When DJ came to Minnesota from Lagos, Nigeria, he had a few goals in mind. Born in New Jersey in 1980, he’d emigrated to the African nation with his parents when he was 2 years old and stayed there through high school. While growing up, he found himself fascinated with both computer technology and foreign cultures. That made MCTC a logical fit. In addition to the College’s solid academics, its diverse student body makeup offered DJ the chance to interact with people from different backgrounds. “I was curious to meet people from other cultures, so I liked MCTC’s diversity,” he said.

Indeed, he quickly plunged into college life, working hard on his studies, signing up for extracurricular activities, and volunteering extensively, including reading to school children, helping coordinate book drives, and serving as a peer tutor. The efforts didn’t go unnoticed. He earned a handful of scholarships, including the prestigious All-USA College Academic First Team Scholarship, that largely paid for his MCTC education. He was also selected to the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society.

“I really enjoyed my time at MCTC,” he said. “In fact, I appreciated it even more when I transferred to the University of Minnesota after earning my associate of art’s degree. At the U, I had little financial aid, the classes were much larger and you had minimal contact with the professors. It was more of a challenge.”

Nonetheless, he managed, graduating from the U of M in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering and then from the University of St. Thomas in 2007 with a master of science degree in software engineering.

Today he’s employed as a software engineer at Boston Scientific, a global medical device company. And while he says it is a satisfying job (he programs and tests user interfaces for heart pacemakers and defibrillator monitors), he is still looking ahead. He plans to take French classes at MCTC and hopes to pursue an MBA at the INSEAD Business School in Paris. His ultimate goals: work and live overseas, perhaps in Africa again, and develop an entrepreneurial venture. No matter where he goes, however, he said he will always feel gratitude toward MCTC. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my college career. The experience prepared me well.”

That’s when former Timberwolves player Chris Carr, a friend of Hodges’ family, approached him about MCTC. Carr also spoke to the college’s head basketball coach, Jay Pivec, and arranged for Hodges to show up for an open gym session at MCTC. Hodges showed up, met with Pivec, and impressed the coach with his skills and new attitude. By the fall of 2007, he was enrolled at MCTC and starting for the basketball team.

He didn’t waste the opportunity. By working hard in the classroom and on the court, Hodges flourished. "I can’t say enough about MCTC and the coaches," he says. "I grew up a lot, and they set me up for success."

That’s something of an understatement. Hodges helped lead MCTC to the NJCAA Division III national championship game in 2009. The 6-foot, 5-inch guard/forward averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game during the regular season, and was named First-Team All-State and All-Conference. He capped off the year and his MCTC career with a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota, Mankato, where he’s majoring in parks and recreation management.

"I chose that major because I want to give back to the community," he says. "I went from being an average kid to someone with a full-ride scholarship to a university. I couldn’t have done any of that without MCTC, and I want to help people the way the MCTC basketball program helped me."

Lea B. Olsen