Cardinal Solutions: A Community Engagement Educational Initiative

Cardinal Solutions is a community engagement education initiative founded in 2014 within the SVSU Art Department. The program places interdisciplinary student teams in direct partnership with nonprofits, small businesses, and civic organizations across the Great Lakes Bay Region — not in simulation, but in practice. Students bring academic expertise; community partners bring real challenges; faculty provide mentorship and accountability.

Since its founding, Cardinal Solutions has partnered with more than 100 organizations throughout the region, awarded over $120,000 in student scholarships, and contributed to SVSU’s Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement across multiple cycles. Students earn academic credit through supervised project enrollment and graduate with a portfolio of completed professional work.

The initiative is open to students across disciplines — graphic design, marketing, business, communications, and beyond. Community organizations interested in partnering with Cardinal Solutions are welcome to apply each semester. To learn more, visit svsucardinalsolutions.org.