A natural extension of the interdisciplinary Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project, the DNEP +ISLB offers students an intensive hands-on experience working collaboratively with fellow students to run a multidisciplinary student staffing agency where interns find solutions to real-life business needs.
Undergraduate and graduate students apply their skills to help Detroit’s small businesses (re)grow in the COVID economy through DNEP +Impact Studio for Local Business (DNEP +ISLB) internships. The +ISLB is a collaboration between U-M’s Center on Finance, Law & Policy, the +Impact Studio at the Ross School of Business, and the following U-M schools: Ford School of Public Policy, Ross School of Business, Stamps School of Art & Design, School of Information, and the College of Engineering. Teams of U-M interns focus on implementation in five key areas:
- Digital Marketing
- E-Commerce Integration
- Operations/Procurement
- Customer Relations
- FinTech
Students build a set of consulting skills and gain experience in developing solutions, business analysis, working with clients, communication, and teamwork. Interdisciplinary teams of interns work 1:1 with a portfolio of Detroit-based small businesses. Each team specializes and builds expertise in one of five key areas or disciplines: Branding & identity, E-commerce, Managing a marketing campaign, Operations, Product expansion, and Point of Sale.