“I’ve also learned that sometimes students don’t need a complicated answer. They just need someone to say, “Okay, let’s figure this out together.””
— Michael Apostol
If you have spent enough time around campus, chances are you’ve seen Michael Apostol, AKA Mike. Maybe you’ve stopped by an IGNITE pop-up, grabbed a snack from him, or approached him with a question you weren’t quite sure who else to ask.
For the past three years, Michael has been one of those friendly faces you could just turn to. Now, after experiencing and learning from different roles, from Brand Ambassador all the way to working as a Customer Service Representative (CSR), Michael is stepping into a new role as your Student Advocate.
“Now, as a Student Advocate, I can bring all of those experiences together.”
From listening to student concerns face-to-face, Michael is taking those individual concerns and looking at the bigger issues behind them.
Individual concerns making up bigger issues
Working directly with students taught Michael that no single student experience fits everyone.
“Every student has a different problem,” he says. “You can’t generalize those problems.”
That perspective has become central to how he approaches advocacy. While individual student concerns still matter, hearing the same issue repeatedly can reveal a larger problem affecting the student community.
For Michael, that’s where pattern recognition comes in.
“I’ve been hearing directly from students since day one. When you hear the same concerns from multiple students, you start to notice patterns and understand which issues might need more attention.”
That responsibility of representing thousands of students is especially important when students may not feel equipped to advocate for themselves. Michael sees Student Advocates as a bridge between students and the people who have the ability to make change.
“I think with this position, it just helps to be the bridge from the students to the people that are in power or people that can actually make a change.”
What isn’t always visible
While events and free stuff may be the most visible side of IGNITE, advocacy is another part of the work happening behind the scenes for students.
“Sometimes when students hear IGNITE, they immediately think of events, free stuff, or things happening on campus. And as a former BA, I would love to hear that from students because that’s a big part of what we do.”
From food security initiatives to advocacy around unpaid internships, Michael has seen how student advocacy can extend far beyond the work students see day to day.
That behind-the-scenes work is also why he believes change cannot always be measured by an immediate result.
“Advocacy is like constructing a tall building. No single builder can complete it by themselves,” he said. “It’s a combined effort. Advocacy is the same. A lot of it happens behind the scenes, whether that’s meeting with decision-makers, going to rallies or writing letters to MPPs. Students might not always see that work, but I can guarantee that we’re still working toward a better life for them.”
For him, the impact lies in the joint effort— whether that is advocating for new issues or for the ones where the foundation has already been laid.
“Sometimes laying the foundation is progress too.”
Building on the work already started
Michael is already looking ahead to how he can contribute to IGNITE’s ongoing advocacy efforts.
One current focus is OSAP. Through the upcoming OSAP Is Ours campaign, students can write directly to their local MPPs about the issues affecting them.
The campaign is another way to turn individual student experiences into collective advocacy.
“We’re encouraging students to get more involved with the government and have their elected representatives hear directly about the issues they’re facing.”
And for those who feel that your letters won’t make a difference:
“As long as your handwriting is legible, your voice still matters!” he laughed. “One letter might feel small, but when you have thousands of students speaking about the same issue, those individual voices become part of something much bigger.”
The next chapter
Looking ahead, housing is another area where Michael hopes to make an impact.
IGNITE has already started its housing advocacy work with workshops designed to help students understand their rights and navigate housing challenges, with our next workshop coming up in November.
For students facing unfamiliar housing situations, accessible information can make difficult experiences easier to manage.
“OSAP is just one piece of the puzzle. We have Time is Money, Bill 33, housing and other advocacy efforts,” he emphasizes. “The goal isn’t to have students care about just one campaign. It’s about helping students understand that they have a voice on all of these issues.”
An advocate students can approach
Having spent years in various roles and meeting students from different walks of life, Michael hopes to maintain and continue that relationship.
“Even though my position changed from being a Brand Ambassador Assistant to now being a Student Advocate, you can always approach me the way you always have. I’m still Mike.”
As he continues on this new journey, he hopes to make an impact and be remembered as someone who listened, showed up, and cared for all. He wishes to be remembered not by the projects, campaigns or meetings he attends, but by the fact that he is the one students think of when wanting to voice their issues.
“And, of course, I hope they remember me as the good-looking guy who was always approachable.”
His message to students is simple: your voice has a place in every process!
Feature image courtesy of Michael Apostol
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