UM-Flint College of Arts, Sciences & Education

We are taking a moment to celebrate our 2023 Maize and Blue Scholars. The award is presented to undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and embody intellectual maturity, depth, character, talent, and a commitment to serving the university and the community.

Chavella Garibay is one of the award recipients this semester so we asked her several important questions pertaining to her experiences on campus. Keep reading to learn more.

Q: Why did you choose to complete your grad/undergraduate studies at UM-Flint?

A: I choose UM-Flint because of their amazing on-line programs, which allows students the flexibility of attending school while balancing the demands of their personal and professional lives. 

Q: How did you pick your major and what were some driving factors?

A: I chose psychology because I found the topic fascinating. I took my first college level psychology course as an elective and switched my major the following semester. I want to help others push through their mental barriers and assist them with their growth into a new understanding of themselves and their behaviors. I would like to help impact the world with positive mental health, one goal at a time. 

Q: How do you think your education, classes and experiences helped you for life after graduation?

A: My education has only improved my experiences. As I continue my career in healthcare, my education has helped me relate to others, patients, families, and other medical professionals. I have continued to gain knowledge in both psychology and gerontology that has been helpful in my current role as a medical case coordinator, and within clinical settings in general, both now and in the future. 

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

I am currently looking into UM-Flint’s health care administration and management master’s programs and hope to continue to grow within my career field.  

Q: Do you have a favorite professor?

A: I do not. In complete sincerity, all of my professors have been fantastic here, at UM-Flint. I cannot give them the proper credit. I was constantly impressed with their knowledge and level of expertise. My psychology professors were especially thorough and engaged. I have spoken with many of them directly throughout my undergraduate program and they have been extremely helpful, regularly available when I needed them, and very supportive. However, I want to give a specific shoutout to both Hillary Heinze and Amanda Taylor, who have always made themselves available to help me, and gave that extra push of encouragement when I needed it.  

Q: What was your best or favorite college memory?

A: I always felt very accomplished at the end of every semester. Some have been harder than others, but recognizing how much I learned and reminding myself that I was that much closer to achieving my goals, have been some of my biggest motivations. Outside of academics, the last few years have included a lot of personal growth, which has only empowered me further to keep reaching for my goals.    

Q: How does it feel to be recognized as a Maize & Blue Scholar?

A: Winning this award has been very humbling, and I am honored to have been recognized. I have worked very hard the past few years for myself, but it is really nice to know that my efforts have been noticed by someone other than myself. It was very unexpected, and it has reinforced my sense of self-pride and self-esteem. I am extremely honored and proud to accept this award, and it feels fantastic. Thank you UM-Flint!

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give incoming freshmen?

A: Try everything!  Do not be afraid to fail. And remember to always be kind to yourself . Push yourself to be your best and accept it when you cannot. College is about learning, but not just academically. Absorb everything you can while you have the chance to. 

We are taking a moment to celebrate our 2023 Maize and Blue Scholars. The award is presented to undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and embody intellectual maturity, depth, character, talent, and a commitment to serving the university and the community.

We asked Ryan several important questions pertaining to his experiences on campus. Keep reading to learn more.

Q: Why did you choose to complete your grad/undergraduate studies at UM-Flint?

A: I knew that I wanted a University of Michigan degree, but as a non-traditional student I also knew that I wanted smaller class sizes that were diverse. Because I would be commuting to wherever I chose to go, the distance to school was an important factor. Fortunately, I discovered that I could have all of these things at UM-Flint and all within a reasonable commute. The classes were small, yet still diverse, with people from all different backgrounds and ages. It is for this reason that I have continued my education from undergraduate to graduate school at UM-Flint.

Q: How did you pick your major and what were some driving factors?

A: It was the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and I found myself locked up at home like the rest of the world. I had recently lost my business prior to the start of the pandemic and knew that I had to sit down and figure out a plan for the future. This was also a time of heightened political tension in the country and I knew that I wanted to become more involved politically. Initially, I chose my degree in political science because I wanted to run for public office in the future. It seemed like the best place to start was completing my undergraduate degree and learning the fundamentals of how government worked.

Q: How do you think your education, classes and experiences helped you for life after graduation?

A: My education and classes have prepared me to be a critical thinker and to always step back and look at the big picture of whatever issue I may be working on. In both political science and public administration, the decisions that are made can have both positive and negative effects on many people’s lives. This means that it is always crucial to listen to all different perspectives and try to see the situation from other points of view and how a decision may affect individuals. Through my extracurricular experiences on campus working with Turn Up Turnout (TUT), Campus Vote Project (CVP), and as a Research Assistant I have also learned the importance of being a civically engaged citizen, something that will undoubtedly follow me throughout life.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I am continuing my education at UM-Flint as a Public Administration graduate student and am also working on campus as a graduate student research assistant. Upon completion of my master’s degree, I hope to further my education with a PhD in Political Science with aspirations of teaching at a public university. My research interests are in public policy, American government and urban politics.

Q: Do you have a favorite professor?

A: I have enjoyed my time with most all of my professors who I have had at UM-Flint, but especially that with Dr. Kim Saks, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and the MPA program director. It’s rather hard to sum up just how much of an impact she has had on my college career, from working as her research assistant to conjuring up plans for events and activism on campus, she has always been there to support and encourage me along the way. What I admire most about Dr. Saks is that she is able to have this profound effect on all her students, always making sure each student feels like they have her undivided attention and that she is always there rooting for your success. One can only hope to come across such a professor in their time at college. Thank you, Dr. Saks!

Q: What was your best or favorite college memory?

A: My favorite college memory is getting to work with Turn Up Turnout, which is a tri-campus organization that seeks to educate and empower students on the importance of voting. During my time with Turn Up Turnout I was able to work with students from all UMICH campuses, an experience I otherwise would not have had. Most impactful to me was being able to create a Dinner for Democracy event, which is where students create and give a presentation on a topic and its relationship to voting before their peers. This experience helped me to become a better public speaker and taught me the importance of working with and listening to feedback from your peers, all of which proved to be immensely beneficial to my presentation.

Q: How does it feel to be recognized as a Maize & Blue Scholar?

A: It is thrilling to have my hard work and dedication to my education be recognized, as well as my extracurricular activities on campus. The path to getting to this point in life has been filled with many ups and downs, so to be recognized for such an honor is not just exciting but also very motivating to want to continue on this current path.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give incoming freshmen?

A: Get involved on campus and be sure to be civically engaged now and throughout life. A large part of my education was outside of the classroom working on extracurricular events around campus. While this was not a requirement for my degree, the knowledge I gained from being engaged on campus will follow me throughout life. When it comes to being civically engaged, always know that you can make a change and do not ever let the power you hold with your vote go to waste. #Vote

DJ Trela is retiring from the University of Michigan-Flint and exits knowing that he’s had a robust impact on the university as a whole, in the College of Arts and Sciences and CAS faculty, staff and students. 

In his 24 years at UM-Flint, Trela has had different positions but will be most remembered for serving as    CAS dean from 1999 to 2013. 

“From the moment I first began interviewing for the position, I felt a strong affinity to UM-Flint and the city, which reminded me of a smaller version of my hometown in Chicago,” he said. “I have always been proud to call myself a University of Michigan faculty member.”

Trela says that serving as the dean was a job that never got old because there were always new initiatives to pursue, like expanding the number of graduate programs offered by CAS during the 2000s. In addition, he worked to build a diverse group of staff and faculty members, to refine promotion and tenure standards and to codify multiple processes that mystified many because they had never been written down. 

When Trela’s time as dean came to an end, he shifted his attention to teaching and university service.

“I really enjoyed teaching freshman and senior honors seminar courses. I have also hugely enjoyed gaining proficiency in online instruction in courses like introduction to fiction, science fiction and fantasy, and crime fiction.”

He also began serving on university-wide committees and became chair of the old faculty council and the recently initiated faculty senate. He also served as chair of the Department of Foreign Languages, and recently chaired the task force that devised a revised campus-wide general education program. These are all   points of pride for him because service in these roles required the confidence and support of his faculty colleagues   

“The fact that faculty would entrust a former administrator with such important faculty leadership roles is extremely gratifying for me.” 

Trela also recognized the contributions of university staff. He said that the faculty role is largely focused on instruction and shaping institutional governance, and in some ways faculty are the most visible part of the university. However, Trela credits university staff for carrying out tasks like registration, recording grades, balancing budgets and even admitting students.

“This is a tremendously productive and dedicated group of people who largely work behind the scenes.”

Trela adds the thing he enjoyed most about working at UM-Flint were the relationships he built with staff, faculty and the campus community. 

“In a very real way, Flint became ‘home’ for me. I was surprised at how much I ended up enjoying being engaged with alumni and friends of the university and college.”

Trela also reflected on time spent away from home as well. After completing his undergraduate degree in history at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the early 1980s, he studied abroad and completed his Ph.D. in English literature at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His focus was Victorian literature, specifically the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle.

“I wish that everyone could be required to study abroad for at least a semester. Immersing yourself in another culture leads to new perspectives, experiences and friends,” he said. “It was a broadening and enlightening experience, which is the very essence of higher education.”

He adds that studying abroad helped him grow as a scholar and as a person as well.

“At first it scared the daylights out of me, but it turned me into the person I am today.”

Trela’s retirement plans include continuing research on the histories of Chicago neighborhoods like the Gold Coast, where he and his husband have a second home, and Sandburg Village. What became the Gold Coast was originally a Catholic cemetery  during the 19^th century, and  Ernest Hemingway briefly lived in the area.

“I am actively researching and will eventually write more about these areas of the city. This is just the tip of the research iceberg.” 

CAS interim dean Douglas Knerr said that Trela  made wonderful and sustained contributions to UM-Flint throughout his career at the institution.  

“We will miss his wise and thoughtful counsel, rapier wit, and steadfast commitment to our students, faculty, and staff.”

Last November, we told you about a trip two University of Michigan-Flint professors were planning as a part of the Vehicles of Upheaval course connected to a program called “Borders and Crossings: Exploring Global Questions at UM-Flint.”

The trip, which took place over Spring Break, was well-documented by students and Ben Gaydos, associate professor of design, as well as Stephanie (Vidaillet) Gelderloos, English lecturer.

Students stepped out of their comfort zone and forged meaningful connections and friendships on a moving, poignant road trip exploring the brutal reality of daily life for African Americans in the South that led to the Great Migration.

Students also enjoyed some down time and fun times together in New Orleans and at the Corvette Museum in Kentucky. 

Several years ago, the College of Arts and Sciences leadership set out to create an endowed fund with the explicit purpose of funding best practices for student growth, supporting projects that foster excellence in education, scholarly or creative activity, community engagement, and service.  Since the fund’s creation, numerous donors have given to the CAS Endowed Opportunity Fund and put the college within $9,000 of reaching the $100,000 goal. 

This fund is a flexible resource that enhances the student and faculty experience by providing funding not appropriated in other portions of the college’s budget. In the past year, funds like these have assisted dozens of students and faculty in conducting such things as:    

• Phone interviews on health information
• Research on fish populations impacted by the Hamilton Dam removal
• Payment for students to have academic work submitted for publication
• Assistance for students attending virtual conferences
• Helping a student to develop prototype signage in a Flint neighborhood to improve community connections
• Purchasing biological materials for use in lab research
• And more!

Dr. Cameron McLeman is the incoming chair of the Department of Mathematics and Applied Sciences and the Chairperson of the CAS Student Support Committee charged with raising funds for the project. Dr. McLeman is excited about the progress and hopes the goal might be reached by the end of June. When asked about the fund, he said, “This year we made the fund a priority for Giving Blueday and the community responded. This progress represents the coming together of students, faculty, staff, and the community to dedicate funds to support our students’ academic experience at UM-Flint.  Closing the fiscal year by reaching our goal would show such a strong commitment to our faculty and students.”

At the College of Arts & Sciences, we pride ourselves on creating lifelong learners whose college experience outfits them with the skills necessary to succeed in their personal and professional lives.  The skills gained by involvement in the types of projects supported by the Opportunity Fund are critical to that effort. 

Please consider making a gift to the CAS Endowed Opportunity Fund!