Eric Fann

The Kindness of Strangers

Eric Fann
Florida Community College, Class of 2005

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Eric Fann never imagined he’d ever be almost a thousand miles away, helping people from all over the world. But after his parents’ divorce, Eric’s mother moved with him and his younger brother to Florida (he also has three sisters and another brother). Attending Florida Community College wasn’t initially Eric’s idea. “I was actually going to enroll in Job Corps and someone I didn’t even know talked me out of it. He told me how great Florida Community College is and how they would do anything to help me achieve my goals.”

Eric took the man’s advice, and he does think Florida Community College is great. But it won’t be fond memories of typical college life he’ll take away — it’s his job at Downtown Campus that will leave a lasting impression. Eric works full time in the College’s ESOL program, which provides academic assistance for students whose primary language is not English. “Working in the ESOL office has made my college experience; I consider it a privilege. I have the chance to help people from literally all over the world. The diversity that walks through the doors is amazing, with students from as far away as Japan, Africa, Russia, the islands. It’s like traveling without going anywhere.”

In addition to a full-time job, Eric is pursuing both an A.S. degree in business administration and an A.A. (university transfer) degree. He plans to study medicine and ultimately practice pediatrics or hematology. While hematology might sound like an unusual career choice to some, the topic of blood is a constant in Eric’s life. “I have sickle cell thalassemia and I know that I will be able to help children with sickle cell better than a doctor who gets all his information from his books. I have actually experienced the same crises they do.”

From helping international students to providing empathetic health care to children? Looks like someday a lot of people will have a stranger to thank — it may have never happened if Eric Fann hadn’t come to Florida Community College.

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