Miguel Inocente has always loved math for its puzzles: the intricate work of fitting the pieces into a coherent and elegant whole.
But puzzles can take time to figure out: navigating dead ends, rethinking equations that didn't quite work. To solve the problem, you need to keep going - and reach out for help when you're stuck.
Education can be like that, too.
In August, the first-generation college student completed his bachelor's degree in mathematics, four years after stepping away. Key to his success was the support he received from Harpur College advisors and SEO Scholars, a nonprofit that transforms public high school students in New York City, San Francisco, North Carolina, and Miami into successful college graduates.
"Just having that support system was incredible," Inocente said.
Getting back on track
A native of Peru, Inocente moved to New York with his family in elementary school; he competed on the math team at his New York City high school. When he first came to Binghamton University in 2018, he majored in physics but soon decided that math was his true home.
David Biddle '01, MA '02, a lecturer and the coordinator for undergraduate advising in Harpur College's Mathematics and Statistics Department, has no doubt that Inocente would have graduated on time, with honors. But the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 disrupted his plans, and Inocente struggled during the abrupt transition to online classes during lockdown. His grades dropped.
"I had a hard time adjusting and never really got a handle on things," Inocente admitted. "As things went on, it spiraled. I was supposed to graduate in 2022, but I wasn't quite there, so at that point I just stepped away."
He returned home to New York City and worked a variety of jobs: doing invoices for one company, working in construction, and finally landing in information technology (IT). To bolster his employment opportunities, he decided to pursue an IT certificate through a distance learning program. Being in a classroom setting again bolstered his academic confidence, he said.
"I felt a lot of regret about never finishing school," he said.
