WMU grad helps combat 'brain drain' with his social startup

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—After graduation, many young professionals migrate away from the comfort of their college town in search of a better quality of life or higher salary. For many, finding a community that meets their standards can be overwhelming.

This annual migration also causes hardship for the community. Studies show that college grads drive innovation and economic development, but many U.S. college towns struggle to retain their most talented college-educated workers.

Western Michigan University alumnus Christopher Sell is helping to solve both of these problems for the Lansing metropolitan area with his nonprofit social startup, Lansing 5:01. Lansing 5:01 focuses on attracting and retaining the best talent by creating and promoting a career-focused, thriving and  opportunity-rich environment in which recent college graduates can flourish.

WMU alumnus Christopher Sell is the founder and executive director of Lansing 5:01, a nonprofit social startup.

Sell and his co-workers coordinate unique events and career-focused initiatives that illustrate the best opportunities for living, working and playing in the Lansing area. Since Lansing 5:01 was founded in 2016, it has hosted more than 3,000 guests at its events, including college interns from 75 different colleges and universities across the globe, connecting some of the region's largest employers with eager young professionals. It also helps keep young talent in the area by highlighting the things that matter to them—the local arts scene, recreational opportunities, nightlife and urban living.

Sell's own success is a testament to the power of a dynamic and exploratory environment, which is exactly what he found when he was just starting out at WMU.

"I chose to attend Western Michigan because it felt like home from the first moment I set foot on campus," says the 2007 graduate of WMU's organizational communication and English programs.

"[It was] my laboratory for discovery. I learned so much about myself and the world around me. Attending WMU for my undergraduate studies was the best decision I could have ever made."

As founder and executive director of Lansing 5:01, Sell helps others find that same sense of belonging and community in hopes that it will strengthen the region long term.

"It still amazes me that what once started out as a volunteer passion project has turned into a formidable venture in our community," he says.

He encourages other aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap.

"Starting is often times the most difficult part," he says. "We fear failure, we fear rejection, and we tend to fear the unknown. We let fear of failure stop us from even starting."