Commencement speaker brings ‘positive’ energy

Alice McGuire
Staff Writer

Have you met the student speaker for Washtenaw Community College’s 2024 commencement ceremony?

Michelle Hanke is a Liberal Arts Transfer student, Student Life Officer in the Student Development and Activities office, and an unforgettable member of the campus community.

“She is amazing. She is so bubbly and positive. People are drawn to her because there’s something about her that makes you want to be her friend,” said Veronica Capraru, the Supervisor of Student Organizations and advisor for Phi Theta Kappa.

“She has an incredible story. Even if you don’t have her story in particular, I think that there are parts of her story that anybody can resonate with,” she added.

“When she talks, you want to listen,” said Christy Main, the Student Activities Supervisor, adding, “She’s always willing to learn and navigate anything that’s thrown at her. Every time she has a challenge, she goes through it with grace.”

Tabitha Collins, the Student Development and Honor Society Technician for SDA, added “She’s always so positive and friendly to every student who walks in. She is always helpful. She’s always willing to do anything you ask. She’s just an upbeat and positive person. If you come in and you’re feeling a little down, she will make you laugh.”

Upon being asked how she reacted to learning that she had been chosen to represent the college, Hanke replied, “I cried.”

Hanke’s long road to graduation

Hanke is a first generation college student who grew up in foster care, and she has been in Ypsilanti since 2015. After graduating from Lincoln High School in 2017, she started her journey at WCC.

At this point, Hanke describes herself as having had no clue what she was doing, not knowing what she wanted in terms of college, and being far too nervous to ask for help.

It was at this point that she decided to take a step back.

“I think if I kept going on the way I was, I wouldn’t have finished,” said Hanke.

With the help of Our House, an organization which helps youth between the ages of 14-25 who have aged out of the foster care system, Hanke returned to WCC at the end of 2019.

Though facing the challenges of adjusting to life after having moved out on her own as well as navigating a global pandemic, Hanke was starting to get the hang of things by 2021, which she credits to the help of Kathy Stewart, who is the Coach for the REACH program at WCC, which supports students who have experienced foster care.

“That really, really helped me get confidence in myself–I finally had help,” said Hanke, describing the difference that it made to finally sit down with someone who could help her create an academic plan, balance her schedule, and get set up with an advisor.

Hanke eventually quit her full time job at the University of Michigan to focus on her studies, with that decision proving to pay off.

“For the last two and a half years I’ve been getting As and Bs consistently, which I’m really proud of myself for because, before, if you looked at my transcripts, you’d be like ‘what is going on?’” said Hanke.

WCC’s resources that helped Hanke succeed

Eventually, that decision led her to her current position in the Student Development and Activities office, which she has held since August of 2023, where she helps students access the resources that she wishes she had known about during her early days at WCC.

“I had no idea this existed while I was struggling that whole time, but they’re awesome. I feel like this is a way for me to make up for the time when I was here for so long and didn’t get a chance to participate in the things that I wanted to. But, once I got in the position, I was able to see the behind the scenes of how this all works,” she said.

It gave me the opportunity to interact with students, put on events, and learn more about what Washtenaw has to offer in general,” said Hanke.

“There’s a saying [that] ‘closed mouths don’t get fed’—so when I first started I didn’t ask for help. That was out of fear and anxiety. But once I did start to open up, the help was always here,” she said.

When asked what she would say to students who may feel like they need to step back from school, Hanke encouraged students to take breaks when needed.

“Just make sure when you’re taking those moments that you are actually actively seeking out ‘What is it that I want? What is it that I want to do? Do I even want to do school? Is there something else that I want to do even beyond that?’”

Hanke hopes to come back after graduation, targeting a potential stenography or ultrasound tech role—but first, she’s on track to become a mom.

“It’s funny cause when I got my first ultrasound, that is what made me wanna do it–thank you to my daughter. I guess you could say I’m taking another break. But I’ll be back for sure,” she said.

The 2024 Commencement Ceremony will be held May 18 at Eastern Michigan University’s George Gervin GameAbove Center.

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