By NANCY HILER
This year, Jacobelli is the valedictorian for Nassau Community College's 2009 graduating class. Perhaps no one is more surprised by this accomplishment than Jacobelli himself. He would be the first to tell you that he was a less than serious student in high school, NCC spokeswoman Alicia Steger explained.
Although he always loved science, when Jacobelli graduated from W.C. Mepham High School in 2002, his heart was set on becoming a rock star. He moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music. Soon, however, he reevaluated his plans, inspired by a roommate with a passion for mechanical engineering and friends who were deeply interested in everything from politics to physics. Financial and other issues kept him from furthering his education at that time, so returned to Long Island.
He began saving for college, working at a Dave and Busters restaurant while caring for his ailing grandmother, who has since died. It wasn't until the summer of 2007 that he had "some money and plenty of motivation to return to school", Steger said.
"Enter Nassau Community College," she recounted. "Gary was pleasantly surprised by what he ended up calling 'an Ivy League community college' and 'a magical place.' NCC professors nurtured his love for science, and encouraged him to focus his energies on what became his passion -- medicine."
In addition to earning mostly 'A's in his NCC courses, Jacobelli also found the time to be a volunteer EMT and president of the NCC Earth Science Field and Research Club, and assist a professor in neuroscience research at the Queens College Neuroscience Lab. He is a recipient of SUNY Chancellor's Who's Who and Student Activities awards, and a member of the honor society.
The real Ivy League awaits. This fall Jacobelli will transfer as a junior to begin his studies at Cornell University. He intends to major in nutritional and biological sciences. After completing his undergraduate degree there, he intends to move on to medical school to pursue a career that combines medicine and public health policy.
Comments about this story? NHiler@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
