Post By Becky Cunningham
Last Wednesday, I attended the Legislative Breakfast at Capital Area Michigan Works! The topic was attraction and retention of students to Lansing. I was thrilled to see that the community, as well as representatives from our capitol are actively branding this city as a place for ALL—families, retirees, entrepreneurs, young professionals and students. As one of several students at the breakfast, I remembered how I became part of the Lansing community—and why I love it.
I started my education at MSU in 2008, and with my roots an hour and a half away from me, I was intimidated to make connections and explore a new community. After a while, East Lansing seemed less foreign, I found my niche on campus and even inadvertently memorized each CATA Bus route. I had successfully transformed into a college student, but I was also looking to belong to a community outside of the university.
To me, downtown Lansing was still the place I visited in fifth grade on a class field trip—a place for working people, with just a capitol building and a museum. Why did I still have this impression? Why did Lansing seem so unapproachable? After sorting through all of the factors keeping students from exploring Lansing, It didn’t take me long to realize that most hold the perception that it is difficult for a student to find a niche in such a busy community. In my experience, all you need is a connection.
The experience was just what I needed to become acquainted with Lansing. Although the internship was only a semester, I learned so much and started making connections—connections with bright, enthusiastic and influential people in the Lansing community. These connections opened doors to events like Ignite Lansing and TEDx Lansing, where I experienced some of the most brilliant people in the community share ideas about everything from eating healthy to entrepreneurship and the social-economic power of Facebook.
Lansing also offers a more casual lifestyle, which I intend to take advantage of while I’m here for the summer. My roommate and I just planned a trip to Potter Park Zoo and a bike ride on the Lansing Riverwalk
from our apartment to downtown, so we can buy local fruit at the Lansing City Market. All of these amenities are so readily available—it’s only a matter of sharing what you know! Word of mouth is a powerful tool.
My internship with CAMW! ended in May, but my involvement in the Lansing community did not. A door was opened, and a new home was found. There is something for everyone in this city of ours, and I will encourage other students to taste what I have, so that I may be the connection to Lansing for someone else.
Becky Cunningham grew up in Ravenna, MI and is currently a junior at MSU studying Communication and Public Relations. You can also follow Becky on Twitter @BSC07.