Graduate takes nontraditional path to human development degree

Pursuing a bachelor of science is challenging for anyone — but when you’re also a nontraditional student and a parent, it takes dedication to balance life, work, and school.

Joey Feliciano ’26, who will graduate with a degree in human development from the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA) this spring, was able to do that in just over two years. And while it’s been difficult, he’s excelled in his coursework and has even been described as an HDEV “superstar.”

He originally graduated with an associate degree from SUNY Broome Community College’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program in 2018. As a 38-year-old father of five, he was inspired to study human development at Binghamton because of his previous work in healthcare at a skilled nursing facility and his experience raising a neurodiverse child.

“I work with a lot of people who have varying issues, substance abuse issues, mental health issues — issues that kind of go across the spectrum in many different ways,” Feliciano said. “And I also have a daughter who is autistic, so working with her gave me a lot of insight and understanding as to how I want to be when it comes to not just raising her as my daughter, but approaching people.”

Receiving his BS degree is an essential step toward achieving his goal of becoming a doctor of physical therapy who advocates for patients such as children with disabilities and those recovering from injuries or disease. In the future, he wants to go into consulting or a teaching job pertaining to equity in human development or physical therapy.

Disability programs in New York and throughout the country often lack the necessary assistance that people need, and Feliciano aims to use his education and background to make an impact on those most in need of proper support.

Coming from an underprivileged background himself, he explained that a lot of what his courses teach on the daily are issues he’s faced firsthand throughout his life.

“There’s a lack of educational opportunities and equity,” Feliciano said. “In this country, we have racial divides and structural issues that need to not just reform, but change, because so many people are being affected in a negative way.”

Feliciano has been able to form meaningful connections with his professors as well. Maribel Tineo in particular, a lecturer in human development, has a similar background to Feliciano and a commitment to addressing structural issues that Feliciano is passionate about.

“Joey was a leader in class — highly mature, focused on learning, and confident in sharing ideas while also being a wonderful classmate and a collaborative, kind, and active listener,” Tineo said. “He also successfully managed the various demands of my courses with a strong work ethic and high degree of professionalism. His presence in my classes positively contributed to a more serious and intellectually serious environment.”

In addition to guidance from professors, Feliciano credits his family — and his significant other in particular, who is a registered nurse — for encouraging him to go back to school and being a support system while working and achieving a degree in less than three years.

“I honestly associate my success to the stability and the purpose that I’ve gotten from having my kids in my life, and trying to do something better not just for myself, but for them,” Feliciano said. “Because that’s what it’s all about — I want to leave something special behind.”