Andrew Cretella

Elementary Education

Andrew Cretella chose to attend Delaware Tech because of the focus on non-traditional students, which allows him to take classes at night and online around his full-time work schedule. He also can take advantage of the SEED scholarship, which allows him to take more classes and finish his degree sooner.

Cretella is a first-generation college student, and has set the bar high. In addition to a 23-year career, he has earned two associate degrees, a bachelor's degree, and a master's degree. His goal is to obtain one more of each.

Cretella considers himself a lifelong learner and would like to transition into the teaching field to inspire others to be the same. "I can't think of a more noble and challenging profession than elementary education," he said.

As a later-in-life college student, Cretella has found the experience of attending Delaware Tech to be humbling and said it has shown him that there is still so much to learn and so many skills to develop. "Working with children has also taken me outside of my comfort zone, as it's a new experience for me," he said.

Cretella advises other students to try different classes to find what you might love. "Every class is worth something," he said.