Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Marine veteran begins next phase of his life

Date: 2/13/2015

WESTFIELD – Max Riley has welcomed an accelerated life. He graduated from Westfield High School in three years and joined the Marines where “everything’s a crash course.”

Five years and two tours in Iraq later, Riley is back home in Westfield working towards the next phase of his life and the road that will lead him to it: education.

Riley graduated from Porter and Chester Institute’s computer and network technology program in just one year. Not only did he complete the accelerated program, Riley graduated at the top of his class with a 4.0 GPA and was honored at the graduation ceremony on Feb. 6.

“I was surprised. It was a nice little ceremony,” Riley said. “I put a lot of work in the last year. It was nice to see it presented like that.”

Though Riley stood at the top of his class, he is not one to brag, according to his instructor at Porter and Chester, Roy Gero.

“Max is a very humble and he’s always willing to help. Even though he was the number one student through the whole year he never boasted about it,” Gero said. “His slogan is, ‘Why wait until tomorrow when I can get it done today?’ He’s a very strong leader, and strong follower.”

His proactive motto is not much of a surprise, though. Riley said that when he returned home and started taking classes at Holyoke Community College for pharmacy, a field he soon realized was not for him, the hardest part was slowing down for 50-minute courses and waiting on campus between classes.

Things were not moving quickly enough for him.

“It was hard to stay focused, and I got bored really easily,” Riley said.

When Riley decided to go back to school, he knew he needed to do something hands on. With a strong background in technology in the Marines, the computer and network technology program just made sense.

“I was always fixing everybody’s computers,” Riley said. “If I like it, I might as well do it for a living.”

While Riley was just beginning his coursework, other students had been in the program longer. Though he said it was intimidating at first, it also began to fuel his motivation.

“I always like a good challenge,” Riley said. “Having to prove myself helped me worker harder.”

hrough this challenge and self-motivation, Riley even took an intern position in the IT program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Hadley. He is continuing to work there post-graduation as a full-time intern.

Riley applied for this position, one that he is enjoying every second of, through the Pathways to Success Program

Gero said that this opportunity is a special one, especially for someone to attend classes and then head straight to an internship. Riley’s success has been even been used as a model for other students. 

“I’m a little jealous. It’s an excellent feeling. He started working in his third term,” Gero said. “Even some of the crew that is coming up now, they’re following Max. They want to be like Max; it’s a goal of theirs. His tradition is going to carry on.”

Riley’s leadership and success through the program is especially crucial for other veteran’s in the program.

“We try to help out as much as possible,” Gero said. “Most of them, they want to succeed; they are shooting for number one. They really want this; they are changing their careers.”

Though the transition back home can be difficult, Riley said the most important thing for veterans to do is not to wait to take the next step.

“Don’t wait around for things to come to you. Get out there and search for the jobs,” Riley said.

This plan of action worked for Riley. He wasted no time to find his passion when he returned home.

According to Gero, that is just who has always been and a sign of what he will become.

“You know, he’s going to be someone further down the road at a higher level,” Gero said. “I had the foundation to deal with I was the first steps to where he wants to be and that’s a good feeling.”