Be a leader: Higher Education student earns two WMU Signatures

Michael Ozga, ‘19 BA University Studies, ‘22 MA Higher Education and Student Affairs, was a resident assistant during his time as an undergrad working towards a mechanical engineering degree when he realized he didn’t like math as much as he thought he did! He switched his undergraduate degree to university studies and sought out additional opportunities to prepare for a future career in higher education, namely, the WMU Signature program. 

When Ozga heard about the WMU Signature program, he decided to attend a virtual information session to learn more. He learned that participants in the WMU Signature program complete a culminating integrative learning project that applies what they have learned in and out of the classroom to real-world problems and that this accomplishment would be recognized by the university with an additional line on his diploma. He was confident a Signature would make him stand out to future employers, so he decided to give it a shot! 

Ultimately, Ozga ended up with two signatures: one in leadership and one in diversity, inclusion, equity and justice. For his undergraduate leadership signature, he built a resource for leaders that compiled a wealth of knowledge around how to handle common student problems in housing on campus. This experience created a strong foundation for his next career move, pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. 

After taking the foundations course in the Master’s program, which set the tone for the rest of his learning, he found he flourished in the environment of supportive colleagues, staff members and faculty at WMU. He was able to connect with and learn from many positive individuals during his program, and pursue his second WMU signature. For his diversity, inclusion, equity and justice signature, he worked as a member of the Legislative Concerns Committee of the National Association of Graduate Professional Students to advocate for social justice and changes that needed to be made in higher education, specifically for graduate students. 

Ozga found the Signature staff to be incredibly supportive throughout the process, encouraging him to consider questions he didn’t even realize he needed answers to and generally guiding him along the way to find projects that fit his current involvements. He encourages anyone considering the Signature program to just take a chance and send an email to ask questions because the program isn’t as hard as they may think. “There’s a good chance you’re already doing stuff that applies and you might already be half way done with your signature based on what you’re involved in,” shared Ozga. 

Signatures are available in ten different pathways: Arts & Culture, Civic Engagement, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice, Entrepreneurship, Global Engagement, Health & Wellbeing, Leadership, Research & Creative Scholarship, Sustainability, and Teaching & Student Success. 

To learn more about the WMU Signature program, you can visit the WMU Signature program webpage or schedule a meeting.