Tag Archives: Michigan

Vote for your favorite “Let’s Save Michigan” poster

Voting is now open to the public for the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and Let’s Save Michigan poster contest. The 60 finalists were selected by the DIA and Let’s Save Michigan for best representing the spirit of the contest.

You can vote for multiple posters, but only one vote per poster per day. Voting closes at 11:59pm (EST) on March 15, so vote for your favorites today.

Winners will be announced in March, with a grand prize of $1,000 and a runner-up prize of $250. All finalists’ designs will be on display at a special reception in the spring.

DIA poster contest: Let’s Save Michigan

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and Let’s Save Michigan have announced a poster contest to inspire Michiganders to revive their state. This is a great opportunity for artists, illustrators, and graphic designers to show off their talent and Michigan pride.

The posters should be a call to action to rally citizens to help revive the state and must include the phrase “Let’s Save Michigan” in the design.

The hope is to highlight the actions and assets that are critical to moving the cities forward, whether that is renovating historic homes, planting community gardens, extensive public transportation and bike lines, public art, or whatever the artist believes will carry Michigan through the 21st century—and beyond.

Ideally, the new posters will be in the fashion of Works Progress Administration artwork of the 1930s, which is the subject of DIA exhibition, and depict regional, recognizable subjects—ranging from portraits to cityscapes and images of city life that remind the public of quintessential American values such as hard work, community and optimism.

The deadline to submit poster designs is February 15 via the Let’s Save Michigan website. Judges will choose 25 finalists and then voting will open to the public. Winners will be announced in March, with a grand prize of $1,000 and a runner-up prize of $250. All finalists’ designs will be on display at a special reception in the spring.

Need inspiration? Check out the DIA “Government Support for the Arts” exhibit, and find out more about the Let’s Save Michigan campaign at letssavemichigan.com and on Facebook.

Great Lakes THATCamp

Are you interested in studying, supporting, teaching, researching, creating, or otherwise shaping digital humanities? Great Lakes THATCamp (The Humanities And Technology Camp) is a user-generated “unconference” on digital humanities for those who want to show, tell, collaborate, share, and get inspired about the intersection and integration of the humanities and technology. The event will be held at Michigan State University’s Residential College of Arts & Humanities on March 20-21, 2010.

Inspired by the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University, this isn’t your typical academic conference where you read or are read to. Sessions will range from software demos to training sessions to discussions of research findings. As an “unconference”, you also won’t have to pay the average conference registration fee — $25 covers your meals (breakfast and lunch) and a THATCamp t-shirt.

Writers, academics, developers, students, designers — the list of those who should attend Great Lakes THATCamp is as broad as the field of “digital humanities” itself. If you’re interested in attending, please submit an application before February 10 — but don’t wait too long because there are only 75 openings.

For more news, announcements, discussions, and general hype about the event, follow @GLTHATCamp and the global THATcamp hashtag (#thatcamp) on Twitter or visit the event website.

To find out about THATCamp events in your area, visit thatcamp.org.

Life in Michigan

I came across this blog post via my Twitter network and found it to be very inspiring.

Kate Tykocki, the author of the post, is a young professional in Lansing who has found a fulfilling career and social life in mid-Michigan. She writes about what it’s like to live and work here, and I wanted to share her words with our readers—especially those about to graduate from college.

While we all know that it’s tough out there, I think this might help give some perspective to those who think moving out of Michigan is the only option.

If you enjoy Kate’s post, I’d recommend also checking out this follow up post.

MSU Law School Seeks Communications Manager

I came across this posting today for the MSU College of Law.

MSU College of Law seeks a confident, talented professional writer to serve as Communications Manager on the Marketing & Communications team. QUALIFICATIONS: (1) Strong editing and proofreading skills and mastery-level writing adaptable to genre and audience; (2) Three+ years relevant professional experience including publication production, web content writing, PR, and media relations; (3) good customer-service skills and the ability to work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment; (4) four-year degree in English, Communications, Journalism, Professional Writing or similar field; Masters Degree preferred.

Reports to the Director of Marketing and Communications. This is not an MSU position. MSU College of Law is an independent institution affiliated with Michigan State University. Send resume addressing all stated qualifications, cover letter and 2-3 short writing samples to florykri AT law.msu.edu by Friday, November 13, 2009.

Good luck to the applicants!

Have you signed up for Brand Camp?

Brand Camp 2009 is happening this weekend, and there’s still time to sign up! The Brand Camp University – Personal Branding 2.0 Conference takes place Saturday, October 10 from 9:00am to 5:00pm at Lawrence Tech University in Southfield, MI.

The conference is an interactive personal branding and social media event open to marketers and communication professionals, students, entrepreneurs, job seekers, and anyone striving to create and grow their personal and professional identity.

The conference fee is $120 and you can register online. **Update** If you are a student, Brand Camp offers a discounted student rate of $50.

Brand Camp is also accepting nominations for brand icons — people with a strong personal brand — that you think should attend the conference. Those chosen will be invited to join the event for free. You can nominate yourself if you recommend someone as well.

This year’s conference sessions:

Personal Brands – How You Connect In A Connected World
How Your Personal Brand Can Save The World
The Rise of the Brandividual in Corporate Culture
Personal Branding: Using Social Media For Career Advancement in a Tough Economy
B-BIGG: Case Study of BIGGBY COFFEE
Grustle (Grind + Hustle): The Future of Work for Personal Branding
The April Holmes Story: Creating Victory through Branding
Mind your Business “6 Keys to Building and creating a successful brand”

Visit the Brand Camp website for more information about the conference.

Brand Camp University – Personal Branding 2.0 Conference
Saturday, October 10, 2009
9:00am to 5:00pm
Lawrence Tech University
Southfield, MI
Online Registration

There will also be a Brand Camp University Tweetup the night before the conference to offer another opportunity to connect with some of the guest speakers.

Brand Camp University Tweetup
Friday, October 9, 2009
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Royal Oak Brewery
215 E 4th St
Royal Oak, MI

Michigan Celebration for Women in Computing

Registration is now open for the 2nd biennial Michigan Celebration for Women in Computing (MICWIC). The conference, which will take place April 3-4 at the Kellogg Biological Station Conference Center, will include presentations, panel discussions, poster sessions, career exploration, and a career fair.

Students who are interested in computer science, computer engineering, and other IT-related fields can learn more about career options while networking with faculty, staff, and industry leaders.

The featured speaker will be Vibeke Sorenson, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Media Study University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Professor Sorenson works in digital multimedia and computer animation, interactive architectural installation, and visual-music performance.

Click here to register for the event. Early registration ends March 20. MICWIC registration fees cover Friday night lodging and meals during the conference. Scholarships are available for students. To receive full consideration for a scholarship, interested students must register by March 16.

This is a great opportunity to network with other women in the computing industry, especially if you are a professional digital or technical writer, so be sure to check it out.

Michigan Celebration for Women in Computing
April 3-4, 2009
Kellogg Biological Station Conference Center
Hickory Corners, MI
Register online or join MICWIC on Facebook

Looking for an internship in Michigan?

If you’re a student looking for internship opportunities or an employer looking for up-and-coming talent in Michigan, check out Intern In Michigan, a site dedicated to connecting “Michigan’s businesses to young Michigan talent.” According to Intern In Michigan:

A survey sponsored jointly by the S.E. Michigan WIRED (Workforce Innovations in Regional Economic Development) and the Michigan Municipal League, sent to over 33,000 graduates of public universities in 2007, found that 46% had left the State by the Spring of 2008. The results were based on the responses of over 5,300 people, 88% of whom were Michigan natives. Clearly, other regions of the country are reaping the rewards of our investment in the education of our young people.

As we try to keep talented young professionals in our state and improve our economy, tools such as Intern In Michigan can be invaluable. So spread the word. If you know students looking for opportunities, please send them a link to the site. And if you are an employer, make this your first stop when recruiting new talent to your organization.

The site also features regional news and links to the site’s partners, such as the Detroit Regional Chamber.

No Worker Left Behind

The Michigan economy has been terrible for a while now, and one way that the state is trying to improve the situation for workers is through No Worker Left Behind (NWLB). From the website:

No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) is Governor Granholm’s vision for accelerating the transition of thousands of workers into good-paying jobs by providing up to two years worth of free tuition at any community college, university, or other approved training provider to gain the skills and credentials for new careers in high-demand occupations, emerging industries, or to start a business. The program will expand on job training and education services currently available to job seekers through Michigan Works! Service Centers.

You may be eligible for this program if you are currently unemployed; have been terminated or laid off; or are employed but have a family income of $40,000 or less per year. The website offers an easy-to-use map of the state that provides users with high demand occupations and job outlooks by county.

Check out the high demand jobs for professional writers in Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Lansing areas:

Allegan and Kent Counties
- Editors
- Graphic designers
- Public relations specialists
- Writers and authors

City of Detroit
- Computer software engineers, applications
- Computer support specialists
- Network systems and data communications analysts

Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties
- Media and communication workers
- Public relations specialists
- Writers and authors

I am glad to see that there is still a demand for professional writers in a state with one of the worst economies. If you are eligible for No Worker Left Behind, check your county to see what jobs and support are available for you.