From English as a Second Language Courses to an Engineering Career, Armando Rocha Thanks CSM for Constant Support

Five years ago, College of Southern Maryland (CSM) graduate Armando Rocha ‘19 was struggling to keep up with his full-time job, taking CSM courses and trying to learn English. Today, Rocha boasts a Construction Management Technology associate of applied science degree, a bachelor’s degree in Architecture, and is working for Whiting Turner Contracting Company as a design and construction engineer.  

“It has been amazing, going from not knowing English at all to having a full-time job at this level,” Rocha said. “Looking back, I was a mess at the beginning when I was trying to balance everything. Now I have more free time and am enjoying life and taking better care of myself. I am grateful to CSM and my family.” 

Rocha shared that when he started at CSM, he was always exhausted, and he remembers falling asleep while in class – more than once. But rather than chastise him, his professor, CSM Business Chair Tony Stout, worked to make sure he had what he needed to succeed. 

“Supporting students like Armando requires a multifaceted approach,” Stout explained. “Understanding that many of our students juggle multiple responsibilities, we foster an environment of empathy and encouragement. We also focus on one-on-one engagement to create a supportive community where they can share their challenges and successes. We held regular check-ins, not just about academics, but about their overall well-being.” 

Upon earning his four-year degree from the University of Maryland (UMD) last winter, he had one more task to complete before he could call his education complete: He decided to participate in UMD’s Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony and as he was buying a new suit for the occasion, he happened to run into Stout, in a full–circle moment, that for both, showed just how far Rocha had come in five short years. 

“Running into Armando at the local tailor shop was a proud moment,” said Stout. “To me, seeing him and his family there symbolized his hard work and determination. Our goal is to create opportunities for students to succeed in their chosen fields, and Armando's journey is a testament to the effectiveness of our program and the resilience of our students.” 

Rocha fully credits CSM and his family with helping him to achieve his dreams. 

At CSM, Rocha and his classmates became a team that learned to lean on and support each other. He, his brother Marvin, and a third student comprised the first cohort of CSM’s Construction Management Technology AAS program (which later became the AAS in Business Management with a concentration in Construction Management), and Stout said that he was able to tailor the curriculum based on real-time feedback, making sure it was both relevant and challenging while giving students real-world experience. 

“We were always chatting and helping each other, it was a really good environment,” Rocha said. “It was fun, because sometimes we were the only three students in the class. It helped me learn to work with other people and be a team player.” 

With the encouragement of Stout and other CSM professors, Rocha was accepted to the architecture program at the UMD where he said the transition was a challenge: Rocha was still working full time, only now he was also commuting from Waldorf to College Park and enrolled in large classes where he felt anonymous. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and classes went online, he struggled to find the sense of community that he had enjoyed at CSM. 

“When I went to UMD, it was a little scary to have over a hundred students in the same class,” Rocha said. “If I'd gone straight to UMD when I moved to Maryland, it would have been too much. CSM helped me go through the process of adapting to college.”