1992 Distinguished Alumni Recipient

I entered Okaloosa-Walton Community College through an early enrollment program as a senior in high school. I originally planned to major in computer sciences because I felt very comfortable with mathematics. However, after completing my first college level calculus course, I realized that I needed to broaden my educational experiences. After contemplating what other fields of study might be right for me, I decided to pursue a medical career. I had no role models and had avoided chemistry and biology in high school, so I also had no educational background. OWCC would be the foundation for my future career in medicine.

I struggled through the basic physics, chemistry and botany courses and, with the help of my instructors and advisors, managed to do fairly well. I had become accustomed to making straight A’s in high school so my B+ average was a bit disappointing. The encouragement from the faculty at the college gave me the confidence to continue pursuing a medical career. I think the most important lesson I learned was that struggling is sometimes necessary to succeed. Everything is not always easy but anything is possible if you put forth your best effort. OWCC gave me the individual guidance and background I needed to become a responsible and confident physician.

Share this article