Alumni Profile: David McNicholas '79
Our story this month begins with David McNicholas’s graduation from Delaware County Community College. The year was 1979, and he had just earned an associate degree in Liberal Arts while enjoying many great experiences on campus. He speaks fondly of the College helping him in his early years. "The College was the perfect place to put behind me any and all of my insecurities." Like many of our success stories, David’s has continued both literally and figuratively since he received his diploma.
David’s career as a computer technician with CompUSA was a victim of the Great Recession in 2008. Looking for some direction, he knew where he could return in order to gain a new skillset. The College’s New Choices Program was a perfect fit, as it helped him develop new abilities and interview techniques while he considered new options.
“New Choices showed me how to investigate careers and life structures which helped provide a bit of a confidence boost at a much needed time.” In between the resume writing and job hunting workshops, David also found time to take two creative writing workshops which were led by Professor Jeffrey Merkowitz. It was this academic pursuit that led to a new chapter of David’s career.
As a result of the inspiration of the writing workshops, David pursued the skills needed to write and self-publish two young adult fantasy books. The first Loratha Montage tells the story of a young boy and his grandfather who explore another world they have accidentally stumbled upon in their travels. His most recent work Jess Laura Michael is the story of three siblings that each have a magical ability. However, the oldest sibling, Jess, has yet to discover her power as she is getting ready to graduate from high school. These works are available on Amazon in David’s author store.
As David contemplates his next chapter, his “About this Author” page is a great representation of his successes to date. “My wife and I live in Glenolden and homeschooled our two daughters up to high school, trying to give them as wide a worldview as possible. They’ve both finished college and have started their own careers, one as an art therapist and the other as a speech therapist.”
His closing comments are meant to inspire those considering the College to pursue their own dreams: “Look at as many options as you can and see what they are about, what they can offer and always ask questions. Be sure to also pay attention to what your gut tells you as it is usually very important.”
If you have a story to share, be sure to let us know. We are always on the look-out for inspiring content which highlights the unique characteristics of our graduate population. Alumni can send an email to alumni@dccc.edu and arrangements will be made for a future discussion.
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