As accepted students to The College of New Jersey, we have all been given the opportunity to graduate from an accredited institution ranked highest among public universities. As an advocate of paying it forward, TCNJ Senior Michael Ryder has taken his acceptance to the Teach for America organization as an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of impoverished children whose underprivileged school districts make graduating from high school and moving on to college extremely difficult.
Michael, member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, President of Alpha Phi Sigma, the College’s Criminology Honor Society, active member of the Criminology Student Association, Peer Mentor in the Criminology department and Student Giving Intern, works endlessly to pursue his goals. For some students a schedule like this would be overwhelming, but Michael’s hard work makes it possible.
TCNJ Junior Lindsay Ryder says of her brother, “Michael is the most dedicated student I know. He has such a passion for his major that he tries incredibly hard to be the best at it. Although he is naturally smart, he’s put in a lot of time and effort to get where he is.” She went on to say, “I’m so proud to be his sister, seriously.”
Michael plans to pursue a graduate degree in public policy with a concentration in human trafficking. “Human trafficking is one of the biggest social injustices that we face today as a society, as it is a form of modern-day slavery,” Michael explains. “I don’t think people realize how widespread it is, even in our country.”
While Michael envisions his future as an agent of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) combating human trafficking, he has decided to delay his graduate studies with his acceptance to the Teach for America organization. When asked why he decided to put graduate school on hold, Michael explained, “One of the main reasons is because it was an option right there that dealt with social injustice. Children in low income areas have more difficulty succeeding in high school and moving on to college. It’s something I could grab right there. Also, my father was a teacher for over thirty years and I’m following in his footsteps. He worked in a middle school teaching young children and made a difference in many of their lives.”
Michael’s inspiration comes not only from his father, but his entire family. He says of his mother and two sisters, “They’ve always been my best friends. It sounds corny, but it’s true.”
Alexis Gettings, Michael’s internship coordinator explains, “We chose Michael as a Student Giving intern because his creativity and hardworking attitude stood out from the very beginning. He is a well-rounded person and consistently works to the best of his ability.”
As Michael encourages his fellow students to pay it forward by becoming involved in the Student Giving campaign and giving back to the College, he not only leads by example in the TCNJ community, but also the larger community as well. As the former Chair of Community Service in his fraternity, he continues to volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club of Trenton biweekly.
Michael’s impressive involvement in extracurricular activities and community service projects has already touched the lives of many and he plans to do so much more. Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him would agree that his irresistible personality laced with constant enthusiasm and positivity will continue to make him a role model to all those around him.