Henry Howard ’89

Henry Howard '89 recalls MCC as “...a place where everyone cares and someone is there to help you every step of the way, from beginning to end. There was an infrastructure of support.”

Howard grew up in Hartford’s Stowe Village with his mother. Built in the 1940s, Stowe Village is one of Hartford’s most historic housing projects. “When I looked around me, there was no precedent for going to college. I didn’t realize it was an option for me until my cousin encouraged me to enroll at MCC.”

At Manchester, Howard studied food service management. He credits the college with changing the trajectory of his life. “Earning my associate degree changed my expectations of what was possible for my future,” he said. “It was a huge deal for my family.”

Howard went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing and hospitality from Central Connecticut State University and an MBA from Albertus Magnus College. Over the years, Howard has worked in campus dining director roles and has held regional and national marketing director roles for Compass Group North America. He currently serves as vice president of field marketing for Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services.