"My Favorite Person I Met at USC"
Name: Michael Englehart
Hometown: Lugoff, SC
Majors: Sociology and Political Science (Class of 2014)
Magellan Programs: Magellan Scholar, Magellan Guarantee
Research Project: "The Absence of Weak Ties in Traditional Public Housing"
Michael Englehart beamed with satisfaction as he read the words: "Congratulations!
You have been accepted into the Sociology PhD program at Ohio State University." It
was the moment when he saw his hard work pay off -- and he says it wouldn't have happened
without his Magellan Scholar mentor Dr. Shelley Smith.
"It just validated all our hard work," Michael said. "Sure, I was the one accepted
but she helped me get there. So it was very satisfying to be able to tell her that
her work to get me into graduate school paid off."
That work began back in Fall 2012 when Michael was a student in Dr. Smith's Sociology
300 course, Social Structures. "That class really changed the way I looked at the
world," Michael said. "I began thinking more critically about society and this led
to applying what I learned in that class to my own life and the world around me."
Though he admits he found the idea intimidating at first, Michael decided to visit
Dr. Smith during her office hours. This turned out to be a great decision. "Professor
Smith is by far my favorite person I met while at USC. Her mentorship is what got
me to where I am today. Over time, we built a great rapport and she was beyond supportive
and encouraging. Aside from how much I enjoy research, part of the motivation for
wanting to become a professor is because of how much I grew to respect Dr. Smith --
I wanted to be the mentor to someone just as she was to me."
Michael worked with Dr. Smith to create a research project relating to his job with
the Columbia Housing Authority. "Prior to working there, I had a limited understanding
of what public housing was," Michael said. "I learned there were two primary modes
of housing -- traditional and Section 8. I was interested to see how these two distinct
settings affected the residents' experiences, perceptions, and behavior." Dr. Smith
helped Michael develop a survey to study the differences in the two groups.
Research ultimately led Michael to graduate school, but there was a time when it helped
him just get through college. "Prior to getting involved in research, I felt very
disconnected from the university," he said. He even considered transferring to another
school before his involvement with Dr. Smith changed his mind. "Research is a great
way to get involved, stand out, and develop meaningful relationships. [Magellan Programs]
provided me with my first taste of the research process and showed me how rewarding
it could be."