Michael grew up in Victoria, but is of Tasmanian Indigenous descent. He graduated from Monash in 2012 with First Class Honours in his BA (Criminology and Politics) and achieved a High Distinction average in his degree. He also received the Dean’s Recognition Award 2009, 2010 and 2011; Faculty of Arts Honours Merit Scholarship and the Colin Bourke Final Year Indigenous Prize for Academic Excellence in 2012.
He was the Camp mentor for The Aspiration Initiative in 2013 and intends to pursue a career in the criminal justice system. 
Michael was a 2015 Gates Finalist,
and a ‘Learning Together’ Programme Scholar at the Cambridge Institute
of Criminology. He has recently completed a Criminological research and has commenced a PhD in Criminology at Cambridge University.