Many of our graduates have fond memories of their time enrolled at the College, and some decide to return, in one way or another, to the place that helped them achieve their goals. Michael Harris is one of those graduates. The ambitious master’s student, currently enrolled at the University of North Florida (UNF), began his journey at FSCJ after transferring from a South Carolina college back to Jacksonville, the place he considers home.

Michael, who studied earned his Associate in Arts (A.A.) in Psychology during his time at the College, recently wrapped up an internship at Deerwood Center’s Student Success Center.

“It brought me back to going to Student Success coaches and sitting down and planning out my future,” Michael said. “Being able to give back like the coaches gave back to me when I was there, it really helped me understand that people come from different situations.”

He highlights his experiences in Professor Dana Kuehn’s psychology classes as being beneficial to his growth as a student and a person. Michael earned a leadership award from Professor Kuehn.

“It was pretty powerful to have her as an instructor,” he said. “I think people were afraid to share what they were really feeling, but in psychology class, it’s not going to be any fun if we don’t share how we feel about a particular situation. And she really embraced that.”

Michael says his FSCJ experience as a whole taught him the value of diversity and he appreciates the College’s willingness to welcome and support students of all backgrounds. “What really helped me receive that leadership award is that I wasn’t afraid to just be myself,” he said. “This college just really embraces us to be who you are.”

To watch Michael discuss his experiences at the College, click this link.