A Home Away from Home

Nearly 2,700 miles and three time zones separate Inglewood, Calif., from Syracuse, N.Y., yet Jonathan Joshua ’08 had no qualms about packing his bags, heading east and becoming a Dolphin. That’s not to say that Jonathan did not experience a period of adjustment when he transferred from a school on the West Coast to Le Moyne. (Before coming to the College, he had no need to own a winter coat.) But he opened himself up to the possibilities of life on the Heights, where he studied business management and leadership. The conversations he had with people like then-men’s basketball coach Steve Evans, who recruited him to play for the Dolphins, persuaded him that it would be a wonderful atmosphere in which to grow.

“Traveling to the East Coast was a huge learning experience,” says Jonathan, who now works in the aerospace industry, helping to develop and build defense systems and products for the U.S. government. “I am able to draw on those times to adjust to different experiences today.”

Looking back, Jonathan describes Le Moyne as a safe and fun environment, full of hardworking people. Among his favorite memories was working with his coaches and teammates to lead basketball camps at the College for local children. It allowed Jonathan to show those future college students the wonderful experience they would have if they were to choose Le Moyne. And that’s a message the continues to resonate with him today.

“Know that you will be welcomed with open arms when you join this community, regardless of where you come from,” he says. “This is an environment where you will quickly feel as if you are at home away from home.”