When Ben first came to Middlesex, he did not know what to expect. He had limited positive experiences with the education system. He was very apprehensive and nervous. Ben’s son had enrolled in UHart and thought about how much he was going to miss him. Ben thought about how he could spend his time and improve his life in the process, all while doing something he enjoyed. Middlesex seemed like a wise and affordable choice. He had enjoyed editing a few videos in the past and thought this was a good place to begin.

Ben was looking at four different community colleges across the state. It was the Center for New Media’s production studio and state-of-the-art equipment available to the students that impressed him. Ben started in the summer of 2018. Peter Galgano gave him a tour after he visited the enrollment services and had a good feeling right from the start.

Before attending Middlesex, Ben had no idea he would ever film or direct anything. Professor Smith was the first person to really push Ben and encourage his work behind a camera. He loved every minute of it and thanked him for seeing the potential in another “Lefty!” Because of his hard work in “Smitty’s” classes, Ben drove himself in other professors’ classes to hone his craft. It opened up doors for Ben and now he is directing projects for the college as well.

After some health issues, Ben had trouble finding full-time employment and even lost jobs because of it, but everybody at Middlesex has been understanding and helpful during this process. “It helps when you’re not stressed about college while you’re recovering.” Ben states.

Ben works for a local restaurant in Middletown as well as a student worker for the library. When not in school, he likes to watch movies, play video games, go for walks and hikes, WWE, and loves DC comics (Ben and his son are fanatics).

Ben has worked very hard to maintain a high GPA throughout his three semesters and does not see any reason to stop now. He takes pride in the work he does in the college library and spends a lot of time helping students. When asked if he is a member of any clubs, he states, “Shhhhhhh! first rule is I can’t talk about it…”. Ben has made so many friends and gained so much while attending Middlesex. He is so glad he decided to attend school. “I think anybody who’s capable should participate. I’ve learned more about myself than anything else while coming here,” he stated.

Check out Ben’s links here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOPg1oO31JzcITkORF8vtA

Portfolio site: https://benjaminstachkunas.wixsite.com/mysite/portfoli