The Institute's Mission and Vision
The Institute of Public Scholarship is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that operates at the intersection of education, public benefit, and social justice, with a commitment to building an informed and empowered society. Our work is rooted in the belief that knowledge, when shared across sectors and generations, can shift power, dismantle barriers, and foster change.
Our vision is to elevate historically excluded voices by cultivating environments where young people, creatives, scholars, and community leaders co-create new narratives for justice and liberation. By developing programs that blend the humanities, arts, sciences, and environmental stewardship, we seek to empower youth and adult learners to reclaim agency over their stories, health, and futures. The Institute of Public Scholarship is not just preparing participants to thrive within existing systems; we are supporting them in reimagining what those systems can become.
Our vision is to elevate historically excluded voices by cultivating environments where young people, creatives, scholars, and community leaders co-create new narratives for justice and liberation. By developing programs that blend the humanities, arts, sciences, and environmental stewardship, we seek to empower youth and adult learners to reclaim agency over their stories, health, and futures. The Institute of Public Scholarship is not just preparing participants to thrive within existing systems; we are supporting them in reimagining what those systems can become.
The Institute's Programs Include:
Art of Fact – Reclaiming, Renaming, and Remaking
Art of Fact is a transformative program that invites participants to reclaim internal and external spaces affected by racism, racial trauma, and colonialism. Through deep historical exploration and identity work, participants embark on a genealogical journey of rediscovery and self-determination.
Air Quality Monitoring Program
Launched in 2021, this pilot program addresses environmental justice by deploying Purple Air monitors in Kalamazoo’s most pollution-vulnerable areas. The initiative engages community members as stakeholders, providing education and advocacy opportunities to improve air quality and public health outcomes.
Young Scholars Youth Development ProgramYoung Scholars empowers youth through arts, sciences, and humanities, using a unique curriculum that looks 200 years forward and 200 years back. The program fosters critical thinking, creativity, and leadership, preparing young people to analyze their potential impact on the world.
Collect & Recover Wellness InitiativeCollect & Recover focuses on holistic healing and wellness, integrating community-based approaches to self-care, mental health, and spiritual well-being. Through workshops, retreats, and community dialogues, the program fosters resilience and collective healing.
Housing = Health
This initiative highlights the direct link between stable housing and overall well-being. By advocating for equitable housing policies and supporting vulnerable populations, the program works to address housing insecurities as a fundamental public health issue.
Sounds of Our Stories
Sounds of Our Stories empowers individuals through art, education, and ethical storytelling. By centering sound and creative expression as tools for healing and cultural preservation, the program ensures that diverse voices are heard and valued in community narratives.
Ampersee Home Start Initiative
This housing-focused program provides direct support to individuals and families facing housing insecurity. Through community engagement and strategic partnerships, the initiative helps secure stable, safe housing while promoting long-term self-sufficiency.
From This Place
From This Place documents and amplifies community stories, particularly those of historically marginalized groups. By preserving oral histories, cultural artifacts, and lived experiences, the program fosters historical awareness and strengthens community identity.
Artist Production Program
Operating on a "We see you" basis, this fellowship supports artists by providing financial resources, creative space, and wellness retreats. The program enables artists to produce, arrange, record, and release projects while sustaining their artistic practice and community investment.
Art of Fact is a transformative program that invites participants to reclaim internal and external spaces affected by racism, racial trauma, and colonialism. Through deep historical exploration and identity work, participants embark on a genealogical journey of rediscovery and self-determination.
Air Quality Monitoring Program
Launched in 2021, this pilot program addresses environmental justice by deploying Purple Air monitors in Kalamazoo’s most pollution-vulnerable areas. The initiative engages community members as stakeholders, providing education and advocacy opportunities to improve air quality and public health outcomes.
Young Scholars Youth Development ProgramYoung Scholars empowers youth through arts, sciences, and humanities, using a unique curriculum that looks 200 years forward and 200 years back. The program fosters critical thinking, creativity, and leadership, preparing young people to analyze their potential impact on the world.
Collect & Recover Wellness InitiativeCollect & Recover focuses on holistic healing and wellness, integrating community-based approaches to self-care, mental health, and spiritual well-being. Through workshops, retreats, and community dialogues, the program fosters resilience and collective healing.
Housing = Health
This initiative highlights the direct link between stable housing and overall well-being. By advocating for equitable housing policies and supporting vulnerable populations, the program works to address housing insecurities as a fundamental public health issue.
Sounds of Our Stories
Sounds of Our Stories empowers individuals through art, education, and ethical storytelling. By centering sound and creative expression as tools for healing and cultural preservation, the program ensures that diverse voices are heard and valued in community narratives.
Ampersee Home Start Initiative
This housing-focused program provides direct support to individuals and families facing housing insecurity. Through community engagement and strategic partnerships, the initiative helps secure stable, safe housing while promoting long-term self-sufficiency.
From This Place
From This Place documents and amplifies community stories, particularly those of historically marginalized groups. By preserving oral histories, cultural artifacts, and lived experiences, the program fosters historical awareness and strengthens community identity.
Artist Production Program
Operating on a "We see you" basis, this fellowship supports artists by providing financial resources, creative space, and wellness retreats. The program enables artists to produce, arrange, record, and release projects while sustaining their artistic practice and community investment.
