Student Spotlight 2022: Michael Kwakye, Army National Guard

Tell us about yourself.

I am 21 years old and originally from Accra, Ghana. I currently live in Mount Vernon, New York, where I served as a member of the New York Army National Guard. I was a combat medic/healthcare specialist and joined the National Guard to get assistance with college tuition. A fun fact about me is that I like watching YouTube videos on surgery.

What was your educational background prior to attending WSP, and which of our courses did you attend? 

Before attending the humanities and STEM course at the University of Arizona, I was a sophomore in college.

Why did you decide to participate in WSP this summer, and was there a shift in your confidence level from the first day of the course to the last day?

I decided to participate in WSP because I wanted to acquire knowledge and skills to help me achieve my goals and network and build trusted learning and working relationships with other service members. My confidence was high at the beginning of the course, and I was prepared mentally and physically to go through the weeks. However, my confidence was very high at the end of the course. I learned new ideas and gained skills to help me succeed as a college student and for the rest of my life. 

What were some key insights you gained during your courses, and what is your biggest takeaway? 

Key insights I gained throughout the course were planning, time management, and what to do/not to do as a college student. I also learned effective studying, note-taking, and summarization of learning materials skills. All these insights broadened my knowledge about what I should do as a college student. 

In one word, how would you describe your overall experience?.

Spectacular!