Finding Purpose Through Digital Humanities at MSU

For Michael, Michigan State University became a place not of certainty, but of discovery. He started college as a Chemical Engineering major, but it didn’t take long for him to realize that engineering wasn’t where he saw himself long term. What did stick, though, were the moments spent working with people, especially through his roles as a Resident Assistant and campus tour guide which slowly pointed him toward higher education and student support.

The Digital Studies (DS) minor ended up being a turning point in ways Michael didn’t expect. While it helped him build creative and ethical approaches to working with data, it also gave him something just as important: connection. When it came time to apply to graduate school, Michael realized he didn’t feel as closely connected to professors in his major as he did to those he worked with through Digital Studies. Those relationships mattered, and they made all the difference.

Michael is quick to credit the people who helped him get where he is today. Kristen Mapes introduced him to Digital Studies and helped him see how creativity, data, and storytelling could come together. Kate Topham encouraged him to take the leap toward graduate school and supported him through the application process. Allysa Johnson helped Michael see that Student Affairs could be a real option for him, one that meant he didn’t have to force himself into a career path that never quite felt right.

Through Digital Studies, Michael also had the chance to work on projects that felt meaningful beyond the classroom. One standout experience was collaborating with a group of students, the MSU Library, and the Monuments Men and Women Foundation to create a visualization highlighting artwork lost during World War II. Projects like this, along with lessons from Data Feminism, pushed him to think more deeply about how data is used and who it serves.

Now, Michael is a master’s student in Student Affairs Administration at MSU and works as an Assistant Community Director in Residence Education and Housing Services, where he supports Resident Assistants and students during some of their most important moments. Looking back, he sees the Digital Studies minor as more than a minor, it was the place where things finally clicked. It gave him room to explore, people who believed in him, and the confidence to follow a path that felt true to who he is.