Downtown Rebound: Place Yourself Where you can Grow

I’m not sure anyone prepares you for the “real world” challenges you face in your early 20’s, an age when my peers and I graduated from college and began our careers. You’ve got to get out there and live it. I’ve always been a believer in the idea that you do not grow unless you are uncomfortable, and the truth is I achieved a considerable amount of personal growth between the ages of 19 and 22.

I lived in Downtown Wilkes-Barre for the duration of those years and graduated from King’s College in May 2021. King’s provided me with a top-tier education, as well as the opportunity to make life-long friends and meet my significant other. Being in the heart of Downtown Wilkes-Barre for my college experience was unique, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Center city was within walking distance of my apartment, and when I was tired of eating dining hall food, a wide variety of dining options awaited just a few minutes away. As I ventured downtown more often, I was surprised by all of the things to do. Some of my peers decided to kickstart their careers in major cities, such as New York City or Philadelphia, but I found great value here in the place that gave me the necessary skills to learn, grow and excel.

Fortunately, my appreciation for Downtown Wilkes-Barre transitioned into a career that provides me with a tremendous sense of fulfillment and the task of promoting the downtown to the wider community. I’m thrilled to serve as Marketing and Event Coordinator for Diamond City Partership (DCP) with my office located on Public Square. I am faced every day with exciting opportunities to meet business leaders and restaurant owners in Downtown Wilkes-Barre and help them with marketing and promoting their businesses.

While many of these businesses are tackling major challenges due to the pandemic, including a decrease in downtown worker traffic as many employees continue to work from home, they think creatively to rise from the ashes and tackle everything that comes their way. I am inspired by connecting with these people and seeing firsthand their strength and resilience.

I also have a newfound appreciation for strong, fresh brewed coffee thanks to Abide and Pour Coffee Houses. I soon came to learn there are other things to appreciate in Downtown Wilkes-Barre besides the awesome bars I found during my undergraduate years.

I want students to have the same positive experience I did for my college years. I’ve always enjoyed working with students because I can relate to them on many levels. When I learned I would be directing the College Ambassador Program at DCP, my mind didn’t stop trying to come up with different ideas. College Ambassadors gain experience by teaming with DCP staff and working to promote downtown businesses.

The pandemic caused everyone to rely even more on technology and computer or smart phone screens to communicate, and I believe this can be detrimental to obtaining important social skills. I knew I had to get these students out and about, communicating face-to-face with these owners and employees to see how we could help. The ambassador program, created by Medina Saeed, had a solid framework and mission that allowed me to build upon and expand. Our interns are determined to leave a generational footprint on the downtown in a positive way. They want to see their college town flourish and be a place where they can make memories. I applaud them on the work that has been done and the work they continue to do.

Diamond City Partnership continues to work diligently on improving Downtown Wilkes-Barre. Vitality is more important now than ever, and this team is driven to bring that energy to the well-deserving business and restaurant owners. I hope the downtown will continue to be a place where people grow. Whether that growth is professionally or personally, it is a definite and positive step in the right direction.