ASPIRE

Through ASPIRE, program participants gain an understanding of the types of applied questions social scientists pursue, the methods researchers use to answer these questions, and the ways in which research can influence policy, improve the delivery of services and, ultimately, improve the lives of people. During the summer program, students:

Research: Develop a research project in one of YPL’s core policy areas: early childhood education, maternal and infant health, adolescent mental health, career technical education, and workforce development.

Learn: Gain quantitative research and statistical skills. Attend weekly research workshops and office hours to deepen knowledge and gain feedback on project development. Shadow Youth Policy Lab project teams, and attend meetings with external partners and stakeholders.

Connect: Meet with university faculty and professionals in government, nonprofit, philanthropy, and the private sectors to discuss policy and research career paths. Enjoy excursions to Detroit and connect with other college students attending summer programs at the university.

Work 1:1 with a Mentor: Work with a mentor who provides advice and support throughout the program.

Communicate: Develop effective written and verbal communication approaches to sharing policy research. Present research findings in a culminating public seminar.

Participants receive: 

• on-campus housing & meals
• transportation to and from the University of Michigan
• $3,200 stipend

Applications are no longer being accepted for Summer 2026.

Donovan Correll is a rising junior at the illustrious Morehouse College, majoring in political science with a minor in international studies on the pre-law track. 

A native of Prince George's County, Maryland, he plans to pursue a J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center with a focus on human rights law, alongside an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. After completing his graduate studies, Donovan aims to enter a Ph.D. program and build a career in academia as a researcher and professor. In his spare time, he enjoys leisurely reading, playing table tennis, volunteering with the homeless in his hometown, and engaging in in-depth discussions with friends.

My name is Toni Flemming. I'm originally from Eufaula, Alabama, and I currently attend Spelman College. I'm a rising senior majoring in Economics with a minor in Public Health. My academic interests are centered around healthcare policy, with a strong focus on maternal and perinatal health, as well as youth mental health. I'm especially interested in how economic and systemic factors influence health outcomes and contribute to disparities in care for underserved communities. 

After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in either healthcare administration or medical malpractice, where I can help improve the quality of care and hold systems accountable. Whether through administration or legal advocacy, my goal is to support better outcomes for mothers, children, and families. Outside of academics, I enjoy working with youth and being involved in my community through mentoring and service. I also value spending time with family and friends, staying active, and continuing to grow both personally and professionally.

I am Joasia Jacobs, a Junior Sociology and Comparative Women's Studies double major on the Pre-Law track with a concentration in Women's Health and a minor in Spanish from Miami, Florida attending Spelman College. 

My career interests include becoming a criminal defense attorney and a professor at an R1 institution, with academic interests centered on race, law, inequality, and carceral studies. My academic work centers on understanding how systemic inequalities shape the experiences of marginalized communities, particularly within incarceration systems, with the goal of pursuing a JD/PhD and using both research and legal advocacy to create meaningful change. On campus, I serve in leadership roles that focus on mentorship, community engagement, and supporting system-impacted students. Outside of academics, I enjoy trying new foods and thrifting, which allows me to explore creativity and different cultures.

Chavous Langhorn is a Third-Year Sociology Major, Communication Studies, and Leadership Studies double Minor, who hails from the "Queen City" of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Chavous is an active servant leader on campus, serving as the Secretary of MLK Jr. International Chapel Assistants Program, Treasurer of the Morehouse Sociological Association, and Co-Creator of Brother To Brother. 

Chavous enjoys fellowshipping with his peers. Also, he aspires to be a change advocate through creating safe spaces for marginalized communities, and social policy reform. Lastly, he lives by the words of Dr. King, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve."

Hello, my name is Olivia Liddie. I am a third-year psychology major and Spanish minor on the pre-law track from Prince George's County, Maryland. 

I attend Spelman College, where I am gaining the experience needed to achieve both my personal and career goals. I aspire to use my education to create safer environments for women and children of color through policy, law, and research. 

During my free time I enjoy listening to music, spending time with friends and family, and hiking.

My name is Vincent Patterson. I am a junior, psychology major from Morehouse College. 

I am interested in data analytics, specifically to use data to influence decision making or going into HR. 

I am interested in recreationally playing basketball, practice martial arts, practice Japanese, and watch anime. I am also interested in listening to jazz, occasionally cooking, and activities and conversations that involve critical thinking.

Felicia Akerele is a PhD student in Higher Education at the University of Michigan. She is particularly interested in questions at the intersection of higher education and labor economics, including how institutional structures and public policies shape the skilling and career trajectories of individuals from low-income and under-resourced communities.

Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Felicia worked at Columbia University's Workplace Center where she contributed to research and initiatives focused on education and labor market attachment for at-risk youth and adults in major cities around the U.S. She holds a BA from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Master's degree from New York University.

Micah Baum is a PhD student in Public Policy & Economics and an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. 

He studies how social policy affects children and young adults, with a particular interest in intergenerational mobility and political identity formation. 

Previously, he worked as a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and twice served as an AmeriCorps and City Year member in US public schools. 

Micah graduated from Boston University with a BA in Economics and Sociology.

Michelle C. García is a doctoral student at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education and an IES predoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include higher education policy and finance, particularly evaluating interventions that support equitable access and success in postsecondary education and labor market outcomes. She previously worked as a research associate at WestEd. She earned a master's degree in Education Policy with a specialization in Data Analysis and Research Methods from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in Social Welfare with minors in Public Policy and Education from the University of California, Berkeley.

J'Mauri Jackson (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Sociology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where she is advised by Paula Lantz and Celeste Watkins-Hayes (Public Policy) and Renee Anspach and Jeffrey D. Morenoff (Sociology). 

Her interdisciplinary research examines the social and structural determinants of racial health inequities, with particular focus on the intersection of carcerality and health outcomes. 

She employs mixed methodological approaches grounded in Black feminist epistemology to investigate how systemic racism manifests in health disparities and healthcare access.

Chaz Phillips, PhD Candidate, Rackham Merit Fellow, and Graduate Student Instructor. LinkedIn

Amy Rusch, MPH, is a doctoral student and Rackham Merit Fellow in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. 

Her research interests revolve around mental health in school- and community-based settings. Utilizing Implementation Science frameworks, theories, and strategies, she aims to focus her work on improving the availability and accessibility of evidence-based mental health resources and programming. 

She plans to deploy rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods to identify effective ways to bridge gaps and improve mental health access for underserved populations through an equity lens.

Summer 2025

Ke'Zhiah Chapman (left) Research: Dating Violence and Suicidal Behavior Among Male Youth

Chloe Fite (right) Research: Coping with Consequences: Behavior as a Key to Understanding Violence Exposure and Victimization in High School Students

Tyler Mathieu (left) Research: How does structural racism in disciplinary practices correlate with educational debt among African American males?

Angelica Pierce (right) Research: From Adversity to Risk: Understanding and Preventing Teens Who Engage in Risky Sexual Behaviors to Cope with Childhood Trauma

Brooklynn Vesey Research: The Impacts of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Mental Health

Summer 2024

Jeremiah Lowther (left) Research: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health Challenges​

Angel Lindner (right) Research: Dating Violence and Mental Health Intervention among Black ​School-Aged Girls​

Corinne Salter (left) - Research: Homelessness & School Resource Use in Detroit Public Schools Community District

Morgan Chambers (right) - Research: Engaging Minds: ​Understanding Depression's Role in Student Life and Mental Health Resource Awareness

Chaelee Farquharson​ (left) - Research: Adolescent Stigma, Parental Support, & School Counselor Use​

Khalil Bucknor (right) - Research: Child Welfare/Foster Care, Mental Health

Summer 2023

Keyla Anderson (left) - Research: School Discipline in Detroit Public Schools

Theo Burden (right) - Research: Examining Adverse Childhood Experiences in Conjunction with Barriers to Mental Health Services in the Detroit Public School Community District

Aleasa Parker (left) - Research: Maternal and Infant Health Programming: Analyzing Mother's Participation by Demographics

Lexi Turner (right) - Research: Identity Formation and The Role of Public Schools