CETA student Colin Pfund in this weeks Hartford Informer

Student overcomes obstacles to succeed academically

 

By Audra Giese in Entertainment, April 19 2012

Sometimes all a student needs to flourish is finding that elusive passion that evades many.
Colin Pfund, after struggling through grade school and high school, found his passion at University of Hartford and has never looked back since. Pfund had a tough time before college; he had a difficulty focusing and was in and out with doctors, being medicated for ADD.
His parents were always there for him, working with his high school to guide him through his work. At one point Pfund didn’t think he’d be able to go to college.
But once he was admitted and started his college career, Pfund found what he had been searching for, a passion.
“Once I realized I was working for myself and doing what I wanted to do, none of those struggles mattered anymore,” says Pfund of his transformation.
Now Pfund is a semester away from holding a double degree in audio engineering technology and electrical engineering. If he can take the right classes, he could also work out a minor in mathematics.
One thing that Pfund did to help transform himself was to immediately become involved on the University of Hartford campus. Pfund recalls the president of the Audio Engineering Society making a presentation in one of his classes freshman year and thinking, “that’s who I want to be by the time I graduate.”
The president recognized Pfund’s ambition and nominated him to become president the following year, when Pfund was only a sophomore. After serving two years as president, Pfund was noticed by an education chair from AES and was nominated for a leadership position with the international AES.
Pfund is currently the Vice Chair of the Student Delegate Assembly for North and Latin America. Pfund’s passion also allowed him to become an intern with NBC Universal in the fall of 2011, which carried on into the spring semester and resulted in a temporary summer job.
NBC Universal hired Pfund again during the winter and he hopes to work there again this summer. Pfund was able to acquire hands on experience during his time working at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.
He helped with postproduction on many projects and designed and implemented many audio/video-editing suites. “It was very fast paced and exciting,” said Pfund.
“It was a long commute every day but it was worth it. I felt like I had more responsibility and was a real professional.”
Pfund is also active on campus as a tutor, a mentor for freshman for the College of Engineering and within the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
“I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with people,” says Pfund of his time spent as a tutor. Though Pfund spends more time on his schoolwork than other students because of his struggles with concentration, he has learned to harness his attention to detail and has become a perfectionist.
Pfund has unlocked what he thinks is the secret to success after graduation.
“The truth is you need to build your attitude now so you can continue and bring that into the workforce. This is the time to mold yourself for the future.”