A Big Heart at the Big House

Combined with remarkable academics, athletics, and culture, the University of Michigan has opportunities that can be utilized even after graduation.

For being a big school, the University of Michigan has resources for every student to succeed. Last year the school had twenty-nine thousand and seven hundred staff members. The university’s student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1, an impressive number for having over two-hundred seventy-five-degree programs and nineteen schools and colleges.

Patrick Ogrin, who graduated from Hackett in 2023, is currently a student at Michigan’s School of Kinesiology. While studying sports management, Patrick noted how the professors are passionate about what they teach. “They really make an effort to know their students.”

Sydney Van Es also graduated from Hackett in 2023, and said Michigan’s professors are very approachable and helpful. She told me “The professors also provide a lot of resources to ensure you can succeed in class,” Sydney said.

Michigan makes sure to keep their campus alive by putting together many events. Students can participate in school led events, along with activities held by one of the 1600+ clubs.

The university’s community is booming with energy, especially at sporting events. With over four hundred Big 10 athletics championships and twenty-nine NCAA Division I teams, Michigan has a rich athletic program.

“My favorite part is definitely going to the football games,” Sydney said. Patrick agrees football games are a ton of fun. “I have been able to be front row for the last two games, and there is no better place to be on a Saturday.”

The university offers a wide spectrum of opportunities, from religious programs all the way to financial aid.

Sydney and Patrick both go to a student parish in Ann Arbor. These Hackett alumni agree faith is different at a public university because students aren’t required to attend religious activities, they

have to seek services.

The University of Michigan offers tuition support for its many students. 2 of 3 first-year students receive aid. In the 2020- 2021 academic year, more than 750 million dollars were awarded in scholarships and fellowships.

Being in the heart of Ann Arbor, the university is surrounded by thriving communities.

“I have met people from all sorts of backgrounds, and not one of them has said they don’t love it here. I was definitely skeptical before coming here, but many students are about college,” Patrick said.

Even at a larger school, like the University of Michigan, a welcoming community is great at making your college experience feel like home.