Michael Claxton is constantly on the move. As an active U.S. Navy reservist and a master’s program student with a full-time career, he has to be flexible.
Luckily, his experiences have taught him how to quickly adapt.
“I think resiliency is my biggest takeaway from the Navy and being deployed in military environments,” said Michael, who has spent 13 years in service between active duty and the reserves. “Every day isn't the best, you don't always ‘knock it out of the park,’ but what is important is coming back every day ready to get after what is at hand.”
Michael transferred to The University of Baltimore for its B.A. in Policy, Politics and International Affairs in 2020. He graduated in 2023 and decided to stay for a Master of Public Administration (MPA).
Michael credits the community at UBalt for why he decided to stay for a master’s degree.
“I recommend UBalt frequently,” he said. “Through every stage of earning my bachelor's here and now my master’s, the faculty have been so helpful. It’s easy to build relationships with faculty here, which is important when you need to flex for military requirements.”
As a reservist, Michael deploys every five years. About a year into his master’s program, and part way into a semester, he had to ship out to Africa and was gone for a year. With support from UBalt, he was able to finish his semester online and picked up where he left off when he returned.
Michael appreciates how much The Bob Parsons Veterans Center staff supports and encourages him and the wider veteran and military community on campus. Not only did they assist him with his deployment, but the center hosts events that help further tighten the military community. He fondly recalled a chance to tour the White House with his veteran center peers.
“Josiah [Guthland, center director] and Dena [Allen-Few, the center’s support coordinator] do a lot to cultivate important relationships in the institution and beyond that directly impact the student population here,” he said. “We are the hub at The Bob Parsons Veterans Center, and we help get people in the right direction,” he said.
Michael has taken to UBalt’s priority to be a university for Baltimore. He chose to pursue an MPA because he wants to be a leader who can serve their community.
“Having a strong footing in the government space, I had always been interested in finding ways that we could do it better, and I feel like the best way to do that was to understand and analyze policies,” he said.
The master’s program includes coursework that simulates policy writing. These exercises have helped Michael practice and refine writing policy briefs as if they could become legislation.
“What you're going to be writing, people are going to be living by. I think it is an important mindset for public policy. I feel like, all too often, there are the wrong actors that are making decisions for us, and we need people in the right headspace, with the right heart, doing the right things,” he said.
Michael’s ability to masterfully manage his time has helped him do more than take classes. He has served on the Student Government Association and worked as a veteran ambassador in the veterans center. Both opportunities have broadened Michael’s experience at UBalt.
“Building relationships on campus has been important to me because we are all vested in the success of this institution and your voice matters. Your involvement matters,” he said.
Michael also got to participate in a global field study in Italy in summer 2024. While the traveling gave him one of his most memorable experiences, he also feels like he learned a lot that will stick with him long after graduation.
“It was a great networking experience and cultural exchange building a great relationship with the University of Palermo,” he said. “It was a full-circle moment to recently host them here at UBalt. There is a lot of great work being done behind the scenes, by faculty, staff and students that don't always get front-page exposure but are all important to our greater success.”
Looking ahead, Michael knows he wants to commission in the U.S. Navy. He’s also still weighing law school. Whatever his path, he feels UBalt and the community he’s found here are preparing him for whatever the future holds.
“One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.' My goal is to stay as prepared as I can and be there for my community.”