Montco College Tech Student Wins National Award

Press release from the Montgomery County Community College:

Eric Devlin

January 29, 2024

A Montgomery County Community College student and U.S. Marine Corps veteran has been
named the recipient of the 2023-2024 Terry O’Banion Student Technology Award by The League for Innovation in the Community College. Computer Networking and Cybersecurity major Drew Dearden is designated as the award’s Student TechnologyChampion.

The national award honors deserving students who demonstrate special talent in technology,
passion about moving toward a career in technology, academic excellence and strong
financial need, according to its website.

“It gives me tremendous pride to congratulate Drew Dearden on receiving the Student
Technology Award,” said Dr. Celeste Schwartz, Vice President of Pottstown Campus,
Information Technology and Institutional Effectiveness. “He’s overcome many obstacles
to get to this point, and we couldn’t be happier with him as a student and employee.
Drew’s consistent academic achievement should be admired.

“As a member of the IT Support Services, he is a calming presence for those looking
to solve their technology issues. Drew has also become an integral part of the IT
team, who is always there to help when asked. On behalf of the entire Montco Family,
I wish him the best of success in the future.”

For Dearden, the award felt a little overwhelming.

“I’m not someone who’s done well with academics before,” said Dearden, 29, of Springfield.
“I’ve never received awards for academics. It’s a tremendous honor.”

The Student Technology Champion award is presented to a student with a career interest
in a technology field other than software development (e.g., hardware engineering,
network administration, cybersecurity).

Dearden will receive a $1,000 scholarship for educational expenses (e.g., tuition,
fees) and a commemorative plaque for the achievement.

The 2012 Springfield Township High School graduate said it’s been a long road to get
to this moment with many hurdles in the way, but he’s proud of all he’s been able
to accomplish to this point.

Dearden struggled academically in high school but worked hard his senior year to get
close to straight A’s. He was accepted into the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
and studied kinesiology there for a year but grappled with being far from home and
his grades suffered as a result.

Leaving school, in April 2014, he joined the Marine infantry.

“It was challenging,” he said. “I still have a lot of fond memories. Good bonds with
my fellow Marines. Cool experiences that a lot of people don’t get. I was able to
travel around the U.S.; six different countries. There were cool operations repelling
and riding in different aircrafts and boats.”

Dearden was deployed overseas three times. First to Turkey by way of Spain and Israel.
Then Okinawa, Japan to South Korea. His final deployment was to the Philippines. He
decided not to reup his contract after it expired following his fifth year.

Adjusting back to civilian life was difficult, he said.

“It was challenging coming back and trying to get my life back in order from the regimented
lifestyle of the Marines,” he said.

Dearden also struggled with the loss of his mother and the impact of losing many of
his fellow veteran friends to suicide.

“The loss of my mom and suicides after that, I just went into a depression and alcoholism,”
he said. He’s been sober for the last three years.

Before enrolling at MCCC in fall 2022, Dearden worked a series of jobs, which ultimately
gave him the final push he needed to decide to go back to school and pursue a degree.

“Montco was the best choice for me at the time,” he said.

The adjustment back to life as a student took some time to get used to, said Dearden.

“The first semester was difficult getting into a studying regiment. It was challenging
taking classes, studying on my own time, having to prepare and divvy up my time to
get ready for homework and finals and such,” he said. “Once I got the hang of the
first semester, it was easier the next time around. Then I took two courses over the
summer and started working part-time at the MCCC IT Support Services Help Desk. The two courses in the summer were more manageable and this past semester the courses
were a breeze.”

Dearden attributes his time in the Marine Corps to helping him develop a strong work
ethic which he calls “diligence and determination.”

“I’m doing it because I want to learn and understand what I can about this field,
so I can do well in the job later. The Marines helped with diligence. We had schoolhouses
in the Marines to take tests. They weren’t something you could fail,” he said. “You
had to do well on them. We would study together. I took that training and applied
it now. It’s helped me get down to business and do well.”

Dearden has made the Dean’s List each semester, with a current 3.85 GPA, and is a
member of Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society for two-year college students.

He landed the job at the Help Desk after an old friend and classmate, Ray Becker,
who Dearden knew from a previous job, suggested he apply.

“He started school in the spring of 2023,” said Dearden. “We caught a few classes
together. He started working at the Help Desk shortly after and told me to come work
there as well. I started in the summer. He said it was a nice workplace and had good
resources and was a necessary step for any other job.”

Dearden works with students and employees at the College facing any technical difficulties
and tries to help solve their problems either over the phone or in an online live
support chat. The job, he said, has been really great. He also regularly attends meetings
with the IT security team to stay apprised of current threats or problems. He demonstrates
technological skills related to network infrastructure and routinely takes on challenging
projects, often in a leadership role.

“Everyone is amazing,” he said. “The management is much better than anything I’ve
ever seen. A lot of it comes from communication. Everyone seems to know what’s going
on. It’s very helpful. I like helping people. I was apprehensive to come back to school.
When I get people on the phone or live support, and I can tell they’re apprehensive.
I can relate and try to calm them down by staying calm and telling them it will be
easy and help with what they need. It’s a good feeling.”

The feeling is mutual for his colleagues in the IT Department.

Service Desk Manager Ray Sweeney nominated Dearden for the Student Technology Award
calling him “an exceptional IT Service Desk Student Worker.”

“He shows genuine interest in helping students, staff, and faculty with their IT issues,”
he said. “Drew is always interested to take on a project or to help a new employee
and is always willing to pick up an extra shift, as long as it doesn’t conflict with
his classes. One of my favorite things about Drew is his willingness to pass along
his knowledge of IT classes and instructors at Montco to younger students between
Service Desk calls.”

Dearden said he’s scheduled to graduate at the end of the spring semester and has
plans to transfer to the University of Scranton to continue his education to pursue
a career in cybercrime and homeland security.

“I count myself as fortunate to have Drew as part of my team,” said Sweeney. “I am
so very proud of Drew and happy that others have recognized the same qualities in
Drew that I observe every day at the Service Desk. He will be truly missed when he
graduates in May.”

Dearden thanked his colleagues in the IT Department and said none of this was possible
without their support and guidance.

“Thanks to Dr. Celeste Schwartz, Mary Kate Najarian, Director of User Success and
Learning Technologies, Ray Sweeney and everyone at the Help Desk,” he said. “Thanks
to my professors and The League for Innovation in the Community College for this recognition.”

This press release was produced by the Montgomery County Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.