As Washtenaw Community College prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, we recognize
the thousands of alumni who turned opportunity into achievement. For six decades,
WCC has opened doors to education, careers and brighter futures — and these 60 Stories that will be compiled over the year reflect that enduring mission.
Of all the diplomas he has earned since being discharged from the U.S. Navy, only an associate degree from Washtenaw Community College is displayed on attorney J.T. Iacovetta’s office wall.
“I always tell people it was the hardest one to get,” Iacovetta says.
More than nine years of military service as a Petty Officer Second Class in nuclear power operations helped shape Iacovetta’s career goals. His journey from Queens, New York, to Navy nuclear operator to Associate with the Holland & Hart LLP law firm in Denver has taken him around the world.
Today, he leverages his problem-solving skills and background to advise clients in the renewable energy sector. He earned numerous certificates throughout his years of military service and after his discharge graduated with a General Studies in Math & Natural Science degree in 2018.
After WCC, Iacovetta completed a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan, followed by a juris doctorate from Arizona State University. Along the way, he served judicial externships with the U.S. District Court and the Arizona Supreme Court and worked full-time at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“Even though I went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering and graduated from law school, my first college degree at WCC was the hardest," Iacovetta said. " In addition to learning the material, I had to learn how to be a student while balancing work and family responsibilities. I had been away from an educational environment for over ten years, but the academic advisors and instructors at WCC provided me with a foundation where I could rebuild my academic confidence.
"The many levels of support offered to WCC students prepares them to succeed at community college and at large universities when they move on for more advanced degrees.”
Iacovetta’s time at WCC prepared him for a smooth transfer to Michigan’s esteemed College of Engineering program.
At WCC, he took full advantage of the Wadhams Veterans Center and other support services on campus and served as president of the Student Veterans Association and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society before graduating with honors.
Among the many draws to WCC for Iacovetta was WCC strong transfer course equivalencies with U-M, which allowed him to “short cycle” his undergraduate degree.
Tags: 60 Stories, Alumni Profile