When Ashon Calhoun first enrolled at Montgomery County Community College as a student in the fall of 2018, he learned an important life lesson.

“It taught me that that I have more control over my life and situation than I thought,” he said. “It taught me how much control I had over my future. If you show up to class, you’ll do well. If don’t show up, you won’t do well. That’s your choice.”

That lesson served him well as he rose to become a sergeant in the United States Army National Guard and later to the top of his class at Penn State University Harrisburg, where he was named a marshal and student speaker at Commencement this spring.

Calhoun, originally from Pottstown, enrolled at MCCC’s Pottstown Campus in the fall of 2018. The Pottsgrove High School graduate said he loved MCCC’s small class sizes and convenience to home.

“I felt like I knew my professors and could get my questions answered,” he said. “I was more than just a number.”

Calhoun, a Psychology major at the time, was a member of  Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, during the spring of 2019.

“That was awesome,” he said. “Being at Montco really boosted my confidence. I felt like I belonged.”

At MCCC, Calhoun remembers two faculty members fondly- Sociology Assistant Professor Augustine Isamah and former Psychology part-time instructor Davin Rowe Sr.

“Professor Isamah was so funny,” said Calhoun. “He made class very interactive. There wasn’t a class where you weren’t laughing. The way he was always blending entertainment and education was perfect.”

Rowe, he said, was also known for his sense of humor.

“He was an open book if you had a question and was very thorough with his answers. His teaching style was aligned with me. He was very matter of fact and a big joker. The thing I love is when teachers are funny.”

Isamah praised Calhoun’s performance in the classroom.

“One thing the stands out in my mind regarding him is that he had that intellectual curiosity and inquisitiveness that is rare today among students. This is a rare quality that makes for excellent students,” he said. “I am very happy to hear his has graduated with a degree in Psychology. I fully expect him to go on to greater intellectual achievements in the near future.”

In 2019, Calhoun signed a six-year contract with the National Guard. He took a hiatus from MCCC for training.

By July 2020, he returned home, but the pandemic had changed his hometown with social distancing and other precautions. Calhoun enrolled back at MCCC online to finish the remaining three semesters of his program and nearly earned a 4.0 GPA.

MCCC Part-time Veterans Services Resource Specialist Charles Storti praised Calhoun's diverse skills, work ethic and drive toward his education.

“While here at Montco, Ashon quickly set himself apart academically and as a veteran/student.  He took part in our Veterans Resource Center gatherings, proudly wore his veteran braid, along with his honors braid, at his graduation ceremony," he said, "and continues to maintain contact with this office, as well as extending respect and appreciation to his experiences here at our great College.”  

While at MCCC, Calhoun became an emotional support counselor for students at a local school. He supported them by helping them navigate their classes. The experience was rewarding, but he decided it wasn’t the career trajectory he wanted to pursue any further.  

By 2022, he completed his associate’s degree in Psychology from MCCC, changed majors to Communications and transferred to Penn State University Harrisburg.

He then headed to sergeant’s school at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Miss. The basic leadership course taught him how to lead soldiers as a sergeant and take care of his troops.

Calhoun made the Commandant’s List and graduated among the top 20 percent of his class. He was selected to represent his class in front of the Leadership Board, which required him to prepare to answer up to 200 different military questions in front of a panel of officers.

Afterward, Calhoun returned to Penn State to finish his bachelor’s degree program. He was selected for a fellowship from the Emma Bowen Foundation, which earned him an internship with Hearst Television at WGAL 8. He was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success and into the honor society Phi Kappa Phi. He earned the President Walker and the Evan Pugh Scholar awards and was named to the Dean’s List.

After his internship and he’ll attend Defense Information School, the Army training school for communications. He hopes to work in a field that will allow him to educate people through creative means and is also considering a master’s degree.

Calhoun said the success he’s had up to this point can be traced back to his time at MCCC.

“It was an unforgettable experience,” he said. “My degree took a lot of work to earn and prepared me even more for the next steps in life.”