Alumni Story

It’s been a journey of learning, adapting, and constantly looking for ways to create real impact through innovation.”

From the baseball field to entrepreneurship, Michael has carried the lessons and relationships he built at Catawba into his career. Now the founder of Slidr and the force behind CatawbaGo, he’s using innovation to give back to the community that shaped him.

Michael was first brought to Catawba to play baseball. “I was fortunate to play under Coach Gantt, an experience that shaped me in lasting ways,” he said. Beyond the baseball field, the experiences that stand out to Michael the most were creating lasting relationships with his teammates, professors like Dr. Clapp, Dr. Hake, Dr. Thompson, Dr. Slate, and Dr. Freeze, and other lifelong friends. He said those relationships made his time at Catawba “truly meaningful.”

One lesson that Michael learned during his time at Catawba that has always stuck with him was perseverance.  He said, "Whether it was grinding through a tough practice, balancing academics with athletics, or finding a way to succeed when things didn’t go as planned, Catawba taught me how to push forward and stay committed.”

He added, “That mindset continues to influence how I approach business and leadership today.”

After graduation, Michael pursued several entrepreneurial ventures. He focused on building businesses in transportation, technology, and real estate. Today, his main focus is Slidr.

Slidr is a company Michael himself founded that provides turnkey micro transit and shuttle services to cities, universities, and communities. When asked what developing and running this company was like, Michael said, "It’s been a journey of learning, adapting, and constantly looking for ways to create real impact through innovation."

Through Slidr, CatawbaGo was born.

CatawbaGo is an on-demand, fare-free shuttle service launched in collaboration by Slidr and Catawba College’s Center for the Environment to improve mobility on campus and around Salisbury for students, faculty, and staff. It’s powered by Slidr’s platform and designed to make getting around campus and into town safer, more reliable, and more sustainable.

“The idea came about from conversations with the college about ways to improve transportation access for students, and it grew into a partnership that I’m really proud of,” Michael said.

Being able to collaborate and give back to his alma mater in this way has meant a lot to Michael. He said, "Personally, it means a lot to give back to the place that played such a big role in my own journey. Professionally, it’s been rewarding to see our platform making a difference right here where it all started for me."

He added, “My hope is that CatawbaGo helps students and faculty feel more connected, makes transportation one less thing to worry about, and shows how innovative, sustainable solutions can strengthen a campus community.”