Peter M. Emanuel

My parents were Jewish immigrants that left Nazi Germany with very little and made a good life here. We never talked about college, but one day a high school friend told me of the deadline for applying to CCNY and I filled out the application. It turned out to be the best thing I ever did. CCNY gave me opportunities that I would not otherwise have had. It wasn't easy commuting by bus and subway, and the engineering courses were tough, but the excellent education I received and people I met made it a wonderful experience. It made possible first a career as an engineer, including work on the first Apollo moon landing, and then as a patent attorney. While the students today may have different ethnicities, the aspirations are the same and CCNY will prepare them for success.