Robert Andrew Nelson’s path to a Washtenaw Community College associate’s degree included
a few twists and turns.
It began in Lindale, Georgia where he went straight from high school into the Marine Corps. His objective: to serve his country and pay for college. While assigned as a Signal Intelligence Corporal in the 3rd Radio Battalion in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Nelson was deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
“The Marine Corps does a good job, but nothing can prepare you for that kind of adrenaline trip. It was a seven days a week, 12 hours a day job,” said Nelson.
After five years of service and an honorable discharge, he returned to Georgia and eventually moved with his wife to Michigan and enrolled at WCC.
He quickly zeroed in on his studies and his goals and in 2012 graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
In between classes, he helped found the WCC Student Veterans Club and served as its president. He also provided direction for the college’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as its Vice President of Leadership.
He applied to Columbia University, Harvard, and New York University—and was accepted to all three. “I wanted eventually to go to law school and pursue a career in politics because it has become natural for me to want to serve my country,” said Nelson.
Today he is pursuing a political science degree at Columbia University and encourages other students to pursue their goals. “If you have purpose, anything is possible,” he said. “School has given me a new purpose, which has driven me to try to excel in everything that I do.”