It’s summer break, but rising 11th grader Brooklynn Mariah Williams of Southfield High School has a serious topic on her mind. 

“My fear in life,” she says, “is growing up and it basically looking like ‘I, Robot.’ Because I am seeing the changes right now. So I'm trying to think of a major, think of a job, that won't be replaced.”

Williams is participating in the Information Changes Everything Camp at the University of Michigan School of Information. Launched in 2022 and organized by UMSI’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office in collaboration with Wolverine Pathways, the camp gives rising 10th and 11th graders from Detroit, Southfield, Ypsilanti and Grand Rapids the opportunity to learn about information science. Sessions are led by UMSI faculty, students and staff. 

Before arriving, Williams “had a guess” about what information science entails. “But now I have a definite answer,” she says. “When I think information science, I obviously think analytics. But with our guest speakers, I got to learn more about what can be done.” This year’s programming included a session on sports analytics, capped off with a tour of the Michigan Stadium; an introduction to programming in Python; and a lesson on writing effective prompts to create AI-generated art. 

Although this field of study was new to campers, the topics they explored were deeply connected to their lives. 

“These students have been engaging with the digital world since birth,” says Sandra Lopez, DEI educational outreach program manager at UMSI. 

On the first day, campers participated in a debate about technology. They responded to prompts about timely issues like data privacy and the ethics of AI with a stance of “agree,” “disagree” or “neutral.” On the final day, they revisited this debate to see how their opinions had evolved over the course of camp. 

Williams was one of the most vocal participants in the first debate, with strong concerns about AI and job displacement. On the final day, she participated just as eagerly, but her views had shifted. Rather than agreeing or disagreeing with most statements, she found herself gravitating toward “neutral.” This wasn’t a sign that she knew less; it was a sign that she knew more.

“Before starting camp, I hear the words AI, I think ‘Detroit: Become Human.’ Now I know there's more behind those words,” she says. In camp sessions, she learned that people are behind the creation and application of AI, and that AI tools can be used to serve people’s needs. 

Lopez noticed that many campers became more comfortable taking a “neutral” stance in the final debate, as they grappled with complex issues. “This told me that their interest had increased, and they were thinking more critically about the implications of technology innovation and regulation,” she says. 

Williams is still not sure what the next decade holds, but alongside her fears and questions, she’s focusing on the possibilities.

“The School of Information, it was great,” she says. “It’s giving me ideas of what my future may look like and what I can do now to get there.”

The future of free speech 

In a classroom overlooking the U-M Diag, rising high school seniors are learning about free speech on college campuses. One student poses a question: Is offending someone the same as causing them harm? Another references a recent case in which high school administrators in Texas punished a Black teenager for refusing to cut his hair — shouldn’t hair be protected as a form of expression? 

The Wolverine Pathways Summer Institute, a four-week pre-college program, allows motivated students from under-resourced communities to prepare for college life by taking courses designed and taught by U-M faculty. Scholars choose courses that align with their interests, and through these courses, they begin to see the many pathways available to them. 

This program is especially important, Lopez says, when it comes to introducing high schoolers to UMSI’s Bachelor of Science in Information — a degree many have never heard of. By taking courses with UMSI faculty, scholars see firsthand how information science relates to law, business, medicine and more. 

This summer, UMSI lecturer Faith Sparr — an expert on free speech and media law and policy — was inspired to teach a course called "Free Speech on College Campuses: Reality or Theory?”

“Given how often we hear claims of someone's free speech being violated, and given the recent protests across the country, I thought a course covering this topic would be useful and interesting for the scholars,” Sparr says. 

The course invited students to engage with the strengths and weaknesses of the First Amendment. Through the lens of case law, they explored questions like: Is speech truly free on college campuses? Do students in college get to say whatever they want about politics, race, gender or religion? Can faculty teach subject matter that some students object to? 

“A lot of times in the past, when I thought of free speech, I didn't think about it too deeply. I thought, I have the right to speak whatever, whenever, full stop,” says Destiny Barrow, a student at The School at Marygrove in Detroit. “But after looking at so many of the intricacies that are actually in the law — different cases — it's given me a deeper understanding of how the First Amendment applies, when it applies, what it meant when they first created it, what it means now, and some of the debates around it." 

Current U-M student Akshara Koottala guided scholars through the material as a teaching assistant. “They didn’t just attend, take notes and listen. They actively engaged with the content and asked thoughtful questions,” Koottala says. “Their initiative in applying free speech theory to real-life examples and researching court cases demonstrated an incredible eagerness to learn.” 

For Barrow, this course on free speech wasn’t just about gaining an expert’s perspective; it was about learning from her peers. 

"This is a program with people from different cities all across Michigan,” Barrow says. “You can kind of put yourself in an echo chamber, as far as opinions, but getting to listen to other people's perspectives when we're talking about a case, and getting to really interact and have respectful debates, it's been very interesting. It's also helped make connections inside and outside of the classroom."

While Wolverine Pathways scholars are not yet in college, they are getting to the heart of the college experience. They are learning that what matters to them outside the classroom can become a topic of study, and their questions can become a career.

The next generation 

Scholars in the NxtGEN STEM Scholars Summer Institute are weeks away from beginning college. It’s starting to feel real. As they log on to the virtual program — which provides a jumpstart to the college experience for students who are underrepresented in STEM fields — they’re greeted by music. “Good morning you amazing people!!!” one scholar types into the chat. 

Hosted by the Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, the institute takes place annually over two weeks in August. Shortly after scholars log off, they head off to six local campuses: U-M, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Western Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College and Mott Community College.

“With this institute, we are providing our scholars with the chance to find their purpose, their community, and tons of resources, connections and skills to help them navigate the beginning of this new chapter in their lives,” says Joseph Ballard II, MI-LSAMP statewide alliance director.  

This summer, UMSI faculty, staff and students led a total of eight sessions to introduce scholars to career paths in information science. Associate professor Colleen van Lent gave a primer on programming with Python — no past experience required — while associate professor Steve Oney discussed how coding can be made accessible to more people.

Scholars also learned about the role librarians and archivists play in providing access to knowledge and seeking justice. In one session, clinical associate professor David Wallace shared how he is using geospatial technologies to locate and document landmarks and residences in Cape Town that were demolished during Apartheid forced removals. 

In another session, students listened intently as Lisa Carter, dean of libraries at U-M and professor of information at UMSI, spoke about her career path.  

People who understand information — how it is shared and used — are “assets to any field,” said Carter, who earned her master’s degree from UMSI. She described how, at UMSI, a student who is interested in becoming a financial consultant “can be in the same classroom with a person who's interested in health informatics or with somebody who's interested in rare books… and enhance one another's experience.” 

Scholars had the opportunity to ask questions and tell Carter about their interests. One student expressed surprise at how diverse information science is. Another said they were drawn to this field because it felt broad enough to cover a lot of their interests. 

“I hope you'll take information classes,” Carter encouraged scholars. “I hope you'll find yourself at UMSI, because it's a really exciting place.”

In the five years since the NxtGEN Summer Institute was established, more than 300 scholars have participated, gaining the support they need to take risks and embrace opportunities in their chosen STEM fields. 

Elijah Vasquez, MI-LSAMP statewide program manager and morning playlist curator, has witnessed what is possible when scholars start their college experience with a strong foundation. 

“We believe in empowering our scholars to not only succeed,” he says, “but to lead, innovate and reshape the future of STEM.”

—Abigail McFee, marketing and communications writer

Photos by Jeffrey Smith

LEARN MORE

The UMSI DEI Office invites students, faculty and staff to get involved in outreach opportunities to spread awareness of the field of information. Sign up to volunteer. 

Students join Wolverine Pathways in 7th or 10th grade and continue through 12th grade. Learn more.

To learn more about the NxtGEN Summer Institute, please reach out to Elijah Vasquez or Joseph Ballard II.