Michigan Central and Grand Valley State University are joining forces to train Detroiters for careers in mobility, advanced manufacturing, and robotics, placing GVSU programs and people directly inside the Michigan Central district.
The partnership embeds GVSU students, faculty, and adult learners into Michigan Central’s 30-acre ecosystem, linking coursework to hands-on experience with startups and employers and providing access to the district’s infrastructure. The focus is clear: align education with in-demand jobs and open practical routes from classroom to career for Detroit learners.
“Michigan Central was designed as an open platform where education, industry, and community unite to solve real-world challenges,” said Carolina Pluszczynski, COO of Michigan Central. “This partnership with Grand Valley State University is a natural extension of that mission—equipping learners of all ages with the tools and connections they need to thrive in high-growth industries like mobility, advanced manufacturing, and robotics, while fostering a more accessible and prosperous region.”
GVSU brings its regional reach and equity-driven approach to the collaboration, expanding access points for Detroiters.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to inclusive innovation, workforce readiness, and educational access for students in Detroit and throughout Southeast Michigan,” said GVSU President Philomena Mantella. “Together, we’re building bridges between higher education, industry, and community.”
Youth pathways sit at the center of the work. Building on Michigan Central’s partnerships with the University of Michigan Center for Innovation and Wayne State University, GVSU will introduce earlier connections to higher education through Rep4 and Federal TRIO programming for middle and high school students, offering exposure to credentialing and four-year degree opportunities inside the ecosystem.
Adults will see short-term credentialing and upskilling through GVSU’s Omni, along with flexible online and hybrid degree options for underserved learners. The partners will also create applied research opportunities that connect GVSU students and faculty with Michigan Central startups and employers across mobility and technology.
“Detroit is the front door to innovation and inclusion,” said B. Donta Truss, Vice President for Enrollment Development & College Futures at GVSU. “Together with Michigan Central, GVSU is embedding programs that blend research, workforce readiness, and youth engagement in ways that create pathways to excellence and opportunity. For many, these programs will begin as early as 8th grade, serving as their first connection to higher education and setting them on a course toward educational accomplishment and lifelong success. This is a partnership built on action—and Detroit is at the center of that vision.”
GVSU will establish a presence inside Michigan Central’s STEM lab on the youth-dedicated floor of The Station and within Newlab at Michigan Central. Several initiatives are already underway, with additional youth programming launching in early 2026.
The agreement builds on Michigan Central’s talent work to date.
The ecosystem now includes more than 240 companies and startups and has served over 3,000 youth and adults through talent initiatives. A recent $2 million grant from Google.org is supporting expanded STEM opportunities for local students.
