Education

Ophir Crafts brings the art of crafting to Westgate with kits and classes

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November 13, 2013

Hosting international students and residents is often a learning experience, but something a Korean undergraduate student mentioned to Kate Ernsting was particularly enlightening. With all the time students spend in front of screens, they were getting together to do crafts on evenings and weeks. It was something they had experienced with their own daughter. Light bulb moment! Ernsting and her husband Gary saw a business opportunity they'd never considered before: crafting. Ophir Crafts opened in Westgate Shopping Center in early Sept., offering fair trade crafts for sale, but focusing primarily on inspiring and teaching others to craft. "We want to have people interact with culture and with other people through their craft creations," Ernsting says. "We sell products that are gifts, but we also sponsor local artists to come in and do trunk shows." Ophir Crafts also sells crafting kits and offers classes on everything from knitting to greeting cards to candy making. The 1,350 square foot store is located between Nicola's Books and the Ann Arbor District Library in Westgate. The family business employs Ernsting and her husband, as well as their daughter and three other part-time workers. Ernsting plans to expand Ophir Crafts' offerings to include more crafting demonstrations in the future. Source: Kate Ernsting, Ophir Crafts Writer: Natalie Burg

Latest in Education

Local Roboroach kit earns big Kickstarter support, PETA’s wrath

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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November 6, 2013

The good folks at Backyard Brains think that every child should find a cockroach in their Christmas stocking (or under the menorah). That's why they launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund RoboRoach, a kit that allows you to cut open live cockroaches and implant electrodes to control their movements. Sounds like something Jack skelington would approve of. Excerpt: "Backyard Brains has developed a Kickstarter project, the RoboRoach, that allows one to cut live cockroaches and implant electrodes to control the insects’ movements. One hundred and eighty three people have pledged $12,339 — exceeding the $10,000 goal to fund the project. It’s like a remote-controlled car in the body of a live bug, the game “Operation” writ large. But the creators want it to be taken seriously, with Greg Gage saying his product advances the study of neural circuits, allowing students to make scientific discoveries." Read the rest here.

U-M to offer entrepreneurship education to all undergrads

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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November 6, 2013

The University of Michigan thinks that entrepreneurship should be a part of every student's educational repertoir. Within two years they intend to make classes in entrepreneurship education available to every undergrad, no matter what their academic focus. Excerpt: "Zurbuchen will lead the design of a program in entrepreneurship that will be open to all majors and that could be in place by the fall 2014 semester. He'll also coordinate and grow the school's entrepreneurial co-curricular activities, including the TechArb student business incubator and innovation-related student clubs." Read more here.

Gina Brandolino ain't afraid of no ghosts at Brandywine Cemetery

Guest Blogger: Gina Brandolino

By Gina Brandolino

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Arts & Culture

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October 30, 2013

Face it: We are bewitched by horror stories, especially around Halloween. U-M Lecturer Gina Brandolino, who teaches a course on horror and has encouraged her students to contribute to a horror-themed blog, delves into stories as a medium for looking fear in the eye, and what bees can teach us.

Merit brings fashion with a higher purpose to S. University

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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October 23, 2013

There's no shame in looking good. Since former University of Michigan basketball player David Merritt launched his Merit clothing line, that sentiment has never been truer. After all, the stylish clothes and accessories he sells help high school students stay in school and reach for their collegiate dreams. Now, the caused-based retailer is brining its goods and goodness to a physical location on S. University. "I've been so blessed," says Merritt. "Now, it's important to me to create positive ways for young people to promote themselves. Knowing how many kids aren't given the same opportunities, we're trying to expose these kids to the resources that are out there." Merit opened on Oct. 10 and Merritt and his partner Kuhu Saha are looking forward to a grand opening Nov. 13. The 400 square foot storefront underwent four to five weeks of renovations, including considerable work on the walls and flooring. Now, Merit is looking as good as the clothes and accessories they sell. Merritt hopes the clothes will be a good fit for the university market, as well as their personable service. "With our cause, and who we are as people, our goal is to be a personal brand," Merritt says. "We want to be able to get out in front of people. We think the campus community is going to be able to help us build a strong presence." A percentage of everything sold at Merit will fund scholarships for high school students who participate in Merritt's four mentorship and training program, FATE, at Detroit's Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. Merit carries customized shirts, hats and accessories, and will soon being to introduce their cut-and-sew styles of their own design, such as pants, hoodies, shirts and more. The store currently employs a staff of two. Merritt plans to open a second location in Detroit in the next 16 to 18 months. Source: David Merritt, Merit Writer: Natalie Burg

SchoolPictures.com adds to staff as it grows across Michigan

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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October 2, 2013

Ypsilanti-based SchoolPictures.com has traditionally grown across its home region but now it’s making a push to grow across the entire Great Lakes State. "We're interested in spreading our mission across the state, not just southeast Michigan," says Skip Cerier, president of SchoolPictures.com. The business provides portraits of students, using a formula that allows the school to create new revenue from annual student photo programs. Cerier claims his company has helped schools raise $5 million over its eight years and save another $3.5 million by out-competing other vendors. "We did a study over what was saved from the prices of other vendors at each school," Cerier says. "I was able to quantify how much each school was saving." SchoolPictures.com currently employs 41 people full-time and another 35 part-timers. It has hired four people over the last year, including sales, support and production professionals. Source: Skip Cerier, president of SchoolPictures.com Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Paint Station brings entertainment and education to amateur artists

By Natalie Burg

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Arts & Culture

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October 2, 2013

Entrepreneurs Kendra Wilkins and Katrina Vaughn are out to prove that anyone can enjoy the fun and artistic expression of being a painter – with or without proven art skills. At their new business, The Paint Station, patrons can join classes or arrange painting events with friends during which an artist leads attendees through the process of completing a painting. "I haven't painted since elementary school," says Vaughn, pointing to a lovely painting she completed in one of her business' classes. "I'm surprised by my own talent. If I can do it, you can too." Though not artists themselves, Wilkins and Vaughn know a thing or two about business and teaching. Wilkins has taught business marketing for Detroit Public Schools and in Ann Arbor, and Vaughn currently teaches social studies for Ann Arbor Tech High School. "Teaching economics, I talk to the kids about the economy and business," says Vaughn. "Instead of just talking about it, I thought we should do it ourselves." The Paint Station opened above Panera Bread on Washtenaw Ave. on Sept. 6. The partners work with three artists who instruct the classes and parties. People can choose between attending a pre-scheduled class in which the painting has already been chosen, or, if scheduling a private event, they may select a painting from The Paint Station gallery. Wilkins and Vaughn hope the Ann Arbor area finds the paint studio to be a fun place to create and make memories. Their private events are ideal for girls' nights out, team-building sessions for businesses and family outings. Eventually, the pair would like to expand to multiple locations and franchise their business. Source: Kendra Wilkins and Katrina Vaughn, The Paint Station Writer: Natalie Burg

Creators Co-op launches for-students-by-students biz incubator

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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October 2, 2013

The co-founders of the Creators Co-op know there are a number of small business incubators and co-working spaces dedicated toward the tech industry in Ann Arbor. But they didn't see anything that really fits the needs of student entrepreneurs with an independent streak. That's why they are launching their venture just off the University of Michigan's campus this fall. "We want to create a safe space for students, by students," says Nancy Xiao, general manager & co-founder of Creators Co-op. "It's a mixture of co-working space and a professional-style fraternity." Xiao is a senior at the University of Michigan and a member of the university's MPowered student entrepreneurship program. She met former U-M football player Dhani Jones at a university event in Cincinnati a few years ago after speaking about the need for more entrepreneurial space for studentpreneurs. The pair hit it off and have since formed a core team of eight people to launch the Creators Co-op. They have secured a brick, tudor-style house at 631 Oxford, which is right next to a bus stop for the university bus line that connects Central and North campuses. The space will be open to university students who want to launch any sort of business. It will differentiate itself from the like of Ann Arbor SPARK, Tech Brewery and Workantile because it will be student-oriented. It is different than TechArb, U-M tech incubator for students, because it is independent from the university and will help students build any sort of business that interests them. Creators Co-op is sorting through applications for student entrepreneurs this fall and hopes to welcome its first class of about 30 people during the winter semester. The co-op will offer business-building and entrepreneurial mentoring services. It also hopes to work with a number of successful local business people to help the students matriculate into parts of the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. "A lot of it is geared toward building great people," Xiao says. Source: Nancy Xiao, general manager & co-founder of Creators Co-op Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Dorothy’s Discovery Daycare more than doubles footprint in Ypsilanti

By Natalie Burg

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Development News

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September 25, 2013

Dorothy Morris was a nursing student and a mother before switching her major to education and dedicating her career to caring for children. "I have three daughters, and they ended up being at the daycare at I used to work at, and I wanted to be around them," Morris says. Coming form a nursing background, I believe you need to provide the educations and academics, but also need think about the individual needs of each child, so I try to make a family-like environment." That philosophy has taken her childcare facility, Dorothy's Discovery Daycare, from a home business licensed for 12 a decade ago to the commercial business she operates today, which is licensed for 75 children, employs a staff of up to 14 and has recently more than doubled in size with a 3,800 square foot addition. "We 're able to provide care for the whole family," says Morris. "It's nice for a moms and dads who don't have to run all over town to pick up their kids different places." Work on the expansion began in June and was completed just in time to open for the new school year. The addition, which was built on to the original, 2,5000 square foot facility on Merritt Rd. in Ypsilanti has grown Dorothy's Discovery Daycare to include six classrooms, including separate rooms for infants, toddlers, two preschool classrooms and two school-age classrooms. An second playground for infants and toddlers was also added to the facility, which accepts children up to 13 years old. Also spurring the daycare's growth has been a contract with the nearby East Arbor Charter Academy, for which Dorothy's Discovery Daycare provides before- and after-school care. The relationship allowed Morris to take on more children and increase her staff by four employees. Morris hopes to continue to grow her connections to the community and other school districts in the future. Source: Dorothy Morris, Dorothy's Discovery Daycare Writer: Natalie Burg

TorranceLearning grows business with more comprehensive services

By Newsroom

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Innovation News

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August 14, 2013

Last year TorranceLearning began the process of transforming itself from an e-learning firm to a company that provides more comprehensive education services. Today the downtown Chelsea-based business is reaping the rewards of that switch. The 7-year-old company has hired two people, expanding its staff to seven employees. Those new hires include an instructor and a designer to help the firm fill out its expanded services. "We are offering a new and wider range of services to our clients," says Megan Torrance, president & CEO of TorranceLearning. She adds that her company's new host of services "is a much more wholistic look at our clients' needs." Those new services include providing mobile apps for clients or learning retreats. The company has also expanded its client list so it includes a broader ranger of customers, ranging from the automotive to healthcare to food industries. Source: Megan Torrance, president & CEO of TorranceLearning Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.