Why I Chose EMU

Ashley Sacha: ‘Eastern empowers you to step out and change the world.’

Ashley Sacha values diversity. The 2022 graduate from Byron Center, Mich., appreciates that Eastern brings in people from all walks of life, and that she can learn about all kinds of different backgrounds. She learns from her professors and peers alike, and in doing so, she says it will help her teach her students. “I know that one day I will be teaching students from everywhere, and I want to be prepared to help teach them in every way they need,” she says.

Sacha finds that same diversity in her community on campus. “I love that everyone stands up for one another and that I am loved, accepted and valued by my peers and professors,” she says. “I have never felt more loved and welcomed anywhere else.”

A love of education

Sacha, who majored in Special Education as an undergraduate and has been accepted into EMU’s Master of Arts in Educational Leadership - Higher Education/Student Affairs program, had her love of special education rekindled by one of her general education classes, namely SPGN 251: Inclusion and Disabilities in a Diverse Society.

“This class recalled my love for special education and empowered me to fight ableism in my community,” Sacha says. “EMU sets you up for success in the real world by putting you in the environment in which you will be working.”

Eastern’s resources helped Sacha soar, and she advises prospective students to seek out these resources early. Orientation in particular was an important moment for Sacha, a time she calls “a game-changer.” 

Her advice for incoming students? Sacha says it is up to you to put yourself out there, promising that “you will never regret it.”