As they prepare for the next stages of their lives, members of the Brooklyn College Class of 2016 share their fondest memories at the school that they have called home. Check back each week in June to read their first-person accounts of what they learned both in and out of the classroom, and where they go from here.

Name: Michael Bryant
Degree: M.A. in Urban Politics and Administration
Hometown: Center Point, Alabama

Student Activities: Black and Latino Male Initiative (BLMI), College Democrats, National Action Network, Early Childhood Center volunteer

I chose to study at Brooklyn College because of the auspicious campus, situated in the best neighborhood in the United States: Brooklyn. Not only is the student body made up of a highly rated group of students with diverse backgrounds, but so are the distinguished and personable faculty and staff, who mentored me when I joined the Brooklyn College family.

My Brooklyn College education has taught me countless lessons both in political science and the professional world. My professors provided me with rousing literature, galvanizing lectures, and practical advice about joining the workforce as a political scientist.

I am one of nine scholars selected for the New York State Assembly Graduate Internship during the 2016 legislative session. I have decided to move back to my hometown to run for mayor. I would be only the second mayor of Center Point, the youngest mayor, and the first African American to serve a city of 16,000 people, within a radius of no more than seven miles.

I love Brooklyn College and I am proud to represent this institution.