Student Spotlight: Mike Presendieu '16

Publication Date

Hometown: Saint-Marc, Haiti
Major: Political Science
Minor: French and Jewish Studies

Why Union:
I came for an overnight visit and by the end of the night, I was already friends with a couple of upperclassmen; it made me feel welcome.

Most inspiring class:
Hebrew. I am minoring in Jewish Studies because I had such a good experience in that class. I knew nothing of Jewish culture, and Professor Malka Almog was so kind to explain to me every detail about Israel or the Jewish religion that I did not understand. Not only did I learn to speak Hebrew, I learned a lot about Israeli culture. The more I learned, the more fascinating I found it.

Also excited about:
Going to Senegal on a mini-term. I will immerse myself in a new culture and eat a lot of Senegalese food!

Activities:
Rugby, Beuth House co-chair, Safe Space member

Favorite study spot:
It is a secret.

Things I'm passionate about at Union:
Minerva events, the social life, and the Kenney Community Center.

Other passions:
Writing and drumming.

Most surprising thing about Union:
The professors are very easy to access.

How I'm making Union a better place:
I became the co-chair of Beuth so I have a voice on campus. The Minerva system is great. However, I am working on my own ideas for how to make it an even better academic and a social place for students.

Looking into the future:
I hope to change the lives of many people in Haiti someday. I would like to be president and create policies that will better the country.

Advice for incoming students:
Do not walk away from new experiences because you are scared of what people might think. Accept the changes that college inevitably brings. Make time to celebrate yourself, and have a lot of little fun times, OK?