When Bob Hartnett reentered the classroom following his time in the Marine Corps, he was nervous about being an "older student," but felt he would fit in with the students at Montgomery County Community College.

Fast forward two years and Hartnett, 33, of Ambler graduated from Montco with an associate's degree in Liberal Studies and now attends Arcadia University.

"I thought Montco was the best fit because of the class sizes and the resources they offered students,” Hartnett said. “It’s been nothing short of fun and I’ve enjoyed this experience at Montgomery County Community College."

If any college wants to come and see what veteran-friendly is, they can come and take a look at Montgomery County Community College"

As a food service specialist and corporal in the Marines, Hartnett provided hot meals in support of the mission in Sahlsinjar, Iraq, during his deployment. It was his responsibility to "lead Marines and make sure they had what they needed."

His leadership qualities continued in education as well. For the last two semesters, Hartnett served as president of the College’s Veterans Club, and he received the Excellence in Leadership award. The award recognizes a student veteran who has exemplified leadership and is a positive influence on his or her peers.

"I enjoy interacting with veterans,” Hartnett said of the club, which meets at the Veterans Resource Center. “The interaction, camaraderie and understanding among veterans is one of the reasons I enjoy being the leader of this club."

The club spearheads a variety of outreach and community service efforts, including Trees for Troops, in which Christmas trees are chosen for families with a member currently on a military deployment.

Veterans also participate in an annual Veterans Mindfulness Retreat each spring. Hartnett said he enjoyed doing yoga, meditating and hiking with fellow veterans along the Appalachian Trail.

"We came to a peak. It was a perfect lookout," he said. "It was so relaxing … just to look out over the horizon."

In addition to leading in the military and on campus, Hartnett envisions leadership in his future aspirations. He is studying communications with a focus on crisis management and hopes to one day work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). In the wake of severe weather forecasts, such as hurricanes, FEMA and PEMA representatives work hard getting emergency communications out to the general public and sharing "what to do and what not to do."

"I would love to be on the FEMA or PEMA side of things helping people out," Hartnett said.

Hartnett added that he appreciated the help and support he received from the College in general throughout his college career. The Veterans Resource Center, which is equipped with computers, offers a community environment for Hartnett and others who have served their country.

"If any college wants to come and see what veteran-friendly is, they can come and take a look at Montgomery County Community College," Hartnett said. "I’m glad I made the decision to come here and get an education. I don’t think I would have excelled anywhere else the way I have here."