This year, Kettering staff and students helped beautify the city of Flint through service projects and class initiatives, including helping to create a co-work space in downtown Flint, while faculty members also helped launch a Montessori school in the city.

Here’s a summary of how Kettering University students, faculty and staff focused on community vitality in 2017:

Two students, Adam Hartley ‘20 and Emily Dunkel ‘20, have had the opportunity to be a part of an entrepreneurship hub in the heart of Flint. Both Hartley and Dunkel worked with Skypoint Ventures, responsible for renovating and reutilizing the Ferris Building in downtown Flint into a shared office and innovation hub. Read more.

At the same time, Kettering students partnered with a local makerspace to bring back a piece of history. The University is a proud sponsor of Factory Two, a building that is getting new life in the city of Flint. The space is now designed and remodeled as a makerspace and thanks to Kettering’s partnership, all Kettering students will have access to the facility. Read more.  

After the makerspace at Factory Two opened Kettering Business students partnered with the nonprofit organization to bring unique opportunities to the community. For their capstone project the students helped with marketing and gave recommendations on how to spread the word about what the space offers. Read more.

Kettering students also focus on community service outside of the classroom from the moment they step on campus. This year, Kettering students helped create a new disc golf course for the Flint community. Read more.

Kettering University also hosted the inaugural Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Atwood Stadium  kickoff the 2017 high school football season. Since renovating and reopening Atwood Stadium in 2015, the historic venue has hosted nearly 40,000 visitors for collegiate, intramural, high school and youth sporting events coordinated by various organizations in the Flint community. Read more.

On top of the renovations done to Atwood Stadium, Kettering University has paved the way for new investment along the University Avenue Corridor. After purchasing a party store on the corner of University and Chevrolet avenues, Kettering partnered with Jimmy John’s to create a fresh start for that area of the corridor. Read more.

Along with community service and city beautification Kettering focuses on growing opportunities for the younger generation. Current Kettering University professor Dr. Benjamin Pauli and former Kettering professor Dr. Vivian Kao were instrumental in starting a Montessori program at Durant Tuuri-Mott (DTM) Elementary School in Flint over the past two years. Read more.

Kettering University is also partnering with the Flint Police Activities League (PAL) to provide after-school tutoring and mentoring opportunities on campus for middle school students. Read more.