Dennis Halpin is not your average college student. When you see him walking through the hallways, you would probably expect him to be a professor. He is nearing the age of 60, when most people would be thinking of retiring, yet he has enrolled in school to chase his dream.
Dennis is an artist. He formerly owned a business, but moved away from that life at the age of 55. Dennis has been a student here at UCBA for the last three years. He has a 3.8 grade point average and takes 15-18 credit hours per semester.
He is studying to become a teacher; more specifically, he wants to be a middle school teacher in the inner city. Dennis is extremely motivated and will stop at nothing.
When Dennis enrolled in school, he was soon after diagnosed with hepatitis C, a life threatening disease that has essentially destroyed his liver. Many call Dennis crazy for spending what could be the last days of his life in a classroom, but he proudly claims that he “loves the school environment and finds great satisfaction in learning.”
His wife and kids are very supportive of his decision. Dennis says it is “much harder to change a life than it is to make a million dollars.” He is determined to be the best teacher he can be and lives by the quote “Never, never, never quit.”
Dennis says he has nothing to lose by going after his dream. His goal is to teach social studies and mathematics, and he wants kids to learn that, no matter their background or living situation, learning is lifelong.
Dennis should be looked at as an inspiration to every student. He is determined to beat any odds to reach his own idea of success.