Beyond the Skyline: Finding Community in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

This blog was written by Preston Simon, who recently completed his sophomore year at the University of Cincinnati as a finance and business economics major. Through his internship experiences and involvement in the community, Preston has gained a unique perspective on what makes the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region such a powerful place for young professionals to launch their careers, which he has shared at several Cincinnati Regional Chamber events. His story offers an authentic look at how meaningful experiences outside the classroom can transform the way students view our region — not just as a place to attend school, but as a place to build a future.

When I first arrived in Cincinnati… I honestly hated it.

I saw it as an old, run-down city that I could never picture myself living in long term. Compared to places like Chicago or New York, Cincinnati felt small, and I viewed it as a temporary stop where I would just go to school and eventually leave. I had no idea how connected and opportunity-driven the area really was.

Preston Simon just finished his sophomore year at the University of Cincinnati.

At the beginning of my time at the University of Cincinnati, I felt very stuck inside the “UC bubble”. Campus felt disconnected from the rest of the city, and it almost seemed like there was an invisible line between the university and downtown Cincinnati. To me, Cincinnati was one world and UC was another.

The same was true with Northern Kentucky. I think a lot of students see the big yellow bridge separating Cincinnati from Covington and Newport as a divider instead of a connection. Because of that, I never truly felt like I was living in Cincinnati, I just felt like I was attending school here. That completely changed through my internship experiences and spending more time in the community.

Once I got off campus and started attending different events, I began meeting professionals, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and other people throughout the region. It made me realize Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky were much more than I had originally given them credit for. What makes this region special is the community behind it. It has the energy and opportunity of a growing city, yet it still feels so personal. People are willing to give you their time. They remember your name. They genuinely want to help you succeed.

In larger cities, it can be easy to feel like one of thousands of people fighting for attention. In Cincinnati, I feel like people genuinely want to invest in me. Relationships do not feel transactional. People actually care, not just about my career, but me as a person.

That shift completely changed how I viewed the region.

Now, I see Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as places where I could genuinely build a career and a life. The accessibility to professionals, the strong business community, the growth opportunities, and the ability to make an impact at a young age are things that really excite me every day.

What especially stands out to me about Northern Kentucky is the balance it offers. You can have the affordability and close-knit community feel of a small town while being just minutes away from a city filled with opportunity.

The bridge that once felt like a divider now feels like a pathway. To me, it represents balance and the ability to build both a meaningful career and a meaningful life. I also believe there is a huge opportunity for this region to continue attracting and retaining young talent, especially students graduating from local universities.

From my perspective, students stay where they feel connected. Companies that invest in mentorship, exposure, responsibility, and community will stand out far more than companies that simply offer an internship experience focused only on work output.

Students want to feel valued and to feel like they matter beyond being temporary interns. The companies that will win long-term are the ones that introduce students to local leaders, help us build relationships, encourage us to explore the city, and create mentorship opportunities that continue beyond a single semester.

At the end of the day, investing in students is really investing in the future of the region itself. When young people feel personally invested in by both the community and the companies around them, they are far more likely to stay, grow, and eventually give back to the same region that invested in them first.