Mitchell Rivard wasn’t your typical student. As a junior in high school he was already preparing himself for college, not by saving money, but by dual-enrolling at Delta College.
“I was starting as a junior in high school (Bay City Western) and I was interesting in getting some of my college credits early, Rivard, 23, said. “Delta College offered a dual-enrollment program for high school students to take selective courses. So that’s how I got a jump start on my education.”
After Delta College, Rivard enrolled at Michigan State University in August 2008, majoring in Social Relations and Policy and focusing on public and domestic policy.
Because he earned 47 credits at Delta College, Rivard was able to graduate from MSU in December 2011. He moved to Washington D.C. the following April and now works as the communications director for U.S. Congressman Dan Kildee, a Democrat representing the fifth district of Michigan.
Rivard said although he resides in Washington, D.C., Michigan will always be his home.
“I was born and raised in Bay City, Michigan. My family still lives in Bay City and my extended family lives in Pinconning. I will always be from Michigan,” he said.
Rivard said a great benefit his job gives him is all the traveling he does back and forth from Washington, D.C. to Michigan.
“I get to travel (back and forth) onto Michigan and specifically Bay City, Saginaw and Flint, often with him (Congressman Kildee), usually once or twice a month, Rivard said. “I get to work from the road, work with him and come back and be in the community in mid-Michigan, which is always great.”
Rivard said the biggest influences in his life to get his education have been his parents, Troy and Wendy Rivard, both of whom work at Auto-Tech, a family-owned small-automotive repair business on Salzburg Avenue in Bay City.
“Both of my parents instilled the hard work ethic in me because they had that business ever since they graduated from high school in 1983,” he said.
Kimberly Klein, a political science professor at Delta College, taught Rivard POL 103 during the Winter 2008 semester. She said she isn’t surprised Rivard ended up in our nation’s capital.12