Michael Hopkins:
CLASS OF 1976
Edison High SchoolClass of 1976
Fresno, CA
Michael's Story
Life
I spent 3 years in the Marine Corps (I was in communications and held a top secret clearance) then 3 in the Calfironia National Guard (I was a radio operator). I worked in the Insurance industry for 16 years primarily as a claims and underwriting supervisor. In 1997 I changed careers and went to work with Fresno City College. I currently work in their Business Division locating jobs and internships for business students. I'm also an Associate Pastor at a church about two blocks from Edison. A few years ago I returned to college after a 17 year layoff and obtained my BA degree in Management Organizational Development from Fresno Pacific University. I've stayed active in education volunteering in my daughters school(s) She's graduating from Hoover this year and headed for UC Riverside! I've also been a foster parent for over 11 years, I've raised over 17 kids during that time. My wife and I will be leaving foster care in a few years to spend time alone.
I attend on continuing to work to grow the church we are at an enjoy life. For the past two years I've been the primary care giver for my ailing father and it's taken a toll on my health so I need some down time!
College
All I remember was working full time and going to school until 10:00Pm on Monday nights. I also recall the tons of book reading assignments and those blasted 10 page papers and the 80 page thesis. Other than that, school went by really quickly at FPU.
Military
I graduated early from high school and immediately wanted to join the Air Force. My mother was aga...Expand for more
inst it, she wanted me to go to art school. Since I was still 17 I needed her consent. When I turned 18 I joined the USMC instead. While she was worried and disappointed, when I graduated boot camp near the top of my platoon and marched out in front as a squad leader she was the most proud mother there. I spent some time on recruiting duties and Edison was one of our schools. It was weird going back to my school and talking to my old friends about the service ( I had already convinced my best friend Tim Limbrick to join before I left for bootcamp). After that I went to communication and electronics school in Twentynine Palms California, if you know that part of California it's nothing but sun and sand (sometimes getting up to 115 degrees). After school I spent the next 13 months in Okinawa Japan, then returned to the states and finished out my tour at MCAS EL TORO in Southern Cal. When I left the marines I made one of the biggst mistakes of my life and joined the National Guard it really sucked! It's like going from the real military to the boy scouts. Mercifully, I got my hand cut about 6 months before my tour with them was up and was discharged early.
I learned more in the Marine Corps than my entire time in college. The Marines taught me the leadership skills and gave me the professional experience that has helped me all my adult life. While many people bash the Military, it has been nothing but good to my family. Out of 8 kids 5 of us are prior military including my only sister who's the baby, she put in over 10 years in the army!
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