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'Against all odds, I succeeded'

East Meadow native is named NCC valedictorian

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When 21-year-old Christian Bossio found out that he was this year’s valedictorian at Nassau Community College, flashbacks of his life in Comayagua, Honduras, quickly flooded his mind.

Born in East Meadow’s Nassau University Medical Center, Bossio moved with his mother to her home country of Honduras when he was a toddler. There he studied English and French and immersed himself in the country’s rich culture.

“I was actually a competitive folklore dancer,” Bossio said with a grin. “My group won many competitions in Honduras and Central America.”

He practiced mixed martial arts and developed a deep admiration for those who taught and practiced the ancient sport. He devoted himself to school, and made sure that his single mother was proud of his choices. “For a single parent, she did an amazing job raising me and my siblings,” he said.

Bossio often took part in activities at his school — and was often trailed by friends. He became well known in the hallways, thanks to his success in dance competition. His life, he said, was simple.

But when he was 16, his life changed forever. “My mother was murdered,” he said.

He described her death no further, instead focusing on his journey to the United States over the following two years. Already a U.S. citizen, Bossio finally decided to leave his friends — and a brother — behind and make a new start. “It was the hardest decision I have ever made,” he said.

Bossio came back to East Meadow when he was 18. His older sister was already living in the area, but, Christian said, she could not house him for family reasons. So he found couches and floors to sleep on. For a few years he bounced from one living room to another, making friends with coworkers at his first job at a local country club who put him up and fed him when possible.

“I was already a fluent English speaker when I arrived here,” Bossio said with a slight but distinct accent that sometimes harshly accentuates vowels. “So communicating with others was no problem for me, luckily.”

Once he had saved enough money working at the country club, he could finally afford an apartment. Then he decided to pursue his education, which his mother had emphasized in Honduras. He enrolled at Nassau Community College and began working at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola. Balancing work hours and school was a commitment, but he said his priorities enabled him to succeed at both.

At NCC, he worked toward an engineering science associate’s degree. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to study,” he said. “At this point, my main interest is in research and development in the prosthetics and biomedical engineering field.”

Bossio’s grades skyrocketed. He was elected president of the college’s Engineering Society earlier this year, and volunteered at the Engineering and Physics Help Center, tutoring other students. He helped organize blood drives and earned a spot on the NCC chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In early April, with a 4.0 GPA, he was named the valedictorian of his graduating class.

He has earned an array of awards and scholarships, including, last month, the 2017 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The award was presented to him by NCC’s president, Dr. W. Hubert Keen.
“I know my mom would be very proud of me,” he said. “I’m definitely proud of myself. Not everyone’s story is as tragic as mine, but everyone’s story can become just like mine.”

On Tuesday, he gave his address at the college’s commencement. “I only use my life story to motivate other students to succeed,” he told his fellow graduates.
Bossio will now head to Tennessee Technological University for 10 weeks to study robotics and manufacturing as part of an internship. He plans to earn a bachelor’s, master’s and a Ph.D. as well.

“Right now, I’m not too sure what college I want to attend after my internship,” he said. “I do know that I will one day be able to help others through my work, and that is the day that will be the most rewarding.”

Bossio said he often tells his story to students who face obstacles and struggles in their personal lives or their educational pursuits. He uses his own life as an example of success, he said.

“Against all odds, I succeeded,” he added with a smile.