“Not every institution is military friendly, but Mercy College is,” said Delroy Walters, Mercy College Master of Science in Organizational Leadership alumnus. Walters knows firsthand the interwoven accommodations and support systems at Mercy that benefit veteran students as they navigate civilian life, academic commitments and family obligations.
“Mercy has high regard for the life and welfare of a soldier and constitutes policies and programs to help them thrive. That’s why as an alumnus, I want to give back to Mercy — the College looks out for service members, so I’ll look out for my College,” Walters continued.
Walters is currently on a state active duty mission. He works with the Joint Task Force Empire Shield, an element of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, to deter and prevent potential terrorist operations in the New York City metropolitan area. He believes his graduate degree is incredibly useful as a service member and plans on utilizing the methods of leadership he learned at Mercy when moving up the ranks in the military.
“I am a junior enlisted soldier in the military and am acutely familiar with the fundamentals required to be an effective leader,” said Walters. “I can comfortably interact with my superiors and recommend different styles of leadership based on the situation at hand.”
Walters entered the government field, as opposed to the corporate sector, after graduating from the Mercy College School of Business because the military rewards teamwork, morality, communication aptitude and connection. “In the military you can look to your left and right and know that there is a solider that needs you and are aware that we are working together to continue to provide freedom for every American,” explained Walters.
He hopes to instill these cornerstones of military training in Mercy students, particularly those attending MercyManhattan, which was Walters’ campus, to enhance their collaboration and leadership skills and encourage their involvement in student organizations. He would like to transfer these skills by mentoring students, participating in events and attending Mercy networking opportunities.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Walters appreciated the close mentorship he received at Mercy and how the College cares about the success of every student. He aspired to attend Mercy for undergrad but ended up pursing a different academic path. Walters was accepted into Mercy – what he describes as his dream school — for graduate school. He was able to excel at Mercy and achieved a 4.0 GPA while leading student groups; including the National Association of Black Accountants, and participating in several community volunteer activities.
The warm and welcoming experience Walters had at Mercy drove him to continue to give back to the United States at large — some would say in the greatest way possible. “As you move forward, one of the most important things you will learn is to always give back because that’s what Mercy has been doing for all these years,” said Walters.
On Veterans Day, Walters will march in the New York City Veterans Day parade, a distinguished event he has participated every year. Soldiers line up early for the parade, often in freezing temperatures. “We’re used to it though. We’ve learned to adapt to our surroundings. After the parade, as a civilian, I can wear as many sweaters as I want,” he laughed. What’s Walters’ favorite part of his job? When civilians in New York City come up to him and say, “I’m glad you are here. It makes me feel safe, thank you for your service.”