Red Flannel Beginnings Inspire a Life of Advocacy for Michelle Campbell

Michelle Campbell’s story begins in the quiet town of Cedar Springs, Michigan, a place known as the “Red Flannel Capital of the World.” Growing up in this small community outside Grand Rapids, Michelle’s childhood was defined by freedom and exploration. 

Her parents, firm believers in allowing kids to experience life without rigid schedules, encouraged Michelle to find her own adventures – whether building forts in the woods, crafting crowns of wildflowers, or wandering through fields with a book in hand. Her exploration followed one simple rule: she had to stay within listening distance of her mom’s whistle, which served as her boundary and safety net.

“I spent so much time outside, alone with my thoughts,” Michelle recalls. “That freedom taught me how to listen – to the world and to myself. It’s something that still guides me today.”

Her home life was a mix of hard work and family connection. With a father who worked in manufacturing and a stay-at-home mom who returned to work when Michelle was in high school, Michelle learned early on the importance of resilience and community. Summers were often spent at Thunder Hawk Resort, a family-owned campground in northern Michigan that Michelle’s grandparents helped establish. “It was our version of up north,” she says. “My cousins, aunts, and uncles were all there, which created this sense of belonging and continuity.”

Michelle’s love of stories was born during these years. A voracious reader, she devoured books by the bagful from local library sales and sometimes even read by flashlight under the covers – uncovering tales that allowed her to explore perspectives far beyond her own.

This grounding in family and community, combined with her love for stories, shaped Michelle’s early aspirations. “Books opened my eyes to humanity,” she says, reflecting on how stories helped her understand others in deeply personal ways.”

From Literature to Advocacy

Michelle’s early love for stories and understanding people naturally evolved into a passion for advocacy during her time at Purdue University, where she received her PhD. As a graduate student, she joined the Purdue Social Justice Coalition and became a key organizer in efforts to improve campus safety and promote racial justice. One of the coalition’s major victories was establishing Purdue’s first Rape Crisis Center, an achievement born out of years of student-led advocacy.

“At the time, Purdue was the only Big Ten school without an embedded Rape Crisis Center,” she explains. “We worked tirelessly to bring attention to the issue. When the administration finally created the center, it was a powerful moment – even if our role in making it happen wasn’t publicly acknowledged.”

This early success in advocacy solidified Michelle’s commitment to creating meaningful change. After completing her PhD, she transitioned into roles that allowed her to integrate her academic expertise with her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. From teaching multilingual engineering graduate students at Duke University to leading research grant consultations and professional development initiatives focused on social impact at Michigan Engineering, Michelle has built a career focused on helping others thrive.

A Bridge Builder at Michigan Engineering

Today, Michelle serves as the Program Director of Culture, Grants, and Advancement within Michigan Engineering’s Office of Culture, Community, and Equity (OCCE). She also leads DEIA efforts at the Electric Vehicle Center (EVC), where she works to embed equity, inclusion, and accessibility into the center’s research and programs, including leading an interactive session to help the team shape the EVC’s core values of social responsibility, teamwork, empowerment, passion, and professionalism (STEPP up). 

Michelle’s role is as much about building relationships as it is about strategy and tactics. “I’m all about connecting people,” she says. “Whether it’s bringing K-12 educators into a conversation about electric vehicles or helping researchers incorporate DEIA principles into grant proposals, my focus is on creating coalitions that can drive real change.”

One of her recent initiatives includes co-leading the Culture of Accessibility team for Michigan Engineering’s DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan. The team is working to hire a Disability Navigator and provide resources to faculty for making their courses digitally accessible. “Accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal requirements,” Michelle explains. “It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong and can succeed.”

A New Chapter in Advocacy and Parenting

Michelle’s dedication to others extends beyond her professional life. She and her husband, Reuben, recently became foster parents and then legal guardians to a young family member with chronic illnesses. High school sweethearts from Cedar Springs, Michelle and Reuben have been together for over 20 years, and were recently married in 2023. “I never thought I’d be a parent,” Michelle admits. “But when the opportunity arose, we knew we were the best option for her well-being.”

Becoming a teenager’s advocate has deepened Michelle’s understanding of systemic challenges, particularly in healthcare and child welfare. “Managing her medical needs is almost a full-time job,” she says. “It’s shocking how difficult it is to navigate these systems, even with the resources we have.”

The experience has also reinforced Michelle’s belief in the importance of empathy and relationship building. “All behavior is communication,” she says. “When you approach people with curiosity and humility, you can uncover what they’re really trying to express – and that’s where real connection begins.”

Values That Guide Her Work

Throughout her career and personal life, Michelle has remained grounded in three personal core values: competence, integrity, and transparency. “Competence is about doing what you do well and admitting when you don’t know something,” she explains. “Integrity means following through on your commitments, even when it’s hard. And transparency is about sharing information openly, so people can make informed decisions.”

These values are particularly important in her work as a DEIA leader. “Advocacy isn’t just about taking action – it’s about doing the inner work to understand your own identity and biases,” she says. “Without that self-awareness, it’s impossible to build authentic relationships or create lasting change.”

Michelle’s commitment to self-awareness and empathy also informs her approach to bridging divides. “In DEIA work, I often ask myself, ‘Do I want to be right, or do I want to be effective?’” she says. “For me, it’s always about being effective – finding ways to make progress, even when it means stepping outside my comfort zone.”

Looking Ahead

As Michelle continues her work at Michigan Engineering and the EVC, her focus remains on creating a culture of equity and inclusion that empowers everyone to thrive. Whether she’s designing DEIA professional development workshops, supporting faculty with grant proposals, or advocating for her family, Michelle remains focused on fostering a future where equity and inclusion are embedded in every aspect of society.

“Every interaction is an opportunity to make a difference,” she says. “It’s about asking, ‘How can we be in right relationship with one another? How can we build something better together?’ That’s what drives me.”