Lansing seeks to retain more grads with punch-card program

In an attempt to reach out to young professionals in Lansing, Mayor Virg Bernero announced Tuesday the creation of Punch Into Lansing, a promotion aimed at connecting young people interning and working in the city with local businesses and events.

The promotion is part of Lansing’s Linking Lansing & U program. As part of the promotion, free punch cards are distributed to employers who then give them to their employees and interns. Punches can be collected by visiting six different participating business and events featured every month from June to August. A Punch Card Party will be held at a different location every month. There, completed punch cards can be entered into a raffle to win various prizes such as gift certificates and concert tickets.

Andrea Ragan, director of Linking Lansing & U, said the program is meant to help introduce young people to the different aspects of Lansing.

“We want to get the message out there that there is fun stuff to do in the Lansing area,” Ragan said.

The goal of the program is not only to highlight entertainment options, but to help present Lansing as a future home or workplace, Ragan said. The program hopes to reach 500 students working and interning in Lansing, she said.

“It’s a long-term retention effort,” Ragan said. “We want to make sure we’re rolling out the red carpet for students.”

Jessica Decker, owner of Decker’s Coffee, 220 S. Washington Square, in Lansing, said her business is participating in the punch-card program to promote her business as well as her city.

“Of course we want these young people to know that there is a really great community in Lansing and it’s great to be part of it,” Decker said. “Staying in Michigan is really important and we want these young people to be involved with us downtown and our community efforts with everything down here.”

Decker said she chose to stay in Lansing and by starting her business two years ago, she created seven jobs.

Nathan Shevick, a 23-year-old intern for the Department of Management and Budget and MSU alumnus, said he thinks the program is a good idea so long as it is convenient.

“I would be interested enough to where if I was in one of those places I definitely would get a punch,” Shevick said, “I wouldn’t say I’d go out of my way to get a punch, but I definitely think it’d be helpful to have businesses allowing that and to give you the option.”

The first Punch Card Party will be held at the Harem Urban Lounge, 414 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing, July 1. More information about the program is available by contacting the Lansing Economic Development Corporation.

Meredith Skrzypczak contributed to this report.