Nathan Schooner is a 2022-2023 Fellow. His host company is DTE where he works on the Workforce Development team. Learn more about Nathan below.
Teamwork
My Team with our project Liaison, Olivia from Detroit at Work.
One thing that has surprised me throughout this program is the fact that so many of my fellow participants are insanely supportive. I wanted to improve my skills working with a team but I feared that I would possibly have to shoulder a large portion of my group’s project work before I started the fellowship. In college, I unfortunately dealt with many circumstances where members of my project groups would not contribute or just did not have the same commitment to the project. I remember a project during my senior year where I compiled a resource guide for mental health support for minority students on campus, and my group members struggled to be an active part of the project development process. I tried checking in weekly to see if they were alright to no avail, and I ended up completing the vast majority of the project on my own.
However, when I came to Challenge Detroit I could immediately tell the difference between many of my previous project members and those at Challenge Detroit. All of my group members and other Fellows that I have spoken to, have been an active part of aiding the nonprofits that we serve. Everyone was actively engaged and always checked in, which made me even more determined to contribute what I could for the team. I remember a specific instance where I was feeling pretty out of sorts one week and I had a hard time communicating it with my team. My team lead, Jaylyn, noticed that I wasn’t as active in our group discussion that Friday and later on messaged me separately asking if I was feeling alright and if I needed any support. Additionally, my teammate Jo’Charta spent the time to update me on what I missed after I couldn’t make it to a team meeting. Moments like these are what make me so grateful to be a part of this experience. Not only do I get to improve on team building, but I have the privilege of working with such an awesome cohort!
About Me: My name is Nathan Schooner and I am from Southgate, Michigan! I went to UMich and studied Psychology and International Studies with a minor in Community Action and Social Change and I have a passion for supporting others in their educational and mental health journeys. Also, I love to run, cook with friends, creative writing, and I have recently gotten into Dungeons and Dragons!
Why should someone apply to be a Challenge Detroit Fellow?
Challenge Detroit connects you with a wonderful network of people committed to serving the city and provides a gateway for engaging with the complex and driven communities that represent Detroit.