Michael Mihalicz
Michael is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy, and Special Advisor to the Dean on Indigenous Initiatives at the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM). Since joining TRSM in 2020, his work has been highlighted in over two dozen media publications and received recognition through the CRDCN/ISC/CIRNAC Early Career Researcher Award (2021), the TRSM Teaching Innovation Award (2022), the Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Award (2022), and the CCAE Gold Medal in Indigenous Relations (2023).
His research combines principles from psychology and economics to explore how people make decisions and discover factors that predispose decision makers to irrational behaviour. Currently, he is active in research projects that will deepen our understanding of non-financial factors influencing the decisions of Inuit, Métis, and First Nations students to attend university in Canada and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the motivations behind their choices.
As an educator, Michael strives to help students make better decisions. By enhancing students' understanding of their cognitive and affective limitations and developing their capacity to critically evaluate their own decision-making processes, he hopes to equip them with the tools and understanding to make better informed decisions that are more closely aligned with their values and goals.
“My teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that who we are as individuals is shaped by a lifetime of thoughts and experiences. By engaging students in thought-provoking discussions and exposing them to immersive experiences, I believe that we can help cultivate strong independent thinkers and the next generation of business leaders.”
Michael is also deeply committed to making education accessible and desirable to underserved and often neglected segments of the population. In his role as Special Advisor to the Dean on Indigenous Initiatives, Michael is actively involved in supporting reconciliation priorities at TMU and is tasked with leading the development of policies and processes that will provide more opportunities for Indigenous students to achieve their educational goals.
“Too often, efforts to Indigenize or decolonize these institutions focus primarily on more tangible barriers. While these need to be considered and addressed, many of the systemic issues go much deeper. At the Ted Rogers School, we've embraced a holistic approach that places student voices at the centre of our work. We are committed to creating an environment grounded in mutual respect and understanding where every voice is valued, and every perspective is treated as a vital contribution to the collective learning experience.”
One of Michael’s passions in life is in finding community-based alternatives to prison and punitive approaches to justice that perpetuate cycles of crime and violence in Canada. For over a decade, he has been breaking down barriers to education in an effort to afford student inmates access to higher education. Drawing on his lived experiences within Canada’s prison system, Michael is dedicated to addressing social injustices surrounding the overincarceration of Indigenous peoples, and what he believes is the greatest threat to the future wellbeing of our youth—the age of mass incarceration.
