Lo Castro's Lowdown: Getting the Lowdown on the perfect starter city

Jenna Lo Castro

Lo Castro expresses her feelings about Cleveland...It's pros and cons

One thing is for certain. Northeast Ohio is a hotbed of public and private universities. The area is successful at enticing prospective students from near and far, convincing them to attain their post-secondary education near a big city like Cleveland.

And I have no trouble understanding why young men and women choose schools like John Carroll, Case Western or Baldwin-Wallace.

But here’s where I feel the city stops doing its job. Retention, or lack thereof, is a problem. According to research done by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, an estimated 35 percent of Ohio students relocate to another state after graduation.

Cleveland just seems to chew young men and women up and spit them out into better thriving cities. On several occasions I’ve heard Cleveland dubbed as a “starter city” among college students.
So then, what’s the attraction that gets people here in the first place? Going to college in a large city has its perks—socially and educationally.

Culture and entertainment are more prominent. Larger companies situated in the region provide direct networking opportunities—interning, start-up jobs and a sneak peak into the potential fruits of a more economically stable city.

College students are more conscious than ever about their abilities to not just find a stable income after college, but also a company that provides health benefits, long-term perks and the ability to move up.
Because that’s what all of us really want out of a career when it comes down to it—the ability to work hard and move up on the corporate ladder of success.

Economic growth is imperative and the fact that the poverty rate of Cleveland is one of the highest in the country doesn’t really sound enticing to young professionals.

Young people are drawn to booming communities where there is ample entertainment, culture and little worry about being able to start a family because of economic paralysis.
On several occasions, people have asked me what I like better, Pittsburgh or Cleveland. And almost instantaneously I reply with “Pittsburgh.”

Not because I’ve pledged hometown loyalty to Primanti’s sandwiches and the Stillers, but because, although I found Cleveland to be conducive to my college experience, I don’t really see myself growing up, getting a job, raising a family and dying here.

The weather alone has propelled me to want to move. OK, maybe that’s pushing it, but look at Drew Carey. The guy went to Kent State University, realized he could never be the host of “The Price is Right” by staying in Cleveland, and packed his bags for the West Coast.

I’m sure Kent did a great job of preparing Mr. Carey for his future endeavors–hence his success now. But this is pure representation of how much behind you have to bust in this city to make it.
Cleveland is a great city. I’ll be the first to admit that. But the city needs to develop a more aggressive approach to things plaguing communities, namely poverty and violence (which coincidentally, go hand–in–hand with one another).

Young people just seem to use, abuse, then throw away the city’s offerings.