Ben Hershey and Caroline Dobbins answer questions from students at the LiveWorkDetroit expo on November 16.

As you may have noticed, all of the Challenge Detroit Fellows (including myself) really enjoy talking about the city of Detroit and sharing photos or experiences of happenings in the city. We can talk, post and share information all we want but until we get people to the city to experience the good that is happening, our talking can only do so much.

The Challenge Detroit Fellows recently served as city ambassadors at the LiveWorkDetroit Kickoff event on November 16th. LiveWorkDetroit is an initiative by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to attract and retain talent to the Detroit Metro area. They host on-campus events around the state as well as events that bring students to experience the very best parts of the city. For the Kickoff event, students attended the Michigan Collegiate Job Fair in the morning and then spent the afternoon on a tour of the city with D:Hive, during which they got to meet employers around the city.

We spent the evening at the Westin Book Cadillac having dinner with six to eight college students. We also had the privilege of listening to Jake Cohen, Vice President of Detroit Venture Partners, participating in a panel discussion with some of Detroit’s very own movers and shakers, and, of course, answering any and all questions from the students.  Personally it was exciting to share my story – how I found Challenge Detroit, why I applied, what the last 4 months have been like and what I hope my future in Detroit holds.

My table was full of energetic, inquisitive college juniors and seniors interested in everything from non-profit communications to business management to creative design. The one thing we all had in common was that we were and continue to be intrigued by what is happening in Detroit. Jake Cohen shared his perspective on the change that’s happening in the city and that now is the time to jump on board! It is certainly a message that I’ve heard since moving in August, and I think it was very valuable for the 300+ students in attendance to hear the message directly from one of the city’s real change agents.  They asked plenty of questions – where do you live, what do you do for fun, where do you get your groceries, are there really jobs for me in Detroit, do you feel safe and many more. I answered them with both enthusiasm and a realistic outlook. I really enjoyed getting a chance to share the experiences I’ve had with Challenge Detroit and also the discoveries I’ve made on my own in the city. We capped the night off with a very busy and bustling holiday tree lighting in Campus Martius Park. It was exciting to show the students one of Detroit’s hotspots.  The park was certainly alive with energy and people of all ages all there to celebrate and enjoy the start of the holiday season on Woodward Avenue.

Challenge Detroit Fellows and students from the LiveWorkDetroit event enjoy the holiday tree lighting at Campus Martius Park.

It would be great to believe that each one of the 300+ students in attendance that evening will choose to make Detroit their place to live and work. We can hope, but what we know for sure is that what has happened is a change in conversation.  There are now 300+ students that know more about the good happening in the city, the changes coming down the pipe and that Detroit is a city on the rebound. It is my hope that these students will now have positive conversations with their peers and their classmates.  I know the group from my table won’t be missing out on news in the city with the number of people and organizations I told them to follow on Twitter.  It is up to each of us (Challenge Detroit Fellows, those who live and work in the city, and those who know the good that is happening) to help change the conversation and, in turn, change our city.

Contributed by Fellow Caroline Dobbins.