Kresge and its partners have supported the transformation of the former Marygrove College into an educational, civic and economic hub, honoring the campus’ 92-year legacy of social justice and community leadership. Founded generously by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the college ceased academic operations in 2019 because of financial challenges.

Since 2018, Kresge has invested more than $200 million in grants, low-cost loans and guarantees to support the college’s transition while establishing the nonprofit Marygrove Conservancy to steward the 53-acre campus. 

Strategic partnerships between Kresge, the Marygrove Conservancy, University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education (U-M), Detroit Public Schools Community District and Starfish Family Services have led a reinvention of the campus into a neighborhood-based educational center. Today, nearly 1,000 children and young adults are cared for and educated on the campus through the following institutions: 

• Marygrove Early Education Center (age 0-5) – Operated by Starfish Family Services, the center provides young children and families with high-quality child development services and programming that promotes healthy and empowered families. 

• The School at Marygrove (grades K-12) – Operated by Detroit Public Schools Community District in partnership with U-M, the school educates children from kindergarten through 6th grade and grades 9-12 through a social justice-centered curriculum that embraces project and place-based learning strategies. Grades 7-8 will be added by 2028. 

• U-M Marsal Family School of Education – The school co-develops curriculum and provides professional development, operations support, and research and evaluation for the early education center and K-12 programs. U-M also operates an undergraduate teaching school and hosts an undergraduate degree program, Learning, Equity and Problem Solving for the Public Good (LEAPS), on the campus.