Michael Branningan

Senior 
Majors, Political Science & History
Minor, Sociology

What is your dream job & what do you want to do after graduation?

I don’t know but I know I want to do something that makes me happy. Something that I enjoy, something that I know I’m doing good and something I can do well. Be that in politics, be it in business, or non-profit. I want to be happy and I want to do good.

What book(s) would you recommend to your best friend?

Anything by Chesterton or Tom Clancy. Both are fantastic writers and both touch on such diverse and engaging topics that can really be applied to our current day and age.

If you could travel anywhere where would you go and why?

Stereotypical western answer I’m going to go with Europe. To visit Rome, Sicily, Venice, France, Normandy, and England I’d go and try to find those haunts where Chesterton used to hang out, write, and debate. Definitely western and eastern Europe.

What are you the most proud of?

I am proud of my ability to be humble. I used to be very conceited and self centered and my experience here at college both between just expanding my horizons in regards to diversity with regard to different ideas and my faith did a lot of that too. I am not the most important person in the world and I like to think I have a knack to at least walk in other people’s shoes for a bit. That has really helped me connect with people especially moving into such a diverse workforce world.

What would be the first thing you’d buy if you won the lottery?

The first thing I’d buy would be a small home on a large piece of property in the middle of nowhere. I just want to be able to go out and have a little space to call my own.

What makes your resume stand out?

My commitment to service. Be it customer service or community service, I like helping people solve their problems.

What skill would you like to learn?

I’d like to learn Gaelic. I found out recently all my family is from Ireland and I thought we were from all over Europe. But apparently everyone was from Ireland and went to Europe via France or England and then they all came to the states. It’s such a beautiful language.

What’s your biggest fear?

I think not being able to provide for my family should I have one. My folks have done that for me and I want to return the favor for my own.