Tampa native and first-generation college student Felix Eliassaint found his way to Hillsborough College (HC) twice. From enrolling at HC in 2018, to pausing his education to serve in the United States (U.S.) Air Force, to returning to HC in 2024, Felix transformed from a minimally involved student into an engaged cybersecurity major who found his passion and purpose at HC.
Graduating from East Bay High School in Gibsonton, Florida, Felix enrolled immediately at HC in 2018 as a part-time student in the health sciences division. To make his mother happy, he pursued medicine, with initial plans to become an anesthesiologist. Unfortunately, his first attempt at college wasn’t engaging, consisting of attending classes and then heading home.
“Out of high school, it was a generic path to go to college,” he said. “I wanted to just do something with myself.”
Unhappy with the lack of structure and discipline in his life, and after losing his job at PDQ due to labor costs, he registered for the military’s Delayed Entry Program in 2019. From 2020 to 2022, Felix served in the U.S. Air Force.
“I spoke to someone who made me realize I had to do something bigger than myself,” he said. “These jobs are fun in your twenties and thirties, but when you’re past that, you have no savings and you’re tired. One day, I cut my hair and took the steps to enlist.”
In 2024, Felix returned to the HC SouthShore Campus as a full-time student with a renewed sense of passion. He changed his academic focus to cybersecurity and began program coding and developing his own websites to finish what he started—his education.
The discipline and perspective he gained through military service helped shape his approach to academics, campus involvement and career goals.
“I wanted to prove that my academic standing when I left was not the individual I am today,” he said.
Felix chose to return to HC specifically once his excitement for coding peaked. He knew he was always going to finish his education, and being at HC gave him a sense of familiarity and comfort to complete his degree. He found his passion and wanted to protect it, along with the websites he was building, while transitioning back into civilian life.
“I’ve always liked computers and tinkered with them as a kid,” he said. “I got back to my roots. I figured if I’m making websites, I should protect my intellectual property.”
As his passion for cybersecurity grew, so did his involvement on campus. As part of the Federal Work-Study program, Felix earned a part-time job as a Hawk Tech, allowing him to develop his professional skills, network, and build a foundation for future success.
Through support from the Career Resource Center, he improved his academic performance, earning membership in Psi Beta and Phi Theta Kappa, two separate honor society organizations dedicated to academic excellence at two-year colleges. TRIO, a college-wide resource for academic advising, career exploration and assistance with financial aspects, recognized his experiences as a first-generation college student and is helping prepare him to transfer to the University of South Florida (USF).
Working alongside the Dean of Academic Affairs, Nadia Kotula, he developed a website called the Syllabus Submission Application. The site serves as a tool for college faculty to submit their class syllabi. The application continues to be used by department chairs and instructors across the College, demonstrating the lasting impact of his work.
“The day I published the Syllabus Submission Application site is when I really got out of my imposter syndrome,” he said. “I realized I’m actually doing what my degree entails.”
This site also helped open doors for Felix to make connections with campus leadership, including SouthShore Campus President Dr. Jennifer Wells China. His involvement led to invitations to SouthShore Campus events such as the annual Student Excellence Awards, Glenn Dickman Community Day and the Harvesting the Future Gala, which he considers among his best memories at HC.
As a student veteran, Felix hopes his experience will help create a welcoming environment where future student veterans can build connections while transitioning back to civilian life.
“It’s the hardest thing to do. You realize you’re not like everyone else anymore outside of morals, integrity and discipline,” he said. “Something I want to do is curate a community where we can feel we belong at HC. They helped me with that transition.”
Currently, Felix continues to maintain his current websites while publishing more and works as a staff assistant under Dean Kotula's office. He plans to graduate from HC in 2027 and transfer to USF in the same year. He hopes to apply his skills through future positions and internships while staying current with developments in cybersecurity.
As he works toward graduation and a future in cybersecurity, Felix hopes other students remember that success does not always follow a straight path.
“It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to finish your degree. The only thing that matters is that you do finish it,” he said. “I took my path to enjoy the journey and not worry about the destination. Enjoy it and earn that degree.”