'I never in my life thought I would have a college degree.'

Alumni Spotlight: Columbia State Community College recently sat down with a 2017 graduate and Marine Corps serviceman to hear about his experience at the school.

Cpl. Anthony Cordova, who graduated from Columbia State with an Associate of Science degree in History, did not take the typical path to graduating from a community college.

A Marshall County native, he graduated from Cornersville High School in 2007 and then served his country for four years of active duty in the Marine Corps. Following his time in the service, he began courses at Columbia State in 2011. During his time at the college, he stopped taking classes and began work with CSX. However, after a twist of fate, his life path directed him back to Columbia State.

“When I was in the Corps, went through service, did what I needed to do, got an honorable discharge, and when I got out, I pursued a career on the railroad; and I worked for CSX transportation for quite some time,” Cordova said. “I was severely injured while I was there, and because of that, that's what sent me back to college.” 

Cordova said he initially didn’t know if going back to school years later was the right choice. However, he says Columbia State offered him a new start.

“From my past history of going through high school, I knew academically, I was not ready for a university, and I didn't want to frivolously use my GI Bill benefits; and I wanted to get the most out of them,” Cordova said. “And that's where Columbia State just really, for me, knocked it out of the park.”

Cordova passed all his classes that first semester back at Columbia State. He shared that he received a lot of support from his instructors, and his outlook on college began to change.

“That very first semester, when I finally got 12 credit hours like, ‘wow, I can do this.’ And not only that, the faculty push you and say, ‘man, look how you’re doing now?’ And I felt ‘wow, I can really do this.’ Cordova said. “And every semester, it was like I can really do this. And just the backing you have here and teachers putting you in for awards. You just want to succeed. I got put in for the American History Academic Award. To me, that was people seeing something in me that I did not.”

During his time at Columbia State, he says his instructors and professors are what helped him push himself to achieve more.

“I saw professors taking their time believing in me when I didn’t,” Cordova said. “That’s probably one of the biggest things about Columbia State is that they want to see you succeed. Also, on the flip side of things, I didn’t want to let them down and just give up when they have put that much effort into me. So, I think if students, depending on what their situation is, if a degree is what you want, Columbia State will stand by you.”

Cordova currently works as an outreach coordinator at Operation Stand Down Tennessee, an agency offering career guidance and other support to veterans.

With Cordova now having a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Lipscomb University and currently working to finish law school, he reflected on the mindset he had at the outset of his higher education journey.

“Earning a degree for me was something I thought I could never do,” he said. “I never in my life thought I would have a college degree. It’s really hard when you’re older and you’re having to restart, and it’s overwhelming, especially when you’re going back to college, but you know that earning that degree is what’s going to give you a leg up in life. And I knew that was probably the only thing I could do to become productive again. Like I said, Columbia State was the foundation for that. But having that college degree in my back pocket is everything. It is everything. It opens up so many doors.” 

 For more information on what Columbia State offers, including application deadlines, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/apply . For military veterans looking for more information on higher education options at Columbia State, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/veterans.