Shaffer expands upon his passion to help others at Cecil College
Published on February 16, 2018
Garret Shaffer has his photo taken with Cecil College President, Mary Way Bolt, Ed.D.
NORTH EAST, Md. – For a half-century, Cecil College has been helping community members realize their full potential by fostering intellectual, professional, and personal development – thus living the dream. For one young man, it was the encouragement of his English instructor to ‘think outside the box’ on a class assignment that sparked insight of where he could fulfill his passion for helping others.
“I have a deep passion for helping people and natural desire to do so. But I didn’t know how to go about it. Coming to Cecil College has really allowed me to see what I can achieve within myself,” said Garret Shaffer, the grandson of former Board of Trustee member Harry Hammond.
Assistant Professor of English, Christopher Gaspare, challenged his students to come up with a topic that featured both a problem and solution. Shaffer embraced this challenge, and it led down the path of achieving successes he never imagined possible. It also landed him a job as a public safety officer at Cecil College.
Shaffer looked beyond his own environment to the issues that impact society as a whole. His dedication to the research of the topic and thoroughness in writing the paper caught the attention of Cecil College’s Chief of Public Safety, John Capozzoli.
“Garret was one of the most polite and respectful people I’ve met in a long time. He was eager to learn about the public safety department and law enforcement in general,” said Chief Capozzoli. “By the end of the interview, I was so impressed by him that I offered him a job. He’s been a tremendous addition to the staff. His work ethic is top notch, and I can depend on him for any assignment. He displays the work ethic of someone much older than him.”
Shaffer, who graduated in May 2017 with an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, attended Salesianum School in Wilmington, Del. It was here that he first developed the idea of increased security through the use of metal detectors and security guards at all the entrances. While walking to class and thinking about how Cecil College is an open campus, he formulated his compare and contrast topic.
“I looked around and thought about all the people carrying backpacks. You could easily conceal a weapon in them. I decided to compare Cecil College’s public safety to that of Umpqua Community College in Oregon, where there was a shooting that killed 10 people (in October 2015),” said Shaffer.
Shaffer contacted Chief Capozzoli, who made time to be interviewed.
“He talked to me for more than two hours. This was really helpful as we went back and forth on the different scenarios, and he was really nice about the questions I asked. After I wrote the paper for the project, I felt it was respectful to deliver a copy to the Chief. I didn’t expect to get a job out of it, but felt it could be very beneficial to him,” said Shaffer.
Shaffer came up with a three-prong solution to a community college’s open campus policy, which will prove insightful as the College moves forward. These were to ensure all students have badges to gain access to buildings along with the installation of metal detectors, and the staffing up of the public safety personnel.
“Garret is such an impressive young man. He analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of our public safety operations which lead to a very professional conversation and ended up being hired,” said Cecil College President, Mary Way Bolt, Ed.D.
While remaining at the College, Shaffer is exploring his options to complete his bachelor’s degree to better help those within the community.
“As a public safety officer, I try to remain vigilant at all times and, in the year I have been here, I have gained a wealth of experience, knowledge, and training thanks to my supervisors. I have never met a single employee who is not respectful, and being part of Cecil College is like being part of a family,” said Shaffer.
“I emphasize to my staff that customer service always comes first. With Garret, this comes naturally. He leaves a positive impression on the students, faculty, and staff of Cecil College,” said Chief Capozzoli.