MSU’s Media Sandbox street teams - interdisciplinary groups of students that assist nonprofits with a variety of media projects - have been awarded $250,000 from Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, or MSUFCU, to allow the teams to implement creative skills to help local nonprofits for the next five years.
“The MSUFCU funding allows Media Sandbox street teams to become a larger and more organized program in our college for service learning,” said Karl Gude, Media Sandbox director. “This funding also allows for growing the program over the period of the grant.”
Composed of three to six students per street team, each team member has a specific role, ranging from project manager to videographer to graphic designer. Together, they work to help their designated nonprofit come up with creative solutions for their communication challenges.
Media Sandbox leaders Karl Gude, Jon Whiting and Jeana-Dee reached out to local nonprofits to see how the street teams could help.
The nonprofits chosen include: ITEC, for its extraordinary programs with at-risk students and families in Michigan to build confidence in STEM coursework; the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, known for providing assistive technology and fostering communication between disability groups; The Firecracker Foundation, a nonprofit that provides holistic healing services to child survivors of sexual trauma under the age of 18 and their families in the tri-county area of Mid-Michigan, and, lastly, the Clinton-Gratiot Habitat for Humanity, known for their local work building wheelchair ramps and helping low-income individuals and families on their path towards homeownership.
“It’s great to see students with various backgrounds and skill sets come together to help give back to our community,” said Adrienne Hall, MSUFCU communications specialist.
A closing gala-style event on April 20 will showcase the culmination of work students have done for their nonprofit partners.
