Meet Collin: AEM President

As a previous Business Education student, I found myself looking for community and students who understood the struggles or triumphs I was having within the classroom. When I found out about the Aspiring Educators, I knew I found a home! Throughout the past couple of years, I have worked my way up through the E-Board and now as president I not only have a community here at Western, but one that spans across the state! 

I had plenty of amazing educators in my life, but my high school business teacher was by far the most influential. She saw us as humans before students and that allowed us to learn so much more than just marketing or Excel. I now apply those lessons to my everyday life, and it truly has had a profound impact on the person I have grown to be! 

The faculty and staff in CEHD are all so great it’s hard to pick just one, but two outstanding professors I have had the luxury of getting to know through AEM at WMU and my previous work in the Teaching, Learning, and Educational Studies Department would be Brianne Pitts and Summer Davis. Although I have never had these amazing people in the classroom, the research they complete and the energy they bring to the college is simply outstanding. 

“It's not that deep...” Although it’s very unconventional and originates from a small group of student leaders here at WMU, I am learning to live my life by it. We tend to put a lot of unnecessary weight on our shoulders, so the simple reminder that not everything is earth-shattering can truly make an impact on anyone’s life! 

The Aspiring Educators of Michigan at Western Michigan University is a pre-professional student organization for any student wishing to become an educator! We have students studying Pre-K all the way up to Higher Education and hold two meetings a month that can be informational presentations from professionals in the industry, or casual hang-out session where we can have conversions or give back to the community that gives so much to us!

My favorite WMU recreational activity is definitely attending Bronco Hockey games! Being a member of the Lawson Lunatics has provided me with so many memories that I will take with me for the rest of my life. In addition to Bronco Hockey, I also love getting out of class and getting my friends together to play some pickup volleyball and the Student Recreation Center.

Deciding where to spend 4-6 years of your life seems to be a very daunting decision, but when I stepped foot on WMU’s campus I knew I was home. WMU has a perfect sized campus with a nice blend of historic roots and urban updates which allows you to feel like you always have a community no matter what corner of campus you're at!