Michael Dombrowski's Unusual Path to SMSU
Published Tuesday, February 06, 2018
It’s not every SMSU student who chooses the university, partly, because it is in a part of the country that gets cold.
“I had three general guidelines (during his college search),” said Michael Dombrowski, who grew up in Portland, Oregon. “It had to be out of state, in a colder environment and a place I could afford.”
A colder environment? “I prefer colder versus hot. I hate hot weather, and I’m not big on humidity. Where I’m from there’s clouds and it’s a damp cold. I enjoy snow.”
Dombrowski is a psychology major who took a leap of faith in selecting SMSU. He did not make a campus visit. “I found SMSU through an internet search,” he said.
And so he arrived in Marshall, Minnesota from Portland and began his educational journey, one that he hopes will lead to graduate school.
“I had a general interest in psychology in high school, it came naturally for me. And once I was here, after my first general psychology class and psychology seminar, it seemed like a perfect fit for me.
“I like human interaction. The psychology program is well-rounded and pushes you out of your comfort zone.”
Graduate school, he hopes, is in his future. I’ve found I want to go into the counseling field, and for that, I will have to go on to graduate school. I’ve applied to three thus far. I’d like to get into clinical mental health.”
Dombrowski will be one of the student speakers at the Saturday, February 17 Scholarship Recognition Luncheon. He’ll talk about his journey at SMSU, and the importance of scholarships. He receives a Foundation Distinguished Student Scholarship and a Psychology Program Scholarship.
“I’ve been able to receive scholarships, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to attend college at all. I have loans, and what those don’t cover I have to pay for out of pocket. Scholarships help me do that.”
He has been a Resident Assistant his sophomore and junior years, and is a Senior Resident Assistant this year. Those responsibilities cover his housing and food.
“Living on campus, first and foremost, is convenient and you have a better sense of community. It’s easier to get involved, and offers more leadership opportunities with clubs, housing council, things like that,” he said.
He’s also a student assistant coach for the forensics team, and “I’m occasionally involved with theatre,” he said.
His Scholarship Luncheon talk will center around his unusual journey too SMSU — “I came in with nothing, and came out on top,” he said. “Attending SMSU has been positive for me. It’s impacted my life, personally and professionally.”
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