Release Date: May 30, 2014
Contact: ECPI University Director of Marketing - 757.490.9090
2014 Graduate with MS Serves as an Example to All
Virginia Beach, VA – Thomas Cevora has always been a man of action. An Army veteran, he went to work on tug boats after leaving the service. From there, he moved to rail cars. Fourteen years ago, a clock started ticking and he knew at some point that a physically active life would no longer be his to enjoy. Thomas has Multiple Sclerosis (MS). That fateful day he long feared arrived three years ago. “When I resigned from the railroad, I just didn’t know what to do with myself,” says Thomas. “Everybody said I should go on disability but that just wasn’t for me. I have to be doing something.”
Using Vocational Rehabilitation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Thomas decided to go back to school. Despite being hospitalized on a couple of occasions, he persevered. Now, he’s preparing to graduate this Saturday, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a concentration in Web Development. “I discovered a great deal about myself these past three years,” says Thomas. “First, I am a lot stronger than I thought I was. Sure, I need a cane and, sometimes, a wheelchair, but I have developed mental strength. Second, I have an even stronger wife! She would never let me give up. We came close to losing everything. We barely held onto our house, but we always held on to each other.”
While Thomas is excited to move on, he admits he’s a bit nervous. In addition to graduating, he and his wife are planning to move to a cooler climate up north because heat aggravates his MS. “ECPI University has been like a second home to me. The faculty has been so great, especially Ms. Lanae Harris. She has been an inspiration. Whenever I needed a boost, she was always there with a ‘you can do it!’ And the best thing is: I did do it. I’ve applied for a graduate program with Microsoft. I’ve got my own web design business up and running which is a great source of pride. Each time I finish a website, I know that anyone in the world can type in that web address and see what I built.”
Graduation will be held on Saturday, May 31 at Chrysler Hall, located at 215 St. Pauls Boulevard in Norfolk, Virginia beginning at 5:00 pm. More than 400 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony. For more information, please contact ECPI University Director of Marketing at 757.490.9090 or publicrelations@ecpi.edu.
About ECPI University
ECPI University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees and diploma programs. With campuses in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, ECPI, a private university established in 1966, offers convenient classes during the day, evening, and online; graduate employment services are provided. Continuing education certification classes and testing are also available.
ECPI’s fields of study include: TECHNOLOGY: Cyber and Network Security, Information Systems, Software Development, Cloud Computing and Virtualization, Healthcare IT, Web Development, Simulation and Game Programming, Database Programming, Business Systems Administration, Accounting Administration, Electronics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, Marine Technology; Medical Imaging Equipment Technology; BUSINESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Accounting, Business Administration, IT Management, Food Service Management, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security; HEALTH SCIENCES: Healthcare Administration, Health Information Management, Medical Administration, Physical Therapist Assistant, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Medical Radiography, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Surgical Technology, Nursing (BSN), Registered Nursing, Practical Nursing; CULINARY: Culinary Arts. (Program field availability varies by campus.) For more information, visit www.ecpi.edu.