Made-in-Michigan interfaith conference draws students from seven institutions

February 24, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 12)
Article by Sofia Ellis

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Nearly 40 students from seven colleges and universities attended the Made-in-Michigan Interfaith Leadership Lab, hosted by the Kaufman Interfaith Institute February 6-7.  

The conference was a chance for students from Alma College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Michigan State University, Northwestern Michigan College, University of Michigan and Grand Valley to make connections and develop leadership skills through an interfaith lens. 

The MIMIL Conference began in 2016 for students in West Michigan, but COVID-19 stopped programming in 2020 until the conference's rebirth this year. Liz English, campus event manager for the Kaufman Interfaith Institute, said organizers wanted to expand participation beyond the greater Grand Rapids area.

“To paraphrase a line from Sasa Aakil’s poem, which she created specifically for this gathering and performed at the Friday night plenary, there’s some magic in the water of these Great Lakes," English said. "We wanted to bring back MIMIL this year because we were seeing the ripples of energy for interfaith engagement in various pockets and schools around the state, perhaps due to the tumultuous state of the world and the increasing need for connection in a toxically polarized society."

Friday night commenced with a welcome event, followed by dinner and an opportunity for students to get to know each other. The second day of the conference was packed with events centered around peer connections and student leadership, including breakout sessions, some led by students. 

Reagan Woods, from Kalamazoo College, led a workshop on hosting interfaith events that included having participants write poetry about specific memories related to their faith. After discussing the best ways to conduct productive interfaith conversations, the students partnered up and shared their poems. Woods expressed how vital storytelling can be for celebrating differences and truly connecting with others. 

“A big through-line of this conference has been the power of stories and storytelling," Woods said. "I think having the toolkit of how to ask questions sets the stage for more stories to be told.”

Florian Stackow, from Kalamazoo College, is a member of the college's interfaith club. He said this was his first interfaith conference. 

“It’s really powerful to be in a space where everyone wants to understand, communicate and build connections with each other," Stackow said. "Interfaith is just one of many ways to connect and bridge gaps and find where we agree, and maybe even disagree, and hold space for that."

Arriam Kane, from Northwestern Michigan College, said they enjoyed the breakout sessions and meeting others.

“I think my favorite part has really just been being around people and having open conversations, sharing our backgrounds and opinions and our experiences in life," Kane said. “So many people that didn’t know each other a day and a half ago are hanging out, joking and having fun like we’ve known each other forever.”

— Sofia Ellis is a senior writing major and a student writer for University Communications.

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