Open Letter to Graduating College Students: Stay Here in Pittsburgh

Dear Graduate,

First, let us say we salute you. As you graduate from college, you have much to be proud of. And can we just say we are so pleased you chose to get your degree here? Thanks for that. But now we have another request of you.

As you greet your post-graduate future, full of promise however misleading that may sometimes be, can you consider making a life for yourself here in Pittsburgh?

You've probably heard by now but Pittsburgh is pretty hot. From robotics (the only place in the world to snag a doctorate in this field) to outdoor rec, (kayaking three rivers, biking on riverfront trails and hiking in first class urban parks) we've evolved into a place known for its post industrial chicness. With our rich architecture, unique topography, and more bridges than you can count, this city's got a certain European flair.

Of course there are all those sports teams and the ferocious energy behind them.  (Go Pens, a team that has, by the way, marketed with great success to your very demo).

 But there's also that torrent of publicity and attention we got regarding our impressive transformation from hosting the G-20 last year (perhaps you were somehow a part of that and if so, we hope you got off light).  And there's a long list of rankings that deem us special, in case we need affirmation and let's face it, who doesn't every now and then?

 In a Huffington Post ranking two weeks ago, Pittsburgh ranked Number Two on the Best  Cities for College Graduates. And just last week we were dubbed Most Livable City by Forbes magazine. (Third time in case you're counting out there.) One of our personal favorites is Top City for Geeks, where we're ranked #7 by Wired magazine. We're on so many lists now that we strongly expect to be  named America's Most Ranked City any day now. (To read a more complete list of lists, read this.)

One reason we ride high on these lists: we're loaded with arts and cultural events, quite a few at no cost. Have you been to the Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl downtown on a Friday night? Free, and packed with people your age.

On any given night there are more than one or two or three things to do.  Trust us on this. Our heads swim trying to narrow down the selections in our Pop Filter guide with only six to feature each week. And unlike bigger cities, here it is possible to buy a last minute ticket and attend any number of performances or events easily. We're accessible. Affordable. And …alliterative.

Not long ago, before the economy cratered and tea parties were associated with crumpets, studies showed that college grads were bucking an age-old trend by choosing the city first and then the job.  We're thinking that jobs rank a bit higher on your list these days so therefore we offer you this: 20,000 of them here in this region, found on this easy to navigate website called www.imaginemynewjob.com.

Plug in your criterion and a spider search finds all the relevant jobs in the Pittsburgh region. Give it a go and while you're at it, forward the link to others who might find it helpful. That wasn't a typo: 20,000 jobs.  They're not all entry-level, but isn't it good to know there's depth on that bench and more opportunities await with experience?

Other cities will say they want you and we're sure they do, to some extent. But no one wants you more than we do. Why? You're already a part of us, for one. And we know a lot of success stories spawned from the university from which you are graduating. Carnegie Mellon grad Nathan Martin from deeplocal is one of our brightest stars. We have a long list of entrepreneurial types who launched start-ups--and a support network so you get help joining that group. And as you well know by now, we have a strong university presence with a huge population of college students and yes, we ranked high on the list of top college towns, too.

If you want a  move-in city with a good lifestyle, you might consider Portland which, as cities go, has got a lot figured out. If you can afford it now. Pittsburgh is more of a work in progress, that gem of a fixer- upper with good bones and a lot of potential that will reap more satisfaction than, say, moving into a furnished modern place of someone else's design. Well, for some at least. Perhaps you. Think of us as a stock you buy on the rise instead of at the top--and you know the danger in that.

In Pittsburgh we have issues to work on. Remember that pesky tuition tax floated earlier this year? Thanks for your help on knocking that down. We already know that some of you are the roll up your civic sleeves type of person who loves a fight.

For those others, If you like a challenge and getting involved to affect change, this is the place for you.So aside from our many wonderful and walkable and authentic neighborhoods that drip with charm and history (the Strip, South Side, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside --and those are just the S-neighborhoods) with their sidewalks and leafy trees and sweet coffee shops and reasonable housing, we offer you another kind of opportunity:  to grab hold of an issue, connect with others who are working on it and make a difference.

If there's one thing that's easy to do here, it's making an impact. Our Pop City videographer, Ben Hernstrom, put it this way: a city like New York doesn't care if you end up there.  Pittsburgh will try harder to get you here and keep you here. He, for one, likes that in a city.  (Note to Ben: Congrats on just being named the 2010 Video Artist of the Year! Story here.)

Have we mentioned the art scene is richer here than in Portland? The gaming industry (check out the Entertainment Technology Center) is giving Austin a run for its money. And the Eds and Meds sector for which we are well-known, is hot on Boston's trail. And no other region in the country has the unique set of assets to become the diverse energy center we're fast becoming.

One of the best things about this region is the diversity in jobs. It's one of the reasons we've fared better than most cities in this recession.At a recent conference of CEOs for Cities, a gathering of people across the country working hard to improve their cities, an urban affairs expert from Europe was asked which American cities had done a good job of branding. His reply? Pittsburgh.  "It's the only city that has really been transformed," he said, adding that it has also done a really great job of getting the message out.

Here's that jobs website again. And in the neighborhood directories of Pop City you'll find lots of places to live.  And check Pop Filter for events every week.  Each week we profile the people and places advancing this region. From the looks of it, they're doing a helluva job. Won't you join them?  

Sincerely,

Your BFFs in Pittsburgh
 
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This letter was inspired by an innovative campaign by the Mayor's office and the URA and local colleges to keep graduating seniors in Pittsburgh. To read about the campaign, click here.

Tracy Certo is publisher and editor of Pop City. She is accustomed to hearing on a daily basis how much people love Pittsburgh. And no, she never gets tired of it.

Photographs of cool people (Nathan Martin; Ben Hernstrom) and cool stuff copyright Brian Cohen