Paul listening to the concerns of a local business owner.
Michigan has reached a tipping point with the unemployment situation. Towns large and small all over the state are slowly being torn apart as our citizens are relocating to other states.
As part of this problem, we are losing our all stars. Michigan ranks at the bottom in retaining those with college degrees. This hits Paul close to home as one by one his friends and family are leaving the state for a better standard of living.
Below are a few of the many faces and stories of former Michigan residents forced to leave the area for better opportunities.
Sounds like you? Send your story and a photo to info@votepaulscott.com for consideration to be published.
Joe Chesley
Grand Blanc High, '01 (Varsity Hockey)
Michigan State University, '05 (BA: Supply Chain Mgmt.)
Occupation: Supply Chain Manager; Knight Transportation
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Why did Joe leave Michigan?
"Job. I could not find a job in Michigan. Indianapolis is fairly close -- so I took a job there."
Would Joe consider moving back to Michigan?
"Yes. I am currently looking for a job in Michigan. I have family here and a girlfriend."
Martin Duso
Grand Blanc High, '00 (Varsity Football and Basketball)
Davenport University '05 (BA: Finance)
Occupation: Store Manager; AT&T Mobility
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Why did Martin leave Michigan?
"The company I worked for at the time was expanding to Virginia in a town that was filled with opportunity. I felt that Michigan would not be the place I would be able to start a career or continue what I had started with AT&T. To this day it seems to be the best choice I ever made. I'm the youngest store manager in Norfolk/Virginia Beach area and my career is on track. I sometimes wonder where I would be if I had never moved."
Would Martin consider moving back to Michigan?
"Absolutely. If I could have the success I am having here back in Michigan I would do it in a heartbeat."
Michael MacVay
Grand Blanc High, '99 (Varsity Tennis)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '03 (BA: English, Political Science)
University of Texas - Austin, '07 (Masters: Public Policy)
Occupation: Policy Consultant
Location: Austin, Texas
Why did Michael leave Michigan?
"I left Michigan for job opportunities and to attend graduate school."
Would Michael consider moving back to Michigan?
"Not at the present time. Lots of things would have to change. The job situation is bad. Not a lot of things to entice someone in their 20s and 30s to live in Michigan. It is just not a place to start a life."
Kevin Williams
Grand Blanc High, '00 (Varsity Football and Baseball)
Abilene Christian University, '04 (BA: Christian Ministry)
Abilene Christian University, '08 (Masters: Divinity)
Occupation: Minister
Location: Lancaster, California
Why did Kevin leave Michigan? "I left Michigan to go to college with the hope that I would find a job in Michigan following graduation. After graduation, I looked around Michigan but found better opportunities in California."
Would Kevin consider moving back to Michigan?
"Yes, my family still lives in Michigan and it would be great to be back in the Midwest."
Jeff Chang
Grand Blanc High, '99 (Football, Swimming, Skiing and Tennis)
Michigan State University, '03 (BA: James Madison College - International Relations)
Case Western Reserve University Law School, '06
Occupation: Lawyer
Location: Boston, MA
Why did Jeff leave Michigan?
"I left Michigan because I did not feel as though there were many career opportunities available. Michigan law firms contacted me while I was in law school to discuss working for them after I graduated. However, I was not very interested because I just did not think that there was very much career growth potential, considering the state of the economy."
Would Jeff consider moving back to Michigan?
"I would consider coming back to Michigan. However, probably not until after I retire; unless, the State's economy and job market improve."
Hima Rao
Powers Catholic High, '00 (Varsity Tennis)
Boston University, '04 (BA: International Relations)
Occupation: Medical Student
Location: Missoula, Montana
Why did Hima leave Michigan?
"I wanted to attend college in a metropolitan area and Detroit doesn't have the same feel as most other major cities. The nearest college I applied to is in Chicago."
Would Hima consider moving back to Michigan?
"Having traveled to many parts of the country, I’ve found opportunities and ways of life that are more appealing elsewhere than what I’ve seen in Michigan. Many things would have to change before I could see myself coming back to Michigan for the long term."
Anita Leung
Hartland High, '01
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, '05 (BS: Aerospace Engineering)
Occupation: Aerospace Engineer; Northrop Grumman
Location: Los Angeles, California
Why did Anita leave Michigan?
"The job. There are little to no aerospace engineering jobs in Michigan."
Would Anita consider moving back to Michigan?
"Possibly, if there was a job opportunity that would enable me to grow my career. I grew up there an consider it home. Frankly, Michigan has afordable housing (especially compared to California) and is a great place to raise a family."
Jessica Keefe
Okemos High, '00
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '04 (BS: Biomedical Engineering, Political Science)
University of Pennsylvania Law School, '07 (Juris Doctor)
Harvard University, '08 (Masters: Education Policy)
Occupation: Graduate Student
Location: Washington, DC
Why did you leave Michigan?
"I left Michigan in large part to see what life was like in other areas of the country and the world. I also wanted to attend graduate schools that were located out of state."
Would you consider moving back to Michigan?
"When I'm ready to leave DC, I know I will consider moving back to Michigan. For me, working on education reform in Detroit, which has the lowest graduation rate in the country, would be a challenging and inspiring job. I love the wilderness and beaches, the sense of community and the friendly people in Michigan. However, there are real deterrents. Having a major city with a livable, viable downtown area is important to me, a major city where I'd feel safe and happy raising children. Also important are quality employment options for my significant other, who is less partial to reform work. For now, I'm left to hope that one day I'll be able to afford a vacation house or to retire somewhere in the state - which probably means it'll be a long time before I have an address again in Michigan."
Laura Lightbody
Lahser High School, '01 (Varsity Soccer & Student Government)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '05 (BA: History, Spanish)
Occupation: Communications Consultant; Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Assoc.
Location: Washington, DC
Why did Laura leave Michigan?
"Jobs and lack of city lifestyle. I wanted to work in public affairs and Michigan just doesn't have as many opportunities in this field as other cities. In addition, 50% of the reason I chose Washington, DC was for the city living. I walk to work, don't own a car, get my groceries 2 blocks away, and have a neighborhood coffee shop. I don't know many places in Michigan where such a lifestyle is possible."
Would Laura consider moving back to Michigan?
"Yes. My family lives in Bloomfield Hills. I would love to be closer to them. If Michigan offered a more urbanized environment and more employment opportunities outside of the auto industry, I would definitely consider it."
Marc Zawislak
Troy High, '01 (Varsity Soccer)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '05 (BS: Mechanical Engineering)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '06 (Masters: Mechanical Engineering)
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer; Boeing
Location: Seattle, Washington
Why did Marc leave Michigan?
"I've been thinking about [...] the real reason in which I left... I think in general there were not any companies and locations that fit my interests. After living in Peoria, Illinois for a summer I decided I had wanted to live in a big city so really only considered jobs around Detroit in Michigan. I found pretty much all the major engineering jobs around Detroit were involved in the automobile industry, which is an industry I am not really interested in working for. [...] I feel like if the jobs were more diversified around Detroit that would keep more of the engineers around Michigan. For example, I don't think there are any aerospace engineering jobs available in the whole state.. In addition, what [Laura] says about living in an urban setting is very true also."
Would Marc consider moving back to Michigan?
"As of right now, currently not. The standard of living is alot less expensive in Michigan than on the West Coast, however there just aren't many jobs that I am interested in the area. I have around 10 friends [...] who all grew up in Michigan and went to UofM that have moved out [to Seattle.]"
Scott Schlimmer
Would Scott consider moving back to Michigan?
Shen Liu
Huron High, '01
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, '05; (BS: Computer Engineering, Economics)
Occupation: Systems Engineer; Boeing
Location: Seattle, Washington
Why did Shen leave Michigan?
"My current job led me to leave Michigan. I had family members in the automotive industry who advised me to start my career elsewhere. As a result, I came to Seattle, which happens to be a great city with many opportunities for technologists and engineers such as myself."
Would Shen consider moving back to Michigan?
"If the auto industry were to miraculously flourish, I would consider going back. If downtown Detroit improved its reputation, and also created more job opportunities, I would consider going back. Housing is more affordable in Michigan, which is attractive ... but not right now with a tanking housing market. Within this next year, as I consider MBA programs, The University of Michigan is still at the top of my list. I would go back to Michigan to be closer to my family, but that cannot happen at the expense of leaving this job."
Ryan Gall
