learn more about the UM-Flint Theatre Department, its faculty, and performances, please visit their website or Facebook.