MCC Daily Tribune
2026 Graduate Profile: Jose Miguel Lopez
Jose Miguel Lopez will graduate from Monroe Community College (MCC) later today with a degree in computer science. He is originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, though he was born in New York City.
Lopez is a United States Navy veteran who served for 8 years, from May 2004 to July 2012. He chose to join the military after the birth of his first son, feeling a deep responsibility to provide for his family. A Navy recruiter offered him the opportunity to enlist using his 62 college credits, allowing him to enter at the rank of E3 and receive a substantial enlistment bonus - funds he used to furnish his first apartment in military housing with all new furniture.
“I chose to attend MCC because it provides a rigorous foundation in quantitative reasoning at a fraction of the cost of a four-year university,” said Lopez. During his time at the College, Lopez excelled academically. He consistently earned a GPA above 3.5 and became an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
Lopez pursued computer science because he believed it would give him “the analytical toolkit necessary to decompose complex problems into logical solutions” and open doors to high-paying career opportunities across nearly every industry.
His commitment to academic excellence defined his experience at MCC. When asked about his favorite memory at the College, Lopez said, “…celebrating a hard-earned A grade with my study group of friends in the library and talking about how it will feel walking across the stage at graduation.”
Reflecting on his time at MCC, Lopez expressed gratitude for the guidance of Eric Wheeler, whom he described as especially influential. Wheeler is the Associate Director of Veteran Services and an adjunct professor at the College.
“Eric Wheeler served in the United States Navy just like me, so he understands the struggles I went through while in active duty,” he said. “He has helped me with a number of veteran issues I was dealing with during my time in MCC, and he has certainly gone above and beyond to help me be successful.”
When asked if he would recommend MCC to other students, Lopez said, “Yes, I definitely would recommend MCC to other students because MCC offers an extremely affordable tuition, excellent supportive professors, and strong transfer opportunities through structured transfer pathways and 2+2 agreements with other major universities.”
Looking ahead, Lopez plans to attend Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he hopes to “graduate with a bachelor's degree in Artificial Intelligence (2028), then get into graduate school at RIT and start working on a graduate degree in Artificial Intelligence, which will hopefully lead to a PhD (2031).”
"…I am very fascinated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) since I have always considered myself a man of science, while being very fluent in the language of mathematics,” added Lopez. “The area of AI that interests me the most is in research and development, since this is the area that keeps AI growing and expanding.”
At this stage of his life, Lopez’s fascination with AI is not just merely academic. “I am especially drawn to the challenge of developing new algorithms and models that can solve real-world problems more efficiently and open up previously unexplored possibilities,” he said. “Over the years, my affinity for numbers, patterns, and abstract reasoning has become the foundation for how I see and interact with the world around me.”
That evolving perspective has shaped more than his academic interests. It has also guided his outlook on life. “I am stepping into a new chapter in my life with a clear vision and full of purpose. It is no longer about what I must do for my family, but what I am inspired to do for myself.”
Image Caption: Student Jose Lopez wearing a black shirt and leaning on a railing.
Attached Files:
Jose Lopez.jpg
Courtney Weimar
Community Relations
05/28/2026