For MSU Sociology senior Onyx Bromley, education has been a way to help people. Following graduation this week, he will embark on their goal to educate and advocate for others to improve their overall lives.
Bromley has been selected with the honor of carrying the banner for the College of Social Science at the 2025 Winter Commencement ceremonies. Bromley will lead the college entering Breslin Center on Saturday, Dec. 13. This role is given to an outstanding graduating senior who represents their peers and overall academic excellence.
“I have had the great joy of working with Onyx for the last several years. Starting as a student in SOC 100, then as a research assistant in my research lab. Onyx is a kind hearted, critical thinker who seeks to make the world a better place for everyone. His quick wit, deep empathy, and curious thinking made lab meetings and class better for everyone. I'm lucky to have a job where I get to work with such great students like Onyx!” said Dr. Sarah Prior, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director for MSU Sociology.
Bromley found Prior to be an exceptional communicator, able to explain complex theories in ways that made sense and relate those theories to students’ lives in the real world.
“She’s not afraid to upset people in classes and I think that getting upset in a sociology class is something everyone should experience, honestly,” Bromley said.
Bromley came to Michigan State University as a human biology major but after taking a gap year, Bromley returned to find a home in Social Sciences.
“I felt like you are helping people more in Social Science,” Bromley said. “I like working with people.”
As a Sociology major, Bromley focused on researching gender-based violence, income and housing inequalities and labor exploitation. As a student, Bromley has worked as a POE Peer Educator, leading sexual assault and relationship violence prevention workshops on MSU’s campus. He also serves as the Vice President of Education for the student housing cooperative in East Lansing.
His interest in housing arose from his work with housing cooperatives, which are member owned and run by students who live there. Bromley works with the residents on education and advocacy on housing issues as well as other social issues like systems of oppression, cultural awareness, member health and safety and cross sectoral cooperative awareness.
“Part of my job is educating people on the governing systems they live under and how they can take advantage of those for their own good,” Bromley said.
Among his successes as an advocate is helping to get a resolution passed in the city of Lansing as an LGBT Welcoming City
“There was a pattern of terror threats on Lansing queer-owned businesses so we worked to rally people in Lansing,” Bromley said, adding that he hopes to make the same designation in East Lansing.
Bromley has been accepted into the Teach for America program and will be teaching secondary science in Lansing Public Schools starting in August. After that, he plans to continue his education with a master’s program at Central Michigan University for higher education administration and social justice.
“I’ve had a few educator roles and I enjoy it,” Bromley said. “Just like in sociology, one of the things I found most interesting is that (a lack of) education is the root of a lot of problems. So if you can really focus on that, you can cause cascading effects on everything else.”
He also hopes to be able to start his own housing cooperative in a rural area to be more welcoming in an area where many group housing situations are run by religious organizations and not necessarily open to all groups.
“I find housing cooperatives to be extremely important since they offer affordable housing to larger groups of people, while allowing members to pool resources and energy for greater mutual social, economic, and political benefits,” he said.
For undergraduates interested in Sociology, Bromley recommends they become involved in organizations outside the standard student groups, following their passions into advocacy groups in East Lansing and Lansing.
“I feel like a lot of MSU students feel like they are limited to getting involved in student organizations but we are students who are learning things that others may not have access to so in order for a sociology major to greatly benefit other people, getting involved in the outside community – that is one of the best things you can do,” Bromley said.