Week #1 | Erin R.

Hey, Erin

So, you’ll be starting your internship at EcoWorks soon and I hope you’re excited about it. I’ve got some pretty high expectations of how you’ll handle both, living in Midtown for the first time, and working for a nonprofit. Now, I know you’ve been spending the last year getting yourself ready to be a teacher, and your role at EcoWorks won’t be in that capacity, but remember–your first passion has always been consulting, and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing this summer, so take advantage of this opportunity and contribute to the company in a way that I know you can. Use those strategic thinking and analytical skills to add some value to what EcoWorks is trying to do around the city. And on that note, now I know you call yourself being Detroit born-and-raised and all, but actually make an effort to explore this new city, because as you’ll come to see, Detroit has gone through some major changes, especially throughout Midtown.

My expectations for you over the next 10 weeks summer are to make tons of new friends (both inside and outside the office), and most importantly, learn as much as you possibly can about ways to improve Detroit through nonprofit work. You’re really lucky to be set up in an apartment with other interns from MICHIGAN; those of whom you’ll not only have a lot in common with from your Ann Arbor experiences, but also have a lot to learn from as well. Take every opportunity you get to leave your room and socialize. Make sure to be social at the office too, though. I’m sure you’ll have really nice people there, so don’t limit yourself to only making friends at the apartment. Friends you make at the office might turn out to be networking partners in the future, so make the effort. You’re gonna be surrounded by a lot of people who really care about improving Detroit, a sentiment I know you share, so use every opportunity to learn how they’re going about it and pick up some pointers over the summer.

While doing research for EcoWorks over the next 10 weeks, be sure to contribute in a big way. You’re from the city, so use your experience to give coworkers a first-hand account of what life is like growing up there. Being a Detroiter is something unique and special, and I’m sure your coworkers–at least those who weren’t lucky enough to grow up there–would appreciate your perspective and opinion on what’s been going on in the city over the last few years. You’ve witnessed first hand the pros and cons of how Detroit has been affected by this recent interest to “revitalize” the city, and I think that  you should use those observations to make sure that your intern organization doesn’t unknowingly reproduce any of those cons. While I’m sure you’ll agree that all these efforts to make Detroit better have been in good spirit and have actually made the city a beautiful place, you’ll also agree that those efforts have made the city seem foreign to even those who’ve been there their entire lives. I believe that a comeback for Detroit is definitely possible, but in order for it to be done the right way, there must be input from life-long residents. This is what you can contribute to your internship at EcoWorks. All in all, just make sure you make the most out of your experience working and living in Midtown Detroit this summer, and make me proud, Erin!