Alex and Sam both grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Ohio State University. Alex graduated with a degree in chemical engineering, and Sam with a degree in public affairs journalism, from Ohio State in 2021. After graduation, Alex had secured a job offer with Regeneron, and Sam didn’t have a job, so she tagged along.
Building Careers in CapNY
After moving to downtown Troy in late May 2021, Sam worked at a local paper in Hudson/Catskill before being hired at the Albany Business Review. Alex works at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where he is a Lead Investigation Specialist. Sam is a reporter covering tech/inno, cannabis and restaurants at the Albany Business Review, the region’s business news publication.
What has been your favorite part of moving to this region? Why do you love living here?
We’ve both been taken by the history of the area — we moved to Troy without ever having visited, and we only knew that the city had a historical element. The week we moved in, The Gilded Age was filming. It was a very exciting introduction to our new city.
You’ll often find us eating at Bacchus Wood-Fired on 2nd Street in Troy. Not only is it our neighbor, but the pizza and wings are amazing. We love sitting outside in the summer. It’s the best neighborhood spot — Sam even had her birthday dinner there.
We’ve loved the variety of things to do — both indoor and outdoor activities are abundant. We’ve gotten involved in our community garden, taken up hiking and Sam is learning how to ski. We can’t wait to explore the Adirondacks more. The Troy Farmers Market is unparalleled. There’s always something going on, and you get the chance to choose “your vibe” depending on which of the CapNY cities you visit.
Exploring swimming holes/lakes in the summer has been really fun. We love Cherry Plain State Park. That said, all of the areas state parks are fun. Also — train travel! We’ve become the biggest Amtrak fans. It’s so easy to visit NYC for the day, and we can even take the train home to Cleveland. It’s such a game changer (Ohio, take notes. We needed this traveling between Cleveland and Columbus in college).
How have you been able to make friends & connections in the region as transplants?
We say that people in upstate New York are nicer than people in the Midwest, and that’s felt true since the beginning. As soon as our moving truck pulled up, neighbors were introducing themselves to us. Sam’s made friends through work and through apps like Bumble BFF. From there, it’s been friend of a friend connections. Alex has taken part in community events like Collar City Clean Up, and the community garden through Capital Roots has also been helpful. We are always looking for new ways to connect with others! Next up might be hiking groups.
Why is CapNY a great place for young people to live and work?
The region’s downtowns are going through a renaissance powered by young, creative people. Not only is it inspiring, but it makes CapNY a great place to live, work and play. There are a lot of people and industries that believe in the area and are investing in it. It’s the perfect mix of an urban feel and an outdoors-y community. Whatever you’re in the mood for that day, it’s available.
With the above in mind, it’s a good place to explore who you really are. If we had never moved from Ohio to a place with this kind of variety, Sam might’ve never come to love being outside so much. Growing up, Sam’s dream was to move to New York City. Now, being city-adjacent, she’s come to realize that wasn’t the best future for her. Upstate feels like it’s got everything we need.
What’s something you haven’t done yet but are looking forward to doing here?
Getting Sam into skiing! I (Alex) have been skiing for years, but the skiing is better here. Maple Ridge is the perfect place for anyone to learn to ski or snowboard.
And camping! Before moving upstate, if Sam had told anyone that she was camping (or hiking, for that matter), it was code for she was in some sort of danger. Now, all she wants to do is be outside. We can’t wait to see which campgrounds are our favorites.