Mike has been an educator in San Carlos since 2010, having worked at Gila Community College (Satellite Campus), SCAT Education Department, San Carlos Training Institute, and the University of Arizona San Carlos Tribal Extension (FRTEP) office. In 2021, Mike was thrilled to come on board with San Carlos Apache College as the WIOA Adult Education Instructor; this allowed Mike to advise high school equivalence students who wanted to use college classes to obtain their equivalence, and it also allowed Mike to teach courses that were academic, but also practical for students.
Mike taught a variety of Student Success Skills courses (College Success Skills, Career Exploration, and Becoming a Master Student) and also went on to become the Communication Studies faculty lead for SCAC and TOCC, teaching classes like Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication. Those classes were especially enjoyable for Mike because they helped answer core questions that most students face in their educational and life journey: what is my message, how can I improve my interactions and relationships with others, what do I uniquely bring to the table, and how can I be seen and make my voice heard – especially when it really matters? He has enjoyed coaching students at the annual AIHEC conference/competition in speech communication and oral presentations of various kinds. Mike believes few things in life are as exhilarating as seeing the moment when students tap into their God-given creativity and have that “aha” moment when everything just clicks.
Over the last four years, Mike has taken these concepts to students across San Carlos as a SCAC ambassador. Mike has partnered with local non-profits organizations and tribal programs to teach life skills, art, communication studies, and personal wellness at schools in every district of San Carlos: Mt. Turnbull Elementary, Mt. Turnbull Academy, Biyaagozhǫ́ó Education Center, all Rice Schools, and San Carlos Alternative School. He enjoys sharing about Apache College and the WIOA work program in these spaces and loves to be around students of all ages in San Carlos.
It was a seamless transition to Interim Vice President of Student Affairs in 2025; Mike loves the people of San Carlos and wants to see them thrive in every way. Thankfully, education has been a practical pathway to help students find gozhǫ́ó. Mike is happy to be on a team of amazing people whom he deeply respects and with whom enjoys collaborating; he cherishes the opportunity to work with them to discover and provide resources that would help students find their way to the college, sign-up, get situated, begin utilizing all available helps to pass their classes, know what classes to take, know what relational/club/conference opportunities exist, and eventually graduate!
Mike was in school for all of the 1990s and, hence, remembers no music or television from that era. Mike has a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Studies with a double major in Philosophy from Northwestern University. He went on to obtain two Master’s Degrees from Trinity International University where he studied Speech Communication and Theology. He had the privilege of being a Speech Communication Teaching Fellow at Trinity while finishing his second Master’s Degree there. He’s happy to be done with his studies and helping students take their early college steps.
Mike has been married for 31 years to his wife, Leslie, and together they are the proud parents of three children. They went on from Globe High School to study Popular Music Guitar Performance at University of Southern California and Berklee College of Music, Film Production and Screenwriting at Chapman University. Much of the content Mike teaches in his classes has been beta-tested on his very own children. He is grateful for their help and even more grateful for the amazing people they have grown to be.
After 15 years of working in San Carlos, Mike has come to learn about and appreciate Apache culture all the more. He likes acorn dumplings, acorn stew, red chili, and stuffed fry bread with beans. And he was fascinated by the taste of Tulapai as it reminded him of fermented Korean rice wine, Makgeolli. Mike has also enjoyed taking Apache history class at the college. Below is his introduction in Apache.
Dagot’ee. Shii Mike Kim gonséé. Shimaa Park Soo Mee gołzéé aina’ shitaa Kim Yong Il gołzéé ni’. Milyang Park nshlįį aina’ Haejú Kim baninshtįį. Shisaani Leslie Kim gołzéé. Shigashé táági golįį. Shiyé naki golįį. Stewart Kim hik’eh Bennett Kim dagołzéé. Aina’ shitsi’ Emma Kim gołzéé. Shii Besh Bagową yú gonshlįį aina’ South Korea di nashaa. Shii Sengá Apache College yú na’ii’siid. Shii Northwestern University hik’eh Trinity International University yú di’ nałtsoos dashołbąą ni’. Nnée Biyati’ shił nzhǫǫ. Áyąąhé-go bigonsįh ndi’nįį bigonshaa. Ahi’yi’e.
Mike loves to run into former and current students around town, so please be sure to say hi wherever you may see him!