“In 1974, I graduated from Baltimore City College High School. I began attending Towson University in September of that year. After one and a half years at Towson, I discovered that I needed additional assistance to pass my upcoming classes. A good friend of mine recommended BCCC, or the Community College of Baltimore, as it was known at the time. I began majoring in General Studies. The counselors at BCCC showed me how to use a course evaluation scale so that I would know what I needed to graduate when I returned to Towson. I was able to complete the requirements for graduation in just two semesters at the College because they accepted my course credits from Towson. I completed my course work and graduated but was unable to walk because I was so busy. I had a full time job with the Army Reserves at the time and I was completing other school programs as well. I finally put in for graduation in 1980. My wife, Charlene Evans, also graduated from BCCC! She went on to graduate from the University of Maryland and recently retired from Kennedy Krieger Institute, where she managed several departments in Baltimore. When I returned to Towson, I paid attention to a question that all my professors seemed to ask on the first day of class. They would ask, “who in here already has a degree?” When I affirmatively raised my hand in each of my classes, I noticed immediately that I had a better relationship with my new professors. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I went on to grad school at Towson and received a master’s in education while I was also working for the State of Maryland Division of Corrections. My degree allowed me to become a Psychiatric Specialist with the U.S. Army Reserves, a highly desirable specialty. I was also hired as a teacher by Baltimore City Public Schools while I continued working as a correctional officer on the night shift. I retired from the State of Maryland after 20 years and began working in Prince George’s County as a teacher. While working there, I’ve gotten additional degrees and teaching certificates from Bowie State University and George Washington University. None of this would have been possible without BCCC!”
