U of M Dearborn: Students learn & serve Detroit communities with 'SitOnIT'

Paul Draus, PhD  professor [photographed above siting on right-side of bench] teaches Urban Sociology at the University of Michigan Dearborn. This unique course gives students the opportunity to do hands-on field work in Detroit and SitOnIt Detroit was the selected project this semester.
Mr. Draus is accompanied with students reading literature from the library of the new SitOnIt bench  they helped build and install on cities NW side. 

Students learned first-hand what all goes into building a SitOnIt bench and built two library benches. This first bench built was installed in Detroit's Warrendale Community at the SE corner bus-stop of Warren and Evergreen. This marks the second bench located on the DDOT #14 cross-town route. The second bench location installation is TBD by students.

    The first week of class was  held on-site at the SitOnIt Detroit workshop [photoed above] located on John R & Parkhurst. There, students discussed some of the issues within urban communities and learned what community members are doing to revitalize the neighborhood from it's current challenges. Outside of just building benches, student participated in field surveys, documenting how transit riders engage with the SOI benches. As we come to a close on the semester student will give there final presentation on what they've learned this semester.

   On behalf of all of us at SOI Detroit we'd like to say thank you to the students for all you hard work this semester and looking forward to working with you on more projects in the future!!