Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University is set to host the ninth National Place-Based Education Conference from November 12 to 14, 2025. The event will take place at the EMU Student Center in Ypsilanti and is expected to bring together more than 500 educators, administrators, community leaders, and innovators from various parts of the world.

The conference is co-hosted by the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition and the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI). It aims to gather leaders in place-based education to exchange best practices and emphasize connecting learning with local communities.

Keynote speakers for the three-day conference include Daniela Anino and Kyle Whyte. Attendees will have access to interactive workshops and field experiences that highlight place-based learning sites throughout Southeast Michigan. A celebration dinner featuring a performance by Michigan artist May Erlewine is also planned.

Anna Balzer, director of the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition, stated: “Hosting the National Place-Based Education Conference at Eastern Michigan University is an incredible honor. It highlights our region’s commitment to advancing education that connects students to their communities and empowers educators to create meaningful, real-world learning experiences.”

Since its inception in 2011 by GLSI, this conference has served as a main platform for educators interested in transforming teaching through community engagement and environmental stewardship. This year’s event will focus on Southeast Michigan’s role in environmental and STEM education as well as civic engagement and collaboration among community members.

The program targets early childhood educators, K–12 teachers, school administrators, higher education faculty and students, nonformal educators, community partners, policymakers, and funders.

Balzer added: “Place-based education deepens student engagement by connecting curriculum to the diverse histories, ecosystems, and people of a community. These immersive and student-driven experiences help young people become informed, active stewards of the places they call home.”

Eastern Michigan University was established in 1849 as Michigan's second-oldest public university. The institution currently enrolls over 12,000 students across undergraduate through doctoral levels. EMU offers more than 300 academic programs within its colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; along with its Graduate School. The university emphasizes career readiness through hands-on learning opportunities and partnerships with industry.

More information about Eastern Michigan University can be found on its official website or via EMU Today.