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(stay or go, cont.) Even though Cox was eventually able to find a job that suited her post-graduation needs, she is open to considering moving away from Madison and even out of state if the perfect opportunity arises. “Once I learn everything I can from my current position, I can move on to something bigger and better,” Cox said. “If I leave my current job, I’d be open to move somewhere else where the publishing industry is stronger.” Some young professionals like Cox choose to work with the job market and tough it out until they find the perfect job or at least something suitable for the time being. Unlike Cox, Daniel Guerra chose not to let the job market dictate his future. He founded his own company. This 22-year-old Madisonian broke into the technology industry when he founded Argus Innovations three years ago, when he was 18 years old. “I’ve found that Wisconsin provides a tremendous amount of opportunities,” Guerra said. He loves that Madison has a relatively small town feel even though it has a population of more than 200,000 people. Guerra also said he was attracted to the business-friendly climate, skilled labor force and long-term economic development, which he hopes will keep clients and jobs here. Guerra’s company is focusing on Madison and Milwaukee because the business populations of these two cities are dense enough to sustain enough clients for Argus Innovations. “We have fortune 500 companies here – all big players and they provide a ton of opportunities,” Guerra said. “Madison is going through a tremendous surge in economic development which is advantageous to being here.” Despite the four Wisconsinites that I found who avoided the brain drain, not all Wisconsin natives choose to stick around after they graduate from college or even after high school. Linda Tonge once put her Wisconsin roots behind her back in the 1970s to follow many young girls’ dreams, to be a fashion model in New York. Tonge, who was once a top-10 model, closed the door on modeling when she moved back to Wisconsin 15 years ago to care for her aging mother and to raise four sons in the Midwest. “I wanted my kids to have a good sense of Midwestern values that I grew up knowing,” Tonge said. Moving back to the town where she grew up meant she had to find a new career. She pursued real estate after some prodding by many different people. Tonge showed that she was able to adapt and change careers with ease, going from a top-ten model to the number one realtor in her company. In the end, Tonge made it back to her hometown, but some people don’t ever intend to return. Ryan Tobiasz, a 25-year-old student pursuing his PhD in clinical psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology said he will return to visit but will make his home outside Wisconsin. “I grew up in Wisconsin my whole life, and I wanted to get out,” Tobiasz said. “I wanted to be in a big metropolitan city.” After he graduates, Tobiasz plans on staying in Chicago or another large city. The smaller towns and suburban areas of Wisconsin are not ideal spots for Tobiasz to find clients in forensic pathology. “The clientele and population that I want to work with are in big cities, not in suburban areas,” Tobiasz said. However, Tobiasz does not have any animosity toward Wisconsin. “I have Wisconsin apparel everywhere,” Tobiasz said. “I’m a Wisconsin boy at heart. I needed a change so that’s why I’m where I am now.” Despite my efforts to crack the code to the brain drain, I found no single solution, no clue to tell me where I will land. There was no common thread between the individuals I interviewed. Each had specific and personal reasons for staying or leaving. Some people just needed to break free and to find new experiences, and others stayed because they truly enjoy living in Wisconsin. My investigation has led me to believe that my connection with my family and heritage may keep me in Wisconsin, but a unique career opportunity could cause me to take the plunge and get sucked into the brain drain.
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