"I need to have a very direct way to help others, because that is a basic way in which my own life will have meaning." Michael arrived at this realization as a result of his experiences while visiting developing nations and his interest in the health sciences. He has worked as a lab assistant at a food safety company, testing food products for microorganisms that cause food-borne illnesses. As a Rippy Fellow at the Stillwater Medical Center, he experienced many different aspects of medical careers. A member of the National Sporting Clays Association All-American team for four consecutive years, he has won the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas Junior Championships and has attained Master Class status as a registered shooter. He also is a five-year member of the Stillwater Boys Choir, an avid guitarist, and fluent in Spanish, and he has achieved red belt-black tip status in Tae Kwon Do. Michael looks forward to being a pre-med student at Carleton.