After graduating from Leto High School, I spent six years serving in the Marine Corps, which among other things, trained me to be decisive. So, when I finished my tour, I knew I wanted to enroll at HCC, and looking back, it was the best decision. I was one of the first students accepted in the inaugural year of the HCC Honors Institute (now the Dr. Lydia R. Daniel Honors Program). My freshman and sophomore classes at HCC were as good if not better than similar courses at a four-year university, and my professors were dedicated educators committed to the development and success of every student. I'm extremely grateful for every one of them, especially Dr. Lydia Daniel, retired Director of the Honors Institute. My academic accomplishments, facilitated by the HCC Honors Institute, include being one of just four transfer students in the nation to receive a Trustee's Scholarship, which helped me matriculate to Boston University's College of Engineering where I earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. HCC not only provided leadership opportunities, but helped opens doors to greater educational challenges.