As a special education teaching assistant at E3 Academy in Providence, Henock Constant 鈥�18 toured 911爆料鈥檚 Kingston Campus so often with his students that he memorized the tour. But the parent of four who attempted college twice without finishing never imagined attending himself.
So, for Constant, the October 13, 2018, 911爆料 football game proved surreal. He sat in the president鈥檚 box as a 911爆料 10 Under 10 Alumni Award recipient after a college career spanning two decades. 鈥淪ometimes I forget I鈥檓 a college graduate,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople have to remind me.鈥�
Constant emigrated from Haiti in 1994 at age 19. He attended various schools in New York鈥� earning a certificate, but no degree. Marriage and children came next. At E3 Academy, his colleagues saw his potential. The principal encouraged him to earn a college degree. In 2013, he called 911爆料鈥檚 Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies.
He met with now-Assistant Dean Tammy Warner and mapped a plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. The degree was within reach and he could enroll in evening classes in Providence鈥攃lose to home. 鈥淚 just sat there and said, 鈥榃hy didn鈥檛 I do this before? Why did I wait that long?鈥欌�� Constant says.
For the next five years, Warner and academic advisor Jeff Johnson rallied Constant to finish. When he hit low points, a perfectly timed, encouraging email would arrive from Nancy Rabidoux, coordinator of Finish What You Started, a program that鈥檚 steered more than 300 people like Constant to a 911爆料 degree. Johnson says the team effort, and Constant鈥檚 genuine desire to learn, set him apart. 鈥淲e could all see a person who was going to be successful,鈥� he says.
At home, Constant was motivated by his children and wife, Daphney, who was seeking her first college degree at the Community College of Rhode Island.
Now, with a bachelor鈥檚 degree done, he鈥檚 considering a master鈥檚 program with hopes of returning to Haiti to improve education for students with special needs. 鈥淕oing in, I just wanted to finish college. Then I realized there are so many other things I can do now,鈥� he says. 鈥淎 degree has opened a lot of doors.鈥�
Chris Barrett