Navigating college while working requires a flexible and convenient learning environment. For Vicky Rowinski, that was Baker College, which laid the groundwork for a successful career dedicated to community growth and economic transformation.
Today, Vicky serves as the Director of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. She oversees program areas that include community planning, economic development, data and mapping services, parks and natural resources, and marketing and communications. Her mission is to foster investments and elevate the quality of life for Michigan’s third-largest county.
Laying the Foundation at Baker College
When choosing where to pursue her bachelor’s degree, convenience and flexibility were at the top of her list. Having already completed coursework at Macomb Community College, she transferred to Baker College because it allowed her to stay in her hometown while taking evening classes so she could work during the day.
She enrolled in the Information Systems Management program, recognizing it as a credible path into a high-wage and in-demand field. Reflecting on her time at Baker, she credits the exceptional faculty as a major highlight. She says her favorite part of Baker College was learning from instructors who worked in the profession and could teach through that lens, providing real-world expertise and guidance.
The turning point in her educational journey came through a hands-on internship. She helped a local small business navigate the transition from their legacy software to a modern point-of-sale system. Seeing the tangible impact of her computer programming skills motivated her to finish her degree, and she landed a full-time position with an automotive supplier after graduating.
A Day in the Life of a Director
Vicky has been with the Department of Planning and Economic Development since 2013, following prior economic development roles with the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Macomb Regional APEX Accelerators.
In her current role as Director, each day brings something new. With the wide range of ongoing projects across the county, Vicky appreciates the strategic, forward-thinking nature of the position. On any given day, she meets with local business owners and community leaders, assists companies with facility location and development, and partners with them to build their future workforce. This impactful work certainly brings challenges. One of the most challenging aspects is working with land that has previous environmental issues and bringing it back into new uses for the community through cleanup and remediation.
While Vicky is no longer directly involved in the IT profession, the skills she learned from her information systems degree still come into play. Our economic development strategy is highly concentrated on emerging and high-tech industries and modern-day manufacturing processes, she explains. As technology gets adopted at a record pace, so is the need for talent to support these growing sectors.
Life Outside of the Office
Beyond her professional life, Vicky resides in Macomb County with her husband. The two of them are renovating a historic 1900s schoolhouse that they fondly call their forever project. She is a proud mother of two children who are now navigating their own college journeys, and a dog mom to an energetic farm dog named Stella.
Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation
Vicky’s journey from working student to county director has provided her with valuable insights for current students and recent graduates alike.
For current students, “Stick with it, even when it seems hard. You will look back at the challenges, whether it is time, costs, or other constraints, and realize the results are worth it.”
For new graduates, “Apply the tools you learned in your courses to all applications in your life and be adaptable to continuous learning. Technology is transforming the way business is done, and the job skills you know today will change rapidly in the future.”
For Vicky, earning her bachelor’s degree from Baker College was a major milestone that helped her grow in her career with Macomb County. She credits both this educational foundation and the skills she brought to the role for ultimately landing her dream job.
