Detroit Positive: Rethinking education in an urban setting

Karen Miller and her sister Robin Marchio embody Detroit's positivity.

The two sisters are from a family of seven girls Miller is the third oldest and Marchio is the youngest. Their family has a deep love for the city and an even deeper appreciation for Wayne State University.

The sisters, who are 11 years apart, are from Redford Township, but Detroit has always been part of their lives.

"We always came down to Detroit," Miller said. "We shopped in Detroit and went to the movies down here. I just loved it."

For Miller and Marchio, Detroit was a place full of happy times; a place where family gathered, memories were made and life happened. And nestled in the background of all the activity was Wayne State University.

Attending Wayne State became a family affair for Miller and Marchio. It started with their oldest sister, but Miller solidified the tradition.

"My oldest sister went to Wayne State for one year before stopping out. My second sister instead chose to go straight into the workforce at Michigan Bell," Miller said. "I was third, and I wanted a degree."

Miller, who had the option to attend other schools, chose to attend Wayne State. For her, the university was simply the right choice.

"With seven girls, one father who worked and a stay-at-home mother, Wayne State was easily the most affordable university." Miller said. But affordability wasn't the only reason why Wayne State was the right choice. Miller wanted to stay close to home and WSU made it possible to do that.

There is no doubt that WSU offers a vibrant urban experience to its students. Located in Midtown Detroit, the area teems with diversity and plenty of culture and entertainment. But Wayne State also offers academic excellence. These two qualities are what drew Miller's husband, Michael, to WSU.

"I was fascinated by Monteith College," Michael Miller said. "It was avant-garde and they had an integrated, holistic curriculum."

Monteith was a liberal arts college within Wayne State during the 1960s. It was an experimental program that lasted several years but eventually closed due to budget cuts. Michael Miller graduated from Monteith in 1970 with a B.A. in history a decision he never regretted.

"I had the opportunity to go to the University of Michigan and other places," he said. "But I liked the notion of going to Monteith."

Eventually, Michael met Karen there, and the two were married shortly after graduation.

For Marchio, WSU also offered a blend of academic excellence and urban appeal. She experienced both during her time as an undergrad pursuing a degree in therapeutic recreation and later when she returned to WSU to complete a second degree: a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Marchio attended Wayne State with two of her other sisters, and looks back fondly on some of her favorite pastimes as a student and member of the community.

Don't be afraid to explore the city and all it has to offer. Really embrace it.

"When we had a big break, we loved to walk down to the Fisher Building and eat and shop," she said. "Because we worked as student assistants, we would meet people and go out to lunch. We would walk downtown to Hudson's to see their phenomenal Christmas displays."

After graduating from WSU with her B.A. in recreational therapy, Marchio decided she wanted to be a nurse. The program at Wayne State, unlike any other at the time, brought her back to WSU.

"Henry Ford Hospital was partnering with Wayne State on an accelerated nursing program. Now these programs are everywhere, but back then Wayne State was the first in the state to offer it," she said. "I had some terrific instructors."

One piece of training Marchio remembers specifically was a module geared at teaching nurses to do thorough health history and physical exams on their patients. "The strength of that training taught me great assessment skills. That has served me well for the 20 odd years I have been a nurse and even now that I don't do bedside nursing," she said.

Karen Miller, Michael Miller and Robin Marchio all believe they received an excellent education at WSU. They are proud, appreciative and active in contributing to the university.

"If you're not good enough for Wayne, you're not good enough for us," Miller said jokingly.

"I would never not want to support Wayne State." Karen Miller said. "I would hate to see Wayne State not be around."

The proud alumni have some advice for current and future students:

"If you want an enriching experience, an urban setting is much more interesting," Michael Miller said.

"Don't be afraid to explore the city and all it has to offer," Marchio said. "Really embrace it. There is so much and so many different people, and I think that is what really makes Wayne State unique."