Alumni Spotlight

Michaelah Nunes (she/her)

Question: What was your MYL alumni year? (If you did not attend the conference, the year that you first volunteered!)  

Michaelah's Response: 2014

Question: What high school did you go to? 

Michaelah's Response: Old Rochester Regional High School

Question: If you went to/are currently attending college, where did/do you go and what did you major in?

Michaelah's Response: Undergraduate at UMass Amherst for Communication Disorders, Psychology, and Spanish. I am currently in the Master's program at UMass Dartmouth in the Teacher's program with a concentration in Special EducationI am an outdoor educator!

Question: If you are currently employed, what is your job? 

Michaelah's Response: I work to connect urban youth with opportunities to explore outdoor spaces and learn more about nature and their community.

Question: Why do/did you volunteer with MYL/MassSTAR?

Michaelah's Response: I volunteer with MassSTAR because I believe that forming connections and giving people the tools/skills needed to step into their full potential can help make a powerful impact within our communities. The youth help to form/shape our communities and should be empowered to use their voice to advocate for themselves, others, the environment, and more.

Question: What makes the Foundation unique?

Michaelah's Response: This Foundation is unique because it is mostly made up of alumni that have participated in the conference as delegates in the past or volunteers that choose to help every year. The conference has made an impact on each and every one of us that choose to come back to ensure that its legacy continues on. We are proud of the family we have created and the beautiful work we do together. <3

Question: Are you still in touch with people from the conference? How do you stay in touch?

Michaelah's Response: Yes, I mostly stay in touch with people from the conference through video chat, phone calls, texting, social media, and when at the conference!

Question: How would you describe the conference to somebody who hasn't/won't be able to experience it?

Michaelah's Response: The conference is a weekend-long experience that will have life-changing effects on you. It helps you explore who you are as an individual, a leader, a friend, a teammate, and your role within your school, community, and in the world. The feeling you get leaving the conference is like having butterflies in your stomach but in an excited way because you can't contain all the information, friends, and experiences you are about to take home. I remember some of my delegates last year said something along the lines of, "I have no idea how to explain this experience to my friends at home but that's okay because we were able to share it with each other.

Question: What is your favorite activity from the MassSTAR Conference?

Michaelah's Response:  "My favorite activity were group debriefs where I felt more comfortable sharing my thoughts with my group and hearing their perspectives.

Question: What is your favorite MassSTAR cheer? 

Michaelah's Response: ALIVE, AWAKE, ALERT, ENTHUSIASTIC

Question: What is a fun fact about yourself or something on your bucket list?

Michaelah's Response: I am working to become a Reiki master!


​Want to talk with Michaelah? Contact her at [email protected]
Responses were collected February 2023