Daniel Harrison
CCBC 2021 Graduate
General Studies
Ever since he was five years old, Daniel Harrison has wanted to be an airline pilot. In his native Jamaica, he completed ground training and planned to start practical flight lessons after graduating high school. But when the aviation training center he attended experienced a fiery crash, Harrison decided to put his piloting dreams on hold and pursue his education in the United States.
“Since arriving in the U.S. for school, I have pushed myself to limits beyond what I thought were possible,” said Harrison, who enrolled in CCBC’s General Studies program in 2019, taking classes on the Essex campus.
Despite the challenges of being an international student, he quickly became involved on campus as a member of the Student Government Association, the Honors Program, Phi Theta Kappa, the English Conversation Club and the African Student Union. Harrison juggled his many campus activities, along with a part-time job, and still made his studies a priority. He earned several academic scholarships during his tenure at CCBC and graduated with honors.
Hard work and determination paid off, and Harrison was named the 2021 President’s Distinguished Graduate Award recipient, an honor recognized during the college’s commencement ceremony where he delivered the commencement address.
“With life being as mysterious as it is – full of its many wonders and glories, I seize every opportunity as it presents itself,” said Harrison. He also noted that his academic achievements were no coincidence and attributed his success to “hard work and sacrifice.”
Harrison plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Morgan State University. He still dreams of becoming a pilot and started flight training at Middle River Aviation. His goal, though ambitious, is to obtain his commercial pilot license and his bachelor’s degree within the same time period.
