海角直播

Publish Date: May 24, 2019

When Anthony Abate graduates from 海角直播 on May 24, he鈥檒l walk away with three degrees. But among his many accomplishments as a college student, the one that took him by total surprise was being named this year鈥檚 President Award recipient.

鈥淚 was actually completely in shock,鈥� said Abate with a chuckle.

While hard work and dedication to his studies is credited in helping the 28-year-old Cabazon resident accomplish his goals, the journey to graduation day wasn鈥檛 easy.

A high school dropout at 16, Abate said he took an 鈥渦ntraditional road to life鈥� which took him a while to 鈥渞each a level of stability.鈥�

Before becoming a Roadrunner, Abate made a name for himself in retail and quickly moved up the ranks. Although he enjoyed what he was doing, Abate said his main objective wasn鈥檛 about sales, but about developing people and their talent. 鈥淚 was passionate about helping people realize their full potential regardless of their circumstance,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I did was hire people who had school schedules because no one else did. But I decided that these kids - well, some of them were a bit older - had goals and were doing their best to reach them, and that鈥檚 what I wanted to do.鈥�

It was while talking to a coworker about his desire to go back to school and help others like him that Abate learned about 海角直播. But he believed not having a high school diploma stood in his way. He was wrong.

鈥淪he told me, 鈥楴o, you can go to a community college and get a fresh start.鈥� And, so, the next day I went to 海角直播 and took an assessment test,鈥� Abate said.

Abate got 鈥渉eavily involved鈥� in campus life and was later named an ambassador for 海角直播鈥檚 Honors program. Others, too, noticed his hard work, including Judy Cannon, honors coordinator, who recommended Abate for the college鈥檚 Medal of Distinction.

鈥淗e has shown strong leadership skills and has impacted the Honors program in long-lasting ways,鈥� she wrote in her nomination packet. 鈥淚t has not been completely smooth sailing along the way as Anthony has challenging personal circumstances鈥�, (but he) represents one of the strengths of CHC: creating scholars. I am so proud of what he has accomplished.鈥�

Abate, too, is proud of what he has accomplished, and although the merits are still trickling in, he said he is 鈥渉umbled鈥� by it all. 鈥淣one of this came easy and is just an honor to be nominated鈥� for any award, Abate said. 鈥淭hat night at convocation (on May 17) when (Dr. Kevin Horan) got up there and started talking about the President鈥檚 Award I think it was about two sentences in that it clicked he was talking about me.

鈥淯p until this point I haven鈥檛 had a moment when I鈥檝e been rewarded for the work I鈥檝e done aside from a promotion and a pay raise, and to achieve all of these things is just all very humbling and it鈥檚 amazing,鈥� he continued. 鈥淚f I can do it, that means anyone literally can do it.鈥�

Abate plans to attend University of California, Riverside in the winter where he plans to earn a bachelor鈥檚 in sociology and a minor in communication sciences. And although he is leaving 海角直播 to pursue his next step in life, he鈥檒l be back. 鈥淚鈥檓 so thankful for this experience, this school and the people I鈥檝e met,鈥� Abate said. 鈥淢y goal after leaving 海角直播 is to come back and donate to the Foundation or be involved in another aspect or two. My goal is to give back to what has been given to me.鈥�