Sunday, June 9, 1996
Catching the westbound train to higher educationOne cool thing
about Mike McCool is that for the past two years, he has not missed
one home basketball game. Thanks to scalpers, friends and the
occasional camp-out in front of the Central Ticket Office, he saw
all the games without having season tickets.
But then, McCool has never been the type of person to let
obstacles get in his way. A third-year transfer student originally
from Pennsylvania, McCool’s high school counselors discouraged him
from getting an education in California.
"I was told that it would never work, and that it was only for
residents out there," McCool said. "But I jumped on a train with
just a backpack the summer after graduation and I liked it and
decided to stay. It’s like I proved them all wrong."
After calling his parents from the train station to tell them he
had traveled to the West Coast, McCool enrolled at Long Beach State
University. In 1994, he came to UCLA.
McCool, a history student with a business specialization
considers the 1995 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship and President
Bill Clinton’s speech at UCLA’s 75 year anniversary as two of his
favorite memories as a Bruin.
"(Clinton’s speech) was influential and motivating to me as a
student," McCool said. "It gave purpose and meaning to be a
student, and I think that we all need to hear that once in an a
while from an authoritative or influential figure."
McCool’s dedication to academics has been promoted by UCLA, he
said, because the academic environment allows students to immerse
themselves in learning.
While the large UCLA community can overwhelm some students,
McCool said that he doesn’t feel it necessary to pledge allegiance
to any single group.
"I don’t really give in to niches," he said. "I see a lot of
division. There are different groups around campus that focus on
what makes us different rather than what makes us similar. We
should focus on getting to know people as individuals rather than
stereotypes."
Uninterested in student groups, McCool spent a year as a
chairman for the Hilgard Resident’s Association, where he
coordinated activities and special programs for residents in the
dorms.
In his final quarter at UCLA, McCool burdened himself with 20
units, and admits that he hasn’t been able to do everything he
wanted during his UCLA years, such as an internship in the
entertainment industry.
"(Los Angeles) is the place to be for that," McCool said. "You
can’t really do that on the East Coast."
But McCool’s aspirations for the future have little to do with
movies and celebrities. With a certificate in international
business, he hopes to start an export company on the West Coast.
For now, he has applied to several graduate schools, including Rice
University and New York University’s Law School.
Graduating with a UCLA degree poses a challenge for McCool and
his classmates to continue a tradition of excellence as UCLA
alumni.
"Even though it’s a large group of graduates, there’s still a
lot of responsibility to keep a positive image for the university,"
he said.
Story written and interview completed by Karen Duryea.
Mike McCool
More perspectives from Grads:
Daniela Ortner
Michelle Antic
Nelly Amador