Faces of Michigan
Name: Andrew McBride
Year: 2008
Major: Women’s Studies
Home: Michigan
I first became interested in social justice at the University of Michigan when I participated in the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs’ Speakers Bureau training. This is where I was first introduced to the social justice model.
Classes that sparked my interest in social justice issues and the law:
- Fall 2004: Women’s Studies 240 - Introduction to Women’s Studies
- Fall 2005: Women’s Studies 295 - Sexuality in Western Culture
- Winter 2006: Biology 118 - AIDS and Other Health Crises; Sociology 320 - IGR Facilitation Women’s Studies 253 - Facing American Manhood; Women’s Studies 470 - Gender and Sexuality in India
- Fall 2006: Sociology 495 - Sociology of the Body; Women’s Studies 340 - Homophobia in the Black World; Women’s Studies 483 - Gender, Consumer Culture and Citizenship in Postcolonial India; Women’s Studies 619 - Lesbian Worlds
- Winter 2007: American Culture 203 - U.S. as Empire; American Culture 399 - Race, Racism, and Ethnicity; Women’s Studies 330 - Feminist Thought; Women’s Studies 447 - Sociology of Gender
Co-curricular experiences I’ve been involved with:
- LGBT Commission: Fall 2004-Present
- Stonewall Democrats: Fall 2005-Fall 2006
- Office of LGBT Affairs: Fall 2005-Present
When it came to classes, I came to those through the recommendations of friends and through scouring the LSA course guide each and every semester. As for student groups, I learned about them through Festifall and events that the individual groups put on.
Advice I would give to students who are trying to navigate their way around the social justice and diversity related experiences at U-M:
One piece of advice that I would have is to join a couple of social justice and diversity related student groups. They can help you learn more about the issues and to get involved. Take classes that sound like fun that are related to social justice and diversity; you can find these by asking professors and researching in the course guide. Also, use the resources that are available in University offices, such as the Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs Office, the Office of LGBT Affairs, and the Program on Intergroup Relations.