He might not be as well-known as Nintendo’s longtime mascot, but recent Mount Saint Mary College graduate Mario Sticca of New Windsor, N.Y. is super nonetheless.
Sticca, a retiree of the U.S. Armed Forces, earned a bachelor’s degree in History on Saturday, May 20. He graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors, among many other accolades.
“I want to do this for me,” he explained. “I always enjoyed history and thought, ‘Let me see what I can do with that.’”
But as Sticca proved to be an excellent student over his time at the college, Mount professors Jeffery Kahana (History) and Lawrence T. Force (Psychology) presented him with an idea: What about teaching?
“They look at me not only as a student, but as a colleague,” Sticca explained. “They say I really could be teaching. As a result, I’ve started looking into Master’s programs in public history.”
He’s not sure what the future brings, but Sticca likes the idea of coming full circle and teaching History at the Mount one day: “I’d love to keep my mind engaged and help the next generation like that,” he explained.