Detroit

MSU AND DETROIT: SIDE BY SIDE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

For decades, Michigan State University has been working with partners in Detroit to support economic development, advance the arts, transform schools, improve health, and sustain the environment. Like Detroit, MSU values resilience, hard work, and a commitment to solving problems and empowering people for better lives.

972

Enrolled Detroit Students

$20.6m

Spending with Detroit Businesses

$413m

Economic Impact in Region

4,387

Alumni

DPFLI Agriculture Change Makers

Growing Good Food in Detroit

Founded in 2017, the DPFLI is MSU’s first urban agriculture center. Part of MSU Extension and true to its mission serving the people of Michigan, the DPFLI advances creative solutions to environmental, economic and nutritional challenges, improving the quality of life for people in Detroit. It is transforming relationships with the food system and promoting sustainability while creating a community space for connecting with nature.

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Apple Academy Graduation 2024: 

The Michigan State University Apple Developer Academy in Detroit celebrated its third graduating cohort after students completed a 10-month program where they received app development training, critical business skills and preparation for careers in the growing app economy.

A graduation ceremony on June 27, at the First National Building in the heart of Detroit, celebrated 176 students in the latest graduating cohort, joining more than 1,000 students who have completed the program since 2021.

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Henry Ford Health & MSU Celebrate Groundbreaking: 

Work on the $335 million research facility — a hallmark of the 30-year partnership between the two Michigan institutions — officially began in late May. The health sciences research center is the first physical embodiment of the Henry Ford + MSU partnership and will further enable groundbreaking discoveries and translational research for which the partnership is becoming known. A key focus in this research is closing the gap in health care outcomes for people based on race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status. In addition, it is MSU’s largest research facility, designed to house more than 80 principal investigator teams.

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Partnering with Henry Ford Health, Gilbert Family Foundation

The Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF), Henry Ford Health and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab today announced a historic partnership to bring a 72-bed state-of-the-art physical medicine and rehabilitation facility to Detroit. The facility will be managed by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and will become part of Henry Ford Health’s campus expansion.

The Gilbert Family Foundation also announced the creation of the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute, bringing a revolutionary neurofibromatosis research institute to Detroit in partnership with Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences. Both of these partnerships will cement Detroit as a leader in innovative, personalized medical care and research

Endowment Fund

Endowment Fund Becomes Majority Investor in Fisher Building

Michigan State University’s investment today in one of Detroit’s most historic and iconic buildings, the Fisher Building, adds another splash of green to the Motor City skyline.  

The university anticipates supporting an array of educational, administrative and community-facing functions within the building, while the MSU Research Foundation plans to open a start-up incubator inside the Fisher Building later this year. 

Detroit Apple Academy

Detroit Apple Developer Academy Celebrates First Graduating Class

The academy in Detroit is the first in the United States, launched as part of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. The free program offers students an opportunity to become entrepreneurs and app developers by learning the fundamentals of coding, design, marketing and project management — with an emphasis on inclusivity and making a positive impact in local communities.

Apple Detroit

Apple, MSU collaborate to launch first U.S. Developer Academy:

Apple and Michigan State University announced that they will partner to launch the tech giant’s first United States-based Developer Academy in Detroit.