An Interview with a CCS Alumnus - Daniel Snyder, Class of 2015

Dawn Snellenberger interviewed Class of 2015 alumnus Daniel Snyder. Dan is preparing to graduate from the University of Connecticut (UConn) in May 2019 with a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Sciences.

Dan was homeschooled through the 4th grade, although he also had some involvement in The King’s School (TKS) through his family’s participation there. When TKS had to close its doors at the conclusion of that school year in 2007, his family joined Cornerstone, and Dan began the 5th grade in Mrs. Donna Corbeil’s class.

Before starting school in September 2007, Dan was a little worried about being a new student and meeting new people. Those fears were further realized when he unfortunately missed his first day of school due to illness!

Once he was finally able to start, he found that everyone was so welcoming to him. One of the students took the time to introduce him around, and in no time he felt like he was a part of the class. Dan liked his time in the elementary school and felt it was a positive experience. He enjoyed the close bonds he formed with everyone, including his self-contained classroom teachers.

From there, he moved over to the middle school and began his 7th grade year. (Grade 6 was still housed in the elementary building at that time.) He recalls middle school as his "least favorite time," but how many middle schoolers have their mother as their principal?! Despite the awkward years of middle school, he said he had fun and continued to build relationships with the students in his class.

In high school, Dan grew academically, spiritually, and socially. He took a demanding course load, but he feels the rigor of his classes helped him to be “over prepared” for college. He recalls special times, like Spiritual Emphasis Weeks and High School Retreats, as spiritually significant times in his life. He enjoyed spending time in community and worshiping God. In fact, he feels that he would not be in the place he is today with the Lord without having attended school at CCS and experiencing those special times with his classmates. Through it all, he continued to build relationships with the students in the entire high school. Dan has maintained close friendships with many of them, even since graduation. He counts this as the biggest blessing he received from his time at CCS.

With the encouragement from his high school math teachers, Dan decided to pursue a degree in Actuarial Sciences. He first attended Manchester Community College for two years as a GAP (Guaranteed Admission Program) student and then transferred to UCONN to complete his bachelor's degree. While the program has been challenging and was an adjustment initially, he has done very well in his classes. He is currently serving as an intern at The Hartford (insurance company) and hopes to obtain a full-time job in the actuarial field after graduation.

We are proud of your accomplishments, Dan, and we look forward to what the Lord has in store for your future.

If you are a part of our CCS alumni and would be willing to share how God has used CCS in your life, please contact Dawn Snellenberger at dsnellenberger@contactccs.org.