Chester

After struggling in high school, Chester wanted to have a strong support system to help him succeed in the world of higher education. With the encouragement of his high school counselor, Chester looked into Howard Community College (HCC) and the Silas Craft Collegians program, which offers small classes, tutoring, and leadership development.

Chester enrolled at HCC in fall 2017, choosing cybersecurity as his area of study. After a year of studies, he says HCC and the Silas Craft Collegians program are the perfect fit.

“My experience with the program has been great,” he said. “I would recommend it because the support system the program offers as well as the skills we are taught prepare you for not only our college careers but our actual goals.

“The Silas Craft program has a strong support system that really encourages community and exchanging information and advice. The skills we’re taught in seminar classes, such as effective note taking and researching topics, have all helped me in my college career thus far.”

Chester has also received support in the form of scholarships.

“I received a Silas craft Endowment and Coca-Cola scholarship,” he said. “They make it possible to even attend classes and purchase the needed materials for my courses.”

While not completely sure of what he wants in a career, Chester says he plans to eventually transfer to the University of Maryland, College Park, to continue his studies.