Don’t expect Daniel Dakoske to follow.

That’s because he’s more of a leader than a follower.

“Whenever I find myself among a group of people that have gathered to work together, I find myself naturally stepping into a leadership role,” he said.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn student’s desire to take on leadership roles earned him the title of “Difference Maker.”

Ever since Daniel was a child, he had an affinity for anything mechanical. That inspired Daniel to study robotics. He hopes to pursue a career in which he can design and manufacture industrial robots.

“I feel that this would be a fun and challenging profession that would help me make a difference in the ever-growing manufacturing industry,” he said.

But aside from his affinity for robots, Daniel also has other aspirations.

“At some point in my future, I would like to incorporate an opportunity to save lives,” he said. “Although this may seem odd to not know where this fits in my future, I can never get the thought out of my head of participating in an organization, such as the U.S. Coast Guard or other great lifesaving organizations, like the Red Cross or Ski Patrol.”

As a freshman, Daniel participated in the Wolverine Orientation Wilderness (WOW) program at UM-Dearborn to acclimate with new students. He returned the following year to help out as an instructor.

University administrators were so impressed with Daniel’s leadership skills that they hired him as an instructor for the Operation Adventure (OA) program. 

“Dan has a natural ability to read people of all ages and motivate them through challenges,” said Tom McPartlin, OA coordinator. “He has been an asset to our program.”

He’s also an asset to the University’s formula racing team. Daniel plans to blend his passion for cars and robotics into a career in the automotive industry.