Two residents share the reasons they chose to stay and thrive in the region after graduation.
What makes the Madison Region a community that people want to stay and put down roots in after they graduate from college? Two locals detail what made them decide to live in Madison and the surrounding communities after graduation.
Genia Stevens: Loving Life in Beloit
Genia Stevens grew up in Georgia and enlisted in the Navy after graduating high school. Later, an acquaintance suggested she and her family check out Beloit, and they liked it so much they decided to stay. Stevens got degrees in English, creative writing and political science from Beloit College in 2000. Along with sitting on the County Board of Supervisors, she is the founder and executive director of Rock County Jumpstart, a nonprofit aimed at empowering Black and other minority entrepreneurs.
Are there particular groups or organizations that initially helped you plug into the community?
I joined several chambers in the Rock County area when I started building my business years ago. Today, the Beloit NAACP and the Concerned Black Citizens of Beloit are great organizations that help me stay connected to the communities that Rock County Jumpstart serves.
I wanted to find organizations that I wanted to feel attached to…