Mary-Ann Roczynski has watched Goodwin College blossom from a small technology training center into what it is today: a dynamic learning community that is rewriting the script on higher education.

Roczynski, who has lived in East Hartford for many years, is the former State Commander of the American Legion with 13 years of active military duty under her belt. She enrolled at Goodwin in the Management and Leadership training program to advance her career and now works in the field for the American Legion providing food, clothing, and financial resources for veterans in need.

“I really love what I do, and so much of what I learned at Goodwin carries over to my work with the American Legion,” Roczynski shares, citing team building and cultural diversity as two of the most impactful topics she studied.

When not in the field, Roczynski maintains her ties with Goodwin by working closely with faculty and staff to support veteran students interested in pursuing higher education. Most notably, she helped foster a partnership between Goodwin College and the American Legion that helps raise awareness of the resources available to prospective veteran students.

“In many ways, being at Goodwin reminds me of being in the military. It’s such a close-knit community and the small class sizes make your classmates feel more like family,” she says. “I want to help other veterans experience how awesome Goodwin is for themselves.”

Roczynski, who completed her bachelor’s degree in Management and Leadership this past June, is returning to Goodwin this fall to pursue a master’s in Organizational Leadership.

“I’m not coming back to advance my career necessarily; I’m one of only three individuals in the entire United States who do my exact job and I’m happy in my work,” she adds. “I’m coming back because I love it here and I want to be able to say I accomplished it. For me, coming back feels like coming home.”

Click here for more information on Goodwin’s master’s degree program in Organizational Leadership.