Jacob Jones is a 2019-2020 Fellow at 8 Mile Boulevard Association. Jacob hails from Fraser, Michigan and is a Wayne State graduate with a Bachelor’s in History.

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

I’m serving as the Operations Manager at the Eight Mile Boulevard Association (8MBA). 8MBA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves as a conduit for the different governments, businesses, and communities that border 8 Mile. The organization restructured in 2019 and brought me on to serve as the only staff member. I oversee all the operations at 8MBA including project management, event planning, social media, fundraising, and all administrative duties.

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

Celebrating the first Challenge Project with my team and our DPSCD liaison.

I just wrapped up Challenge Project #3 with the Sinai-Grace Guild Community Development Corporation (SGGCDC). My team was focused on accessibility and mobility. We worked to increase the mobility options for residents in the SGGCDC’s service area. I wasn’t too familiar with the area that SGGCDC served so it was great to talk to people who lived there to see what they loved about their neighborhoods. I was also lucky enough to meet some City Council members and City employees who live in the area who have kept in contact with me since the project ended.

How do you hope to impact the community this year?

My role at 8MBA has shown me how hard it can be for a nonprofit, let alone a nonprofit with a small staff, to accomplish its goals. With Challenge Detroit, I’m hopeful that I can lend a hand to the organizations in the city who need it the most by providing a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective.

Since becoming a Fellow, what have you learned?

What stands out the most is my understanding of design thinking. I knew that we would use it within the activities of the fellowship but I did not anticipate just how much I would use it outside of Challenge Detroit. I use it quite often during my work with 8MBA and I plan on carrying it with me after the fellowship.

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

I’ve had a great time enjoying the City with my new friends.

I really applied for the fellowship on a whim. I had been out of school for a couple of years and was wondering how I could take the next step in my career. As a history major, it can often seem as if your options are limited. Challenge Detroit gave me the opportunity to take the skills that I had developed and put them towards something good. The knowledge and confidence that I’ve gained from 8MBA and Challenge Detroit will stick with me throughout the rest of my career and will serve as a reminder that my skills and ideas are valuable.

If someone reading your interview is considering in applying to be a Fellow, why would you encourage them to apply?

If you’re looking for a change of pace in your career then I would recommend applying for Challenge Detroit. The program allows you to make an impact on some of the City’s most important organizations. On top of that, you might be lucky enough to meet some really great friends and experience a lot of new things within the City of Detroit.