These grants are designed to support debate programs by providing training and financial support to students and teachers in selected Detroit public junior and senior high schools. This center, which is run out of the journalism offices, works to guarantee media access to appropriate government documents and provides a statewide hotline for journalists to ask questions about whether meetings should be open to the media and what documents should be available from government agencies. The journalism offices serve as the headquarters for this professional society of journalists. Students and professionals are members of the Society of Professional Journalism. More than 80 employers compete each semester to obtain journalism interns to work with their organizations.
Internships are available in public relations, journalism, radio, television, film and advertising.
DebateWatch brings citizens together in schools, libraries, civic auditoriums, hotels, theaters and homes to watch the presidential debates on television and then discuss the candidates and the issues that were raised. In years in which a presidential election is not being conducted, attention is given to debates for other offices. The center identifies, discusses, researches and disseminates information on issues having to do with public policies, in both the public and private sectors, affecting the arts. This annual dance concert is designed for especially for young folks and it uses dance to expose them to various topics. Dance Performances for Children, the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance auditions middle and high school dance groups to be featured performers with the WSU Dance Company.