DBG students are enjoying summer break in an unexpected place, on Michigan college campuses. And it’s helping them prepare for their futures with confidence and pride. Several DBG high school students are attending pre-college programs at Lawrence Technological University and the University of Michigan, living in dorms, and pursuing potential STEAM-related career paths while making new friends and having fun along the way.
“This experience has taught me so much about what I need for college that I never considered before,” said Aleena, a DBG participant at LTU’s interior design camp. “It’s been an eye-opener, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”
During interior design camp, students dreamed up their dorm rooms of the future and learned to design functional layouts, create budgets and select furniture and materials. There was also an LTU game design camp that introduced students to Unreal Engine 5, a powerful tool for video game development, as well as a youth entrepreneurship camp focused on global trade and technology.
Keenan, who has been attending DBG for nearly a decade, chose entrepreneurship because of his desire to start a clothing brand. He said daily mock business proposals helped him conceptualize ideas and effectively communicate them to the group.
“Presentations say a lot about your image and confidence,” he said. “If you can do them successfully, your business partners and funders will have a great perception of you.”
“The entrepreneurship class has been amazing for me,” added Tyrone, another DBG student. “It’s given me a solid feel for college life and helped me realize that being an entrepreneur is one of my top career choices. I’ve learned so much about stepping out of my comfort zone and being confident in what I know.”
University of Michigan ‘ArcStart‘
In Ann Arbor, our students also had the opportunity to attend the ArcStart program with young people from across the country and around the world. The three-week program at the University of Michigan introduces the fundamentals of architecture, from model making to digital design, and fosters essential life skills like collaboration and creativity.
For students like Zion, entering his senior year at University Prep Art & Design High School, ArcStart offered a unique blend of hands-on and technological learning.
“This is the second architecture program I’ve been connected with through DBG,” he said. “I went to one last summer at Lawrence Tech, and this summer, I’m at UM. We did group projects, learned about rendering, and designed our own buildings.”
“Rossetti was a Detroit-based architecture firm we visited with ArcStart,” he added. “They’re actually the ones who designed DBG. ArcStart’s focus on socially conscious design ties back to DBG’s mission of bringing positive change to the community. It was really cool to see that connection.”
Summer programming serves as a vital bridge between high school and higher education, offering students a unique platform to explore their interests, build confidence, and prepare for the challenges of college and beyond. Connecting our students with invaluable summer pre-college programs is one more way we help train kids for life.