Michael Ustes has earned top honors in just about everything you’d put on the list for a successful student experience. In April, he’ll graduate with a dual degree in mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering. He’s received several scholarships, including the prestigious Chancellor’s Scholarship. He’s been on the Dean’s List every semester of his college career and has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. And outside his formal studies, he’s been an enthusiastic member of numerous student organizations, clubs and teams — several of which he’s president of. To boot, he already has his first post-graduation job lined up in the automotive industry — and plans to immediately pursue a master’s program at UM-Dearborn after graduating this spring.
Michael, in his own words
Why I’m inspired to be an engineer. “From a very young age, I loved solving problems. The harder the challenge, the more I enjoyed it. I was about 10 years old when I rebuilt my first four-cycle internal combustion engine — with help from my dad. I took it apart, performed a full carburetor rebuild, replaced gaskets, lapped the valves, and much more. It was incredible. Even so, when I was finishing high school and started to evaluate majors, I was not committed to engineering. So before orientation at UM-Dearborn, I reached out to a few engineering professors from different departments and asked if I could sit in on some classes and see what it was like. These were 300-level classes; I really wanted to see what I was up against. It didn’t necessarily help me decide between mechanical and electrical engineering, but at least it was quite clear to me that engineering was what I wanted to do.”
The rewards of being part of student teams and organizations.“Coming from home education, I didn’t have the experience of a lot of other students. As a result, I didn’t have a good perspective on ‘how good I was,’ academically speaking. Coming into college, I knew it was going to be tough, so I started my first semester of engineering taking five classes and decided I wasn’t going to do anything else because I didn’t even know if I could handle that much. But when I did well, I concluded I could explore what else there was to participate in. I joined the Formula Combustion Racing Team, and when all the people on the team graduated that summer, they needed new leadership. So that fall, I found myself holding three leadership positions on the team, while still taking classes. It was stressful and tough — a real trial by fire, but I learned so much. One of the best things about the team is that everybody is a volunteer; nobody has to do this. And we’re entirely on our own. Not only do we have to design and build a race car, but we have to secure our own funding from both sponsors and the university. We do literally everything, and because it is so much work, the people who volunteer their time outside of classes are truly invested. The dedication of the people involved is built around a common interest, and that is really what makes it work. Looking back on my years with the team, I am honored and truly grateful to have been a part of it.”
Dreams for the future. "Long-term? Well, I’m not prepared to comment on that yet. But in the short-term, starting this summer if the current health situation allows it, I’ll be working full-time in the automotive sector. I’ll also be coming back to UM-Dearborn for my master’s program in mechanical engineering. I was accepted in March, and I’m hoping to start in the summer, continuing the work I’ve already begun by taking master’s classes as an undergraduate. I would also like to do a thesis project, and I’m communicating with several faculty in the department to see if I can make that a reality. I know it’s tougher than just taking classes, but I think the research experience would be quite valuable. I’m excited about the prospects. I think the entirety of this vision is well summed-up by the following phrase: 'Ulterius sursum et in ulterius; quoniam sustinuit mea conatus,' which may be translated as, 'Further up and further in; for He has sustained my endeavor.' I have been blessed in my work and studies thus far; achieving much during my time in college. I look forward to continuing further and higher in my professional and educational endeavor."