Adam Marszalek is a 2021-2022 Fellow. He grew up in Beverly Hills, Michigan and went on to Oakland University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization.

This is an example power app that I have been working on. The purpose is to allow the user to input fruits and then store them in a list.

Host company is Total Solutions and they are an engineering consulting firm. We specialize in the Microsoft environment. A major part of the Microsoft environment that we work in is SharePoint and Power Platform. My role is an associate on the Power Platform team. Currently I am working on a few different project but my tasks generally include data migration and development on Power apps.

Tell us about the challenge project you’re currently working on; what are you learning from the experience?

Currently, I am in-between challenge projects with one just finishing up in the last few weeks. But going back to our most recent project, we worked with the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance (MDBBA). The team that I was apart of was tasked with improving their database on Black-owned businesses in the city of Detroit. The biggest thing that I am learning from this project is how to be flexible and agile when designing. Our team didn’t have a ton of setbacks in the development process but we had to make some substantial changes as the project reached completion.

This is an example of a fully finished power app that Total Solutions produces. The purpose of this app is for a user to input a request to go on a flight.

How do you hope to impact the community as a Fellow?

I am obviously hoping to have a positive impact on the community during my fellowship, but I am mostly hoping that any project I work on, big or small, provides a positive impact on someone.

What are you most looking forward to as a Fellow this year?

As a fellow I am most looking forward to gaining new experiences and perspectives. So far in the fellowship I have gotten a taste of it and am very excited to see what other projects bring. Also must mention that I am excited to spend time getting to know the rest of the cohort and build relationships with them.

Since becoming a Fellow, what is something you have learned about Detroit that has positively impacted your perspective on the city?

This is an example of a workflow. Workflows are the magic that go on in the background of power apps and sharepoint. Workflows do things like send emails when an item is updated or even remove users from a list.

Honestly the history. Spending time during our orientation week to learn about the history of the city was amazing. It helped put a lot of the hardships that the city is going through into perspective.

How do you believe your fellowship year will shape your career moving forward?

I believe that the fellowship with be huge in shaping my career going forward. The fellowship is helping me learn new skills and is making me more well rounded in addition to getting me out of my comfort zone.

What has been your biggest takeaway from your time as a Fellow so far and how has it impacted you?

My biggest takeaway from my time as a fellow has been to always be compassionate and always be listening. It seems pretty straight forward but it is something that you don’t necessarily understand until you are in the moment.

If someone is reading this and considering applying to be a Fellow, share why you would encourage them to apply?

I would encourage anyone who is interested in making a positive impact in a community to apply. The ability to have a positive impact on a community is something very powerful and rewarding. Challenge is also a great choice for anyone who is looking to expand their experiences and gain a new outlook on life.