In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Samantha Szeszulski. She fills us in on what she enjoys most about living in the city, and her host company, Saroki Architecture!

Sami, tell us about your move to Detroit?

When I found out I was chosen as a Challenge Detroit fellow, I was so excited for this opportunity to move to Detroit. Since I was already living and working in the metro area, and my lease was up on my current apartment, I figured it would be a good idea to move into the city early and get acquainted with it before the Challenges started. I checked out a couple of apartments in Midtown before finding my apartment in New Center, and decided it was just more bang-for-your-buck to live just a little bit further from downtown. I moved in at the beginning of July, and was so excited to start exploring my new neighborhood.  I’ve loved living in Detroit, and I’m definitely staying in the city after the fellowship ends.

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving, and leading in Detroit?

The best part about being in Detroit has been the amount of value the culture of the city has brought to my life, and the lives of anyone else who visits it. I could have never imagined all there is to do in Detroit, but after living here for ten months and becoming a part of the community, I am continuously awed by the number of opportunities I have to engage within the city. From events like Drinks x Design and lectures at Wayne State, to TED X and Restaurant Week , I always have my calendar filled weeks in advance with all the options I have to engage with this city.  If anyone says that there is nothing to do in Detroit, they haven’t looked hard enough.

Tell us about your host company, and what you do?

I am an Intern Architect at Saroki Architecture, a regional architecture firm with over 30 years of excellent design, located in downtown Birmingham. Saroki has been a great opportunity for me to gain experience in my field. At Saroki, I assist the project architects throughout all phases of projects, from design development, to construction documents and beyond. I’ve been gaining great experience and various types of projects. Additionally, I am part of Saroki’s social media marketing team, which includes creating content for our Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and the firm blog.  Find us on social media or visit the website, www.sarokiarchitecture.com, to learn more about our firm and the work we do.

What makes working at Saroki Architecture unique?

The experiences I am having at Saroki are definitely unique. We are one of the marquee architecture firms in the Metro Detroit area, and have worked on countless projects. One of the best parts of working at Saroki is the quality and reputation of our work. The design team here at the firm is great, and though we’re only about 10 – 12 people in size, the firm’s work reflects that of a much larger group. Because of the great number and variety of projects we have, I have had the opportunity to work on a number of great projects in the region. As these projects get built, I will have the amazing opportunity to see how my work influence the city and region.

What is your favorite part of the Challenges?

The best parts of the Challenge are the opportunities they give us to engage with the community.  In working with the non-profits, I have had countless opportunities to expand my network to include several key players in the city, all with different roles in the revitalization process. We’ve had the opportunity to meet with and connect with community members, and to learn how we can bring positive change to the city and their communities.  With being from outside the city originally, I feel that through the challenges I have been able to create relationships and friendships with organizations and individuals that will last long past the fellowship.

Tell us about some of things you are involved without side of Challenge Detroit?

Outside of Challenge Detroit, I’ve been striving to get involved with the local architectural community. I am a member of the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and an active participant on their Emerging Professionals Committee (EPC). Through the AIA EPC, I am currently leading an initiative to bring a summer architecture festival to Detroit, and working with local universities to increase membership and participation. I’m also a member with the Detroit Chapter of Architecture for Humanity, an organization that focuses on design for humanitarian causes. As an organization, we are currently working to implement a home improvement program through a local religious organization, as well as working on organizing several other projects throughout the city.

Check out Sami’s personal blog here, and her spotlight video.