The spirit of helping others was instilled in Sharlay Michel (Butler) at a young age. It was instilled by a single mother, trying to raise a young family in the most difficult situation. A 2010 Midland University graduate, Michel grew up with adversity that strengthened her resolve to one day help people on her own. As an OB-GYN Doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, Michel is working hard to ensure a healthy and safe environment for others. It was a luxury she didn't often have while growing up. “I grew up on the Coeur d’ Alene Indian Reservation in Idaho, caring for my siblings while my mom worked and attended night school,” Michel said. “We lived in subsidized housing and ate government foods like powdered eggs, milk, and multifunctional tomato substances. I learned early on what it meant to live on variable and limited resources as we relied on food banks, second-hand stores, and church potlucks to get by.” Her family's struggles took an even worse turn when Michel entered high school as her mother became ill and was unable to work. “I came to understand how illness could devastate a family, especially one already living on the margins,” she said. “We lost everything and spent the year transitioning between temporary housing options, everything from a camper to a highway motel.”
SHARLAY MICHEL ‘10 HAS WORKE D H A R D TO EN S U RE B E T TER LIVES FOR OTHERS
24 Midland Magazine
Two things kept Michel focused during these difficult times - her education and basketball. It was her talents on the basketball court that would eventually land her a scholarship to Midland, and a chance to make an impact for herself and others. “My education provided me the tools to begin to understand the complex continuum of illness and disease,” Michel said. “Basketball taught me patience, perseverance, humility, and the confidence to bounce back after failure. A scholarship reinforced my faith that hard work could be the key to transcending any circumstance.” She arrived at Midland because of basketball, but left with so much more. “I came to Midland to play basketball, but it was the people that made Midland feel like home,” she said. “Whether it was on the court, in the classroom, or through student organizations, I made lifelong friends who have become like family. I still keep in touch with some of
