David Millar and his sister grew up in a single-parent household in Plantation. Although money was tight, higher education was always on his radar. His interest in engineering was sparked in high school, where he found success in engineering-related classes. Through South Plantation High School’s strong curriculum complemented by hands-on projects – from building toothpick roller-coasters to designing battle robots – David learned about every field of engineering.

“After these projects, I knew this was what I wanted to do,” he said. “I always imagined going to my dream school, the University of Florida, and one day being the lead engineer at some important company – ideally Disney.”

Despite a 4.99 high school grade point average, financial constraints would keep David from attending a four-year university, much to his chagrin.

Thanks to tight finances, the University of Florida was out of the picture…. But Broward College was there. At first, David wasn’t thrilled, but to his surprise, he found it to be the perfect path for him. “I know now Broward College helped prepare me for the college lifestyle,” he said. “It’s made me a better student and person.”

“I received every kind of support in the book while I was at Broward College,” he said. “If I needed academic help, I wasn’t afraid to go to my professors or the tutors in the library. If I was confused about something within the school or honors program, I had advisers who would drop everything to assist me. And then I met an incredible group of friends who made my time at Broward College feel more like an experience than ‘borrowed time.’”

In addition to faculty and peer support, David received financial assistance: the Dr. Irmgard Bocchino Memorial Scholarship from Broward College’s Honors Institute, in addition to scholarships from Florida Bright Futures and the Plantation Woman’s Club.

He also merited the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship, available to high-achieving students with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.

“I don’t think I would’ve stood a chance for the Jack Kent Cooke transfer scholarship without my involvement in the Honors institute – or reached my full potential at Broward College,” said David. “My original plan was to just finish my classes and get out as soon as possible. Honors changed that. It shaped what I did and who I was while at Broward College.”

In May of 2015, David earned an Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Broward College with a 3.87 grade point average, laying the groundwork for his current success at the University of Florida. He’s on target to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UF next May, and hopes to go on and earn a Master’s Degree and perhaps a Ph.D. in the same field.

While the higher education degrees are of the utmost importance to him, David also focuses on practical experience. He took off two semesters from the University of Florida to pursue a graduate research project internship at the University of Michigan this past summer and he is currently participating in a professional engineering internship at the Walt Disney Company in Orlando.

He’s overjoyed to see his educational dreams become reality. And he credits Broward College with providing the foundation for his success.

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