Students of MI: JustOne

“In high school, I knew I was going to become an engineer, and it wasn’t a hard choice to come to Western Michigan University after I saw what they have to offer. I found it really easy to bond with the professors and advisors at WMU. They are extremely helpful.

After starting classes, I found that I was the only black person in most of my Engineering courses. I overcame that by surrounding myself with people who are open minded and inclusive, while also not ignoring the fact that we all have differences, because our differences make us all unique.

Last year we started a committee known as the Intercultural Competence Committee where we serve as a voice for underrepresented groups, including students, faculty and staff. We aim to educate the rest of the WMU community on the struggles those groups face to create a more inclusive environment. I also joined the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, which helps minorities obtain internships and research opportunities. Having that support outside of the classroom gave me a sense of family and community.

The Lee Honors college has been like a second family to me here. I’ve been a member since Freshman year, and I was hired on as a peer mentor for Freshman students my sophomore year. If I could go back in time, I would push myself to explore even more. It is important to educate yourself on what sort of things interest you most. If you can find something that interests you, you will develop more passion that drives your efforts.

The most rewarding experience I’ve had was traveling to China on WMU’s Engineering and China study abroad. I had traveled a lot within the United States but had never traveled abroad, so it was really interesting to be immersed in a culture completely different than my own.

I’ve been able to get a good amount of financial aid. I participated in a few scholarship competitions and ended up winning the Multicultural Leaders Scholarship. On top of that, there is additional funding for students in the Paper Engineering program and that has helped me as well.”

(JustOne, Paper Engineering, Western Michigan University)

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