Michael Vanderpool is a lifelong learner with a passion for education. As an entrepreneur and consultant with various startups, his motivation for success required being able to constantly learn and adapt, yet all paths led to helping people learn and grow.After earning a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University, Michael consulted and worked in retail and online sales, applying his video production, photography, writing, and web design skills.Never forgetting his goal to be a college instructor, Michael attended Bowling Green State University, earning a Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology. As a graduate assistant, he taught video production and visual communication courses at Northwest State Community College.After graduating, Michael became an instructional designer at The Learning House, Inc., where he assisted with developing a variety of courses and developed plans for implementing accessibility, open educational resources, learning analytics, and competency-based education.At The Software Guild, a coding bootcamp that teaches the Java and .NET programming languages, Michael assisted instructors with applying learning theory, using technology in the classroom, and creating an exceptional learning experience for guild students.Michael then became the lead faculty of the Visual Communication / Graphic Design program at Northwest State Community College. He led the formation of the eSports team and the building of a Lego model of the campus.Recently, Michael was the Curriculum Architect for a company developing learning content for software development, data analytics, and cloud computing.In August 2024, Michael took the role of Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Defiance College.