Graduate Student and Resident Director Runs on Creativity, Community

Now pursuing a Master’s in English with concentrations in literature and writing, the Plainfield, NJ, native reflects on the athletic scholarship that enabled him to complete his undergraduate degree in Delaware.
 
“I ran track and cross-country, serving as captain for two years, and it taught me a lot about responsibility,” he said. “It taught me integrity and ways of making sure I’m holding myself accountable.”

Always thinking bigger

It’s no coincidence that integrity, accountability and responsibility are three key qualities for a resident director, a position Micah enthusiastically accepted as he began graduate studies at Duquesne.
 
Driven by compassion and empathy, he aims to ensure that Saint Martin Hall residents feel safe and enjoy life on campus. 
 
“It’s an interesting balancing act,” he said. “Since I have very recent experiences living in a residence hall and I’m also away from home, I think it helps me be more relatable to students.”
 
Micah is first in his family to attend graduate school and has enjoyed gaining insights and building relationships with students and faculty. 
 
“One of the most influential classes so far has been literary theory with Dr. Judy Suh,” he said. “We’ve explored different authors, and the class exposed me to a lot that interested me that I want to keep researching.” 

Community that never stops giving

Micah also has thrived in his writing courses, including creative nonfiction and poetry. He looks forward to fall 2025 when noted writers Lee Gutkind and Jill Moyer Sunday join Duquesne as Distinguished Writers in Residence. The associated classes and programming will provide exciting opportunities for students to hone writing skills and explore various careers. 
 
“Creative nonfiction is a place where I am able to blend my academic and creative pursuits within writing, and that's something I feel is very distinctive to Duquesne,” said Micah. 
 
When he’s not studying, writing or lending a hand to Saint Martin Hall residents, Micah can be found running on nearby Eliza Furnace Trail.
 
“The scenery is really great,” he said. “It takes me right out to the Point with all the bridges and stadiums in the background.”
 
After a run, Micah usually sets out to explore Pittsburgh. 
 
“I like to get out and see all that the area has to offer,” said Micah. “I spend a lot of time at The Attic in Millvale listening to records and talking about music, and the poetry scene in Pittsburgh has been great on and off campus.”

A professional path with purpose

Micah is busy enjoying his time on the Bluff, though he looks forward to what’s next and has a good sense of what he wants to achieve.
 
“I aspire to be a college professor at a small liberal arts school where I can be very involved and help students inside and outside the classroom,” he said. “I want to be very involved in whatever community I’m in.”
 
Before he teaches at the college level, Micah hopes to start in a high school classroom.
 
“I know I really want to help people and I know I love English, reading and writing,” he said. “I love doing anything creatively, so whatever aspect I can do that in, that's what I like to do.”

Micah already has a running start on a meaningful career, as he’s held multiple internships teaching middle and high school students African American literature through summer programs in New Jersey and Minnesota. 
 
He hopes they not only learn about literature, but life as well. 
 
“Representation matters, and the students I teach need to be able to see that the skills they're gaining in high school are transferable to college,” he said. “Writing and literature are both involved in helping people tell their own stories, and literature and literacy in general are liberation from whatever situation you're in, whether it’s economic or helping you interpret what’s going on in the world.” 
 
Micah hopes his love of reading and writing—and his willingness to share knowledge—will inspire Duquesne students and his future students to showcase their individuality and articulate their stories. 
 
“Not only will these skills help me in a professional world, but they also help me understand people,” he said. “Everyone's story is different.”

 

Read Micah's poetry

the grandmother.

stretch marks adorn the bronze of this idol; a graven image given little worship, it’s beautiful sameness with the soil.

pupils encircled by mocha, encased by clear droplets of rain.

the warmth and comfort felt in deep mahogany.

subtlety in the nuttiness of mace and
the smooth aromatics allspice provides; an open invitation to the
griot’s kitchen in gracious faith.

old stories told (in confidence)
amongst the dark, rustic, knotty pine cabinets.

absorbing the familiarity found
within the creatures formed from the earthen dust.

without praise, she stands in all of
her glory. memories from her
days as a manila, wrinkles
reminiscent of ominous poplar tree bark,
stretch marks—glorious lines in the sands of time.

she is the rust from dried blood on the leaves; she

is that king james version bible
with musty pages and nutmeg
cover; she is the strong oak wood
front door and the delicate, antique buffalo
china plate with brown stripes; she is everything.