Student speaker Andrew Hackney, 21, of Mechanicsville thanks his parents at the end of his remarks during the College of Southern Maryland’s 18th Winter Commencement ceremony, held Jan. 19 at CSM’s La Plata Campus. Hackney earned an associate degree in general studies with honors and a certificate of general studies: transfer with honors. And he did it all debt-free.
Hackney was solely responsible for paying for his college education. As a senior in high school, he had set a personal goal to attend college and to graduate with no debt. “I did not want to take out a loan at the age of 17 or 18,” he said. He managed costs by attending an affordable option like CSM, winning multiple scholarships and earning extra money through a job at the public library in Leonardtown.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to finish CSM with the help of the Maryland Delegate and Senatorial scholarships from Del. Matt Morgan [R-Dist. 29a] and Sen. Stephen Waugh [R-Dist. 29], and the CSM Realize Your Potential Scholarship,” Hackney said. These scholarships “lifted a huge burden” off his shoulders, he said, and allowed him to focus on his studies. He will apply this same approach as he continues his education now at UMUC, where he will be studying political science. Hackney hopes to eventually earn his master’s degree and potentially work with the state or federal government.
He encourages other students to take advantage of the multiple scholarship opportunities that are available. “They’re all out there,” he said. “You just need to take the time to apply for them.”
“CSM has been the best decision,” he said. “When I finished high school and started CSM, I was pretty shy. But after starting my first job working at the Leonardtown Library and going to the Leonardtown Campus, I came out of my shell and ‘matured’ you could say.” In retrospect, Hackney said he can see that having to look for funding and work for his schooling has had multiple benefits. The experience broadened his community network and strengthened his understanding of the payoffs of hard work.