“Saturdays in the D” launches five new courses for middle and high school students starting next week including ones that will feature tours to local artist studios and an entrepreneurial course that features a tour to Michigan Central.

A partnership between the University of Michigan and the city of Detroit, the “Saturdays in the D” program provides free access to high-quality learning experiences for Detroit middle school and high school students, as well as professional development opportunities for adult residents.

The programming, which begins this month, is focused on science, technology, engineering and arts-based education for Detroit middle and high school students. The five new camps are:

• Intro to Entrepreneurship
• Career Connections in the Arts
• Intro to Data Science and AI
• Detroit River Scholars
• WISE Python Bootcamp

Career Connections in the Arts sets out to introduce students to artists and designers with creative careers—all graduates of U-M’s Stamps School of Art & Design program. By seeing these makers in action, the program aims to show students the possibilities afforded by a degree in the arts.

“It’s all about community and that is something you can build all along the way,” said Michael Neville, director of pre-college programs and outreach. “Skills will be developed over time, knowledge will be accumulated through experience—but, be sure to value your relationships, especially the bonds you form with other creatives and educators. These relationships can help you take the risks necessary to lead a creative life.”

This is one of the many lessons Neville hopes to impart on this summer’s participants.

Some featured Stamps alums will include Jake Saphier of Donut Shop, Maggie Wiebe and Jesse Rice of Farm2Fabric, and Josh Kochis of Pewabic Pottery.

Students will also earn an application fee waiver, should they decide to apply to Stamps for their undergraduate degree.

Chris Mueller, a lecturer in entrepreneurial studies at the Ross School of Business, said students in the Intro to Entrepreneurship will get “a crash course” on identifying and analyzing business opportunities.

“Part of what the pandemic has helped us to appreciate is entrepreneurs are not just the tech folks in Silicon Valley. They are also our local restaurant owners, local small business owners,” he said. “We’re excited to foster a new group of entrepreneurs to make our communities more vibrant and sustainable.”