Hostos student Antoine Hunter received some very good news the other day: he’s been accepted as a transfer student at Yale University!
Antoine will graduate from Hostos with an A.A. degree in liberal arts and a 4.0 GPA. His post-graduation plan is to study at a four-year institution, and both Hunter College and Lehman had invited him to pursue his education with them. But he’d also been selected for an interview at Yale, which is generally perceived as a very good sign – and that’s exactly what it proved to be.
Antoine will attend Yale via the Eli Whitney Students Program, which is designed for individuals with high academic potential who have had their education interrupted, at some point during their educational careers, for five or more years. He has received a full academic scholarship, and will complete his bachelor’s degree in the History of Science, Medicine and Public Health.
Antoine is currently a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Kaplan Leadership Scholars. Employed full-time at the Department of Education, he is also husband and a father, and a member of CUNY’s Family Empowerment Program at Hostos.
“I cried tears of joy,” Antoine said upon hearing the news of his acceptance. With a background of mediocre grades and gang activity as a youth, college wasn’t originally an option. “I chose to marry young and work two jobs to support my wife and children. Because of my childhood experiences, I chose to work with children; my goal was to prevent them from making poor choices, similar to the ones I’d made. In doing so, I realized that I could not promote education without actually having one – which inspired me to enroll at Hostos Community College.”
“From the day Antoine Hunter came in for an ASAP intake session with me,” said Jaime Olmos, Academic Advisor, Hostos’ Accelerated Study in Associate Program, “he has been an extreme pleasure having as a student on my caseload. I know that he will continue to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the medical field in the near future.”
For the past 13 years, the ASAP program has guided students toward degree completion within two to three years, and Antoine is not the only Hostos student to benefit from its support and resources. Said Laura McGowan, Director of the ASAP program at Hostos, “We are happy to count nearly 400 ASAP students in the upcoming spring 2020 commencement, and we are especially proud of Antoine Hunter.”
“I am beyond elated by this golden opportunity,” Antoine says. “I am also eager to see what else life has to offer me.”
Expect many more golden opportunities to come Antoine’s way!