Small class sizes and accessibility to the professors was certainly a plus that undergraduate study at a university could not provide. And that easy access to professors lead me to a class with (the late) Dr. Angelo Perez. Dr. Perez challenged students to think. He had a great sense of humor and a deep, institutional knowledge of history, especially local history. He encouraged me to dig in and reach for my goals. Something I’ve continued to do throughout my career. After earning my A.A. at HCC, I attended the University of South Florida and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science. Today, I am a Congressional Staffer for U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan, in Congressional District 16.