“Being a Challenge Detroit Fellow lets you live your Hannah Montana double life. Monday through Thursday you get to work as a professional at an amazing host company. On Fridays, you get to work with other amazing Fellows and partner (nonprofit) organizations and be a changemaker. It’s really the best of both worlds. – Justina Jeffers


Out of My Comfort Zone

Doing something new: DCFC game with Fellows

I will be honest; I am not the most social person. I’m an introvert who prefers a quiet night at home watching Jeopardy and playing online Scrabble. That’s why I was not excited about a Challenge Detroit outing… on a Wednesday night… after work. My mood was even more sour when I learned we were going to an outdoor Detroit City FC game with a heavy rain forecast.

Despite all my groveling, my perspective shifted as the night progressed. I was having a great time. Yes, I was standing and freezing with my raincoat zipped up tight because the bleachers were too wet to sit on. Yes, I had no idea what was happening because this was not my kind of football. And yes, this was the first I had heard of this team before the night began. Still, I was conversing with fellow Fellows and screaming hilarious expletive chants from a water-damaged booklet (provided to attendees) at the top of my lungs to drown out the pouring rain. 

When the weather worsened, and we were told to go home, I was surprisingly not the first to leave after being one of the most vocal about not wanting to be there. Instead, I stayed a little longer. No, I hadn’t magically become a die-hard soccer fan, but that wasn’t the point of being at the game. The point was that Jeopardy was recorded and my Scrabble games could wait. Then and there I was out of my comfort zone, doing something new, leaning into the chaos, and taking in the atmosphere.


Outside of the Fox Theater excited to soon breathe the same air as my favorite comedian, Trevor Noah.

ABOUT: My name is Justina Jeffers and I’m from Farmington Hills, MI. I graduated from Central Michigan University earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics along with a minor in Political Science in the year 2022. During my leisure hours, you can often find me attending concerts, seeking thrills at haunted houses, and exploring the diverse landscapes and attractions of our beautiful state through day trips.