Article by David Walker | Owl Staff
Sam Demelo, an engineer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, returned to the classroom to expand his writing skills and explore new interests.
Harford Community College brings together students from all walks of life, each with their own goals, experiences and reasons for returning to the classroom. For some, college is the next step after high school. For others, it is an opportunity to explore new interests, develop new skills and pursue goals they may have put on hold.
For Sam Demelo, an engineer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, returning to college meant challenging himself in a new way while balancing the demands of his career. When he is not working, he is studying and developing his writing skills. He can often be found on campus looking for opportunities to push himself beyond his comfort zone.
“While his engineering career requires him to communicate with a specialized audience, his coursework gives him the opportunity to explore writing in new ways and reach different readers.”
Demelo previously attended college as a general studies student. After earning his degree, he entered the workforce and built a career in engineering. Years later, he decided to return to HCC and enroll in a handful of classes, using the opportunity to explore his interest in writing and expand his skill set.
Returning to school while maintaining a demanding career has not always been easy, but the experience has given Demelo a chance to develop skills outside his professional field.
“The level of writing I do at my current job is very laser-focused and niche, it is a certain audience,” he said. “I wanted to be able to broaden out a little bit.”
For Demelo, studying multimedia journalism at HCC offered a different perspective on communication. While his engineering career requires him to communicate with a specialized audience, his coursework gives him the opportunity to explore writing in new ways and reach different readers.
Sam Demelo (left) travelled with members of the Journalism Club to New Orleans for the College Media Association conference where they won multiple Pinnacle awards.
HCC’s flexible learning options have also helped him manage his responsibilities. The ability to take hybrid classes allows him to balance work, assignments and time on campus without putting his professional career on hold.
“The hybrid class is amazing,” Demelo said. “Being able to do a 12-hour day and still come home and crank out my assignments, talk to other students, talk to the teacher, but also still be able to come in, and have in-person, is light years ahead of my start to the entire process, years ago.”
“At HCC, his journey is a reminder that stepping outside your comfort zone can open the door to new opportunities, no matter how long it has been since you last sat in a classroom.”
Beyond the flexibility of his classes, Demelo appreciates how much the college has changed since he first attended. He is grateful for the accessibility of HCC’s resources and the opportunities available to students today.
His return to college demonstrates that education does not have to follow a traditional timeline. Students can pursue new interests and continue learning at different stages of their lives, even while managing demanding careers and other responsibilities.