Today is our last day of Challenge Detroit and as I sit at TechTown I can’t help but feel really excited for the current, past and future fellows.

When you ask a fellow, “so how is Challenge Detroit?” you will often hear, “Challenge is what you make of it.” I believe that the same can be said about life. Absolutely nothing is perfect, but I believe that everything is possible. Graduating from Challenge Detroit this week is incredibly bittersweet. I will miss my class and seeing them every Friday. Receiving their hugs, hearing them laugh, seeing them learn something new, and watching them put in the work to make this city a better place. So many of us are in the “unknown” but I hope that this is only seen as a good challenge. Some of us are wondering if we’re going to find full time employment in the next month. Some of us are wondering if we can be successful entrepreneurs. Others (like me) are getting mentally prepared to go back to school.

If life continues to be how it’s been this past year with Challenge, then all of the fellows will make of life what they made of Challenge Detroit: a Success.

The Unknown is exciting knowing that we can do so much with so little. My 31 new friends will be able to leave Challenge knowing that they can create concrete deliverables in 5 weeks, 7 times over for 7 different project partners. That’s consulting and coming up with innovative solutions for systemic or organizational problems that we now know how to fix.

We now know how to mingle among CEO’s, directors, entrepreneurs, activist, farmers, principles, children, our elderly and our neighbors. We see things from a different lens, and expect better from everyone. We expect better for ourselves, and in making ourselves better leaders, we are creating opportunities for others to join.

After a year of Challenge Detroit you learn to embrace the Unknown. More information is always “forthcoming” and if you don’t have anymore, just do what you can with what you have. Learn not to worry and to work smarter. After this year there is no faking it till you make it. It’s about being real with what you have and making the most of it.

I think the most valuable trait gained through this program is confidence. Challenge does a great job at exposing their fellows to everything, from the grassroots to the C-suites and making them all connect. Once you know the system that is life and the role you can play, you’re ready to play at any level, meaning that you’re ready to implement change and make an impact no matter where you are.

For all these reasons, I’m so excited about the Unknown to come. I can’t wait to see what we do with our next challenges, and the outcomes we produce. I’m proud to be a part of this amazing network of young professionals who are confident changemakers, always willing to face and conquer the Unknown.