I have had such an amazing experience during the DCBRP! These ten weeks have gone by so fast, which has just become another reminder that school is quickly approaching. I could not have asked to be assigned to a better placement, Metro Matters was the best! From the project itself, to the staff, everything was more than I had envisioned.
When asked had my perception changed of Detroit during the exit interview, my answer was yes. Even though I live in Detroit, and have my whole life; I had never spent so much time in the midtown and downtown areas. I never planned to stay in Detroit after graduating, but after being in this program, and being immersed in the changes happening around the city, I have a different opinion. There is definitely a good chance of me coming back to work here after graduating.
I have been able to develop my knowledge of transportation over the past few weeks. This new knowledge has led me to making some changes towards my career path. When first beginning the program, I was pretty confident that I would go to grad school for architecture. Now, I am sure that I want to pursue a degree in urban planning.
Overall, I am so happy that I had the opportunity to participate in this program! I have met tons of new people, and can’t wait to see everyone back on campus!
That’s great that you now want to stay in Detroit. I find that fact that you “had never spent so much time in the midtown and downtown areas” interesting as most people who aren’t from the City only spend their time in those areas. To be honest, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t explore the outskirts of the City as much as I could have but fortunately Detroit is only a bus ride away from Ann Arbor!