Chauncey Thompson is a 2022-2023 Fellow. Chauncey is a Financial Business Analyst at Clark Hill. Learn more about Chauncey below.
Enjoying the view of the tallest building in Michigan from the Clark Hill Detroit office.
The grass is…
The term “The grass is not always greener on the other side” is such a simple yet powerful way to understand life. It teaches you to appreciate what you have because, the chase of something better may leave you in an unfulfilling and infinite journey to no end. This quote greatly resonates with how I live and understand my life.
Detroit is the city where I was born and spent my childhood. Raised by both a West and East sider, I got to experience some of the laughable similarities and differences growing up, such as the best spots to eat and how to play Spades (They argue over the rules to this day). Eventually, my family moved to Melvindale, MI just outside of Detroit. This is where I would spend a majority of my grade school years. Fortunately, I was still able to get a glimpse of the motor city because I would work with my Dad as a florist at Eastern Market. Also, Melvindale is a small area thus many places in Detroit were still easily accessible. Sadly though as I got older, I realized the small disconnect that grew between me and the place I was born.
Although I would not call myself a traveler by any means, I have stretched out by studying abroad in Paris, vacationed across the Bahamas, and visited places in the country such as Chicago and Tennessee. Even though I loved those areas, they never touched my soul the way the City of Detroit does so frequently. This was the reason why after college, I decided to join Challenge Detroit—in order to learn and develop the city where I began. I have a feeling of duty that I owe to this vibrant area and this is my way to repay the debts and rekindle my connection. An extension of the quote from before, that I heard from author Robert Fulghum is that the grass isn’t always greener where you search, but “The grass is greenest where it is watered”.
About Me: Hello everyone!! My name is Chauncey and I live in Eastpointe, MI. I am a recent graduate from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a degree in Mathematics. Some of my favorite things to do is socialize with my friends and/or find new and interesting topics to learn about.
Why should someone apply to be a Challenge Detroit Fellow?
“Challenge Detroit is the perfect mix of community engagement, work experience, and unparalleled learning opportunities.”