Thank You, UM-Flint

I have come to the end of a long journey. It has taken me six years to complete my undergraduate degree, with five of them being here at the University of Michigan-Flint. I don’t believe I have the skills necessary to translate what this adventure has meant to me, but one thing I know I can do is give thanks to those who helped me along the way. Below are the influential people, offices, and groups who have had a hand in making me.

The Campus Activities Board

I have been a part of this amazing organization for the duration of my stay at the university. Going from general member, to an event coordinator for two years, to vice president, to president, and now giving over the reins to the next generation of CABbies, it is what kept me in college a lot of the time. These people have been my rock and have influenced every aspect of my life. My education would not have been worthwhile had it not been for what CAB has given me. It has been a blast learning how to be a leader with these folks and working for my peers on campus and making their college years memorable.

The Office of Financial Aid

My first job on campus and, more importantly, as a young adult. This office became my home for the first three years and made sure I was able to support myself. Beyond providing employment, they also cared about my life as a student and were always encouraging when it came to my academic endeavors. It’s no wonder I am now heading into the same field: I had stellar examples of what it means to care for the students you work with every day.

Dr. Hillary Heinze, Dr. Thomas Wrobel, Dr. Jeanette Stein, and my fellow First Year Experience: Intergroup Dialogue Peer Facilitators

Working on campus gave me an opportunity to provide for myself, which First Year Experience (FYE) was, but it evolved into much more as I realized what impact I was able to have on my peers. This opportunity blossomed into a position that has not only shaped how I interact with the world but also, honestly, probably got me into graduate school. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing Peer Facilitators over the years and even more amazing students who end up learning about their own identities and how they affect everyone around them. And this was all done while working with the best supervisors a student like myself could ask for. Dr. Heinze, Dr. Wrobel, and Dr. Stein all worked closely with us and treated us with a respect that has made me love higher education.

Tiffany Lane, Jennifer Salamone, The Ellen Bommarito LGBT Center, and PRIDE

My identity has been a huge part of my journey here at UM-Flint. It has meant an environment where I have felt safe to be myself and express it in ways I found appropriate. It was because of great coordinators of the LGBT Center like Tiffany and Jen that I started to value myself and understand what it meant to me as a whole person. With that new confidence in myself, I was able to help shape the campus by being a member of the LGBT advocacy student group PRIDE, even serving as Treasurer for a short time. UM-Flint not only gave me a place to get an education, it gave me room to learn and be myself.

Brian Proffer, Jessie Hurse II, Kimberly Butka, Dr. Mary Jo Sekelsky, Quiana Smith, Keith Flewelling, Dr. Tamara McKay, Dr. Michelle Rosynsky, Dr. Jacob Blumner, Alaina Wiens, and other Staff Members

I mention these folks for a myriad of reasons, but it all boils down to that they have given me an opportunity, encouraged me, or provided some insight during my stay here. They have been mentors, advisors, colleagues, and friends. With their help and guidance, I have been successful while at UM-Flint and will continue to be while I am starting the next part of my life. They’ve all shown me what it means to be a professional and how to care for the people you work with daily.

Friends and Family

Through all of this, there have been my friends and family. Five years is a significant chunk of time for someone who is only 24. Many relationships develop, with some ending and others still evolving, but despite it all I have had a support network of people who encouraged me, showed me why I was here, and supported me when I would have not otherwise been able to continue. My mother instilled in me the importance of education at an early age, and through that kind of support from my family and friends I have persevered.

Everyone Else

For anyone who I forgot to mention, who I have neglected to include in one of the previous categories, I wanted to be sure I included a space for them. While at UM-Flint there is a continuous stream of people who enter and exit your life on a day-to-day, month-to-month, and even year-to-year basis that influence you more than you may realize. It is easy (and worthwhile) to get lost in the college lifestyle. This is the time to be an involved student, take classes, and plan out your future. You are constantly making connections with everyone you actively or passively interact with. The significance of that is not lost on me. My visibility at UM-Flint has been a great lesson in understanding how you being your authentic self can be powerful not only for you but for everyone around you.

And I think that is what my experience here at UM-Flint has ultimately meant. Being authentic in how I deal with the world is important to me. My university has challenged and encouraged me to continue being the person I need to be. Although it has only been five years out of a hopefully long life, I know my experiences here set me up to be myself in the future. After May 4, I will be saying goodbye to the University of Michigan-Flint and most of these amazing people I have grown to know. But I am excited for my future prospects at Michigan State University, studying in the Higher Adult and Lifelong Education: Student Affairs Administration master’s program. I know the wisdom I have gained will carry me through and make everyone proud.

Thank You, UM-Flint.