Detroit guest speakers inform students of Detroit’s ‘rebound’

Residents and professionals of Detroit sparked the college audience’s interest about the rebound of the city.

About 80 students and young professionals attended "LiveWorkDetroit!" in the Powers Hall ballroom Tuesday. The event featured two guest speakers who spoke about the rejuvenation of Detroit.

Richard Peresky, a public service professional and resident of Detroit, spoke about the city’s growth since he moved into a downtown condominium in 2005.

“Detroit is on the rebound,” Peresky said. “That’s one of the biggest things to take from this experience.”

Jeanette Pierce, director of community relations and founder of D:hive, a non-profit organization that gives tourists an in-depth look at Detroit, talked about the cultural and social aspects of the city, and stories of how some residents have helped shaped the city’s rejuvenation.

Pierce said it’s a person’s own fault if they’re bored because of the various events hosted in the city. She added that the three major sports teams in Detroit, the Tigers, Lions and Red Wings, all generate revenue for downtown commerce and are in walking distance of each other.

“There’s not many places in the country with three major teams within blocks of each other,” Pierce said.

"LiveWorkDetroit!," in its first year traveling to college campuses, has helped CMU students gain networking and internship experience in Detroit.

Ian McCain, a St. Clair Shores sophomore and student amabassador of the "LiveWorkDetroit!" organization, talked about his positive experience with it. He credits the organization for his success with a recent internship at Quicken Loans.

“I don’t think I would have gotten the internship without the help of (the) "LiveWorkDetroit!" organization,” McCain said.

The growth of Detroit has made some young professionals more optimistic about their chances of finding a stable job post-graduation. One audience member, Samantha Kidd, found the event interesting and informative.

“I thought it was interesting,” the Warren freshman said.

Kidd said the speakers inspired her to explore the opportunities Detroit has to offer. She was surprised to hear Pierce mention places in Detroit she’d never heard of, despite being from the area.

Pierce said the large community support in Detroit has been an important factor in the prospering of businesses and morale.

“Detroit is big enough to matter in the world, but small enough where you can matter in it,” Pierce said.