Date published: June 27, 2024
Lancaster, PA
"At bigger colleges, you feel more like a number than a student.”
Stevens decided to attend HACC because of the College’s affordable tuition and transfer options. He completed an associate degree in engineering and then transferred to Penn State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
During his time at HACC, Stevens enjoyed the easy access to student resources. “At bigger colleges, you feel more like a number than a student,” he said.
Stevens also benefited from a HACC Foundation scholarship, which helped him concentrate on his studies. “The scholarship helped me focus more on my work because I did not have to stress so much and work more often to try to cover tuition,” he said.
At Penn State, Stevens received several accolades, including the President’s Freshman Award and Outstanding Senior Engineer. Plus, he graduated summa cum laude.
Today, Stevens is a design engineer responsible for handling custom orders to create, modify and utilize existing parts and designs to meet customer specifications.
While Stevens has enjoyed personal and academic success during and after his time at HACC, he overcame several obstacles to do so. He said, “Most of my challenges came from my childhood and growing up in a poor environment with little opportunities. Moving to the United States and going to school trying to learn English and trying to become a professional was something I had set on my mind as something I MUST achieve in order to not relive or go back to the living conditions I had prior to coming to the U.S. I wanted to be able to provide for my kids so they didn't have to live through what I lived through. These experiences motivated me to keep driving forward, keep studying, keep furthering my professional career and are always a reminder to keep going when stuff gets difficult and I want to give up.”
As far as advice for prospective HACC students, he said to carefully choose a school. “You want to choose a recognized college in the field that you want to study. Try to be as efficient with your money as possible. More expensive does not directly mean more opportunities or a higher salary.”
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