How A Top Public School Develops STEM Talent And Leadership

Forbes

5 hours ago

STEM talent and leadership are critical to our nation's future.
'The two institutions that have sustained our democracy since the country's founding are public education and the United States military.'
Those words from the late Frances Hesselbein echoed in my mind as I delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony for the High School for Math, Science and Engineering (HSMSE) at The City College of New York. As we celebrate the birth of our country on July 4th, it was an honor to witness and celebrate the enduring strength of public education, one of the institutions that has long sustained our democracy, exemplified by schools like HSMSE that are advancing STEM talent. HSMSE is one of the top-ranked public schools in New York and among the best nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024 rankings of public high schools. It is a clear example of that strength in action. Public education remains a powerful engine for advancing STEM talent and building future leaders. From the stage, as I looked out at the graduates, families, and faculty, I was reminded that leadership does not start on the battlefield or in the boardroom. The seeds of leadership are planted and nurtured in our classrooms.
In a thoughtful gesture, HSMSE graduates turned to face and thank their families and friends—because ... More leadership begins in the classroom. These graduates represent the future of STEM talent and leadership.
Leadership Begins in the Classroom: Cultivating STEM Talent and Leadership at HSMSE
Leadership was evident everywhere at graduation. It was embodied in City College President Dr. Vincent Boudreau, HSMSE Principal, Sean Dolcy, and the dedicated faculty. What struck me most was the leadership of the students—from leading the student body and excelling in academics, art, music, athletics, mathematics, science, engineering, foreign languages and many other areas. These leadership skills were developed in the classroom, and each student's achievement on graduation day was celebrated by their supporters. They were filled with pride, faith and love. The day was a reminder that behind every leader is a village of support. This support was especially true at HSMSE, where the combination of academic excellence, community support, and immense pride was evident in every handshake, hug, and expression of congratulations and excitement for the future. These young leaders are the future talent who will join the world of business.
LTG (Ret.) Thomas P. Bostick delivers the keynote address at HSMSE's graduation ceremony on July 24, ... More 2025, at The City College of New York.
A Model for STEM Talent and Leadership
As the U.S. continues to face a growing skills gap in STEM education, HSMSE offers a model that businesses can understand and value. The school brings together brilliant, diverse students from across New York City and immerses them in an intensive curriculum centered on math, science and engineering. HSMSE delivers a rigorous STEM curriculum that prepares students for real-world challenges. Every HSMSE student studies a foreign language and can take college-level courses at the City College of New York, where HSMSE is located. Students are held to a high standard and are accountable for their performance.
While most graduates move on to college, including many of the most selective schools in the country, what stands out most is how well these students are prepared for life, whether through higher education, internships, policy fellowships, military service or direct entry into the workforce. It's a compelling example of a workforce and talent pipeline that businesses should take note of.
More impressive than the statistics is the character of the graduating class. These students persevered through the challenges of a worldwide pandemic, adjusting to remote learning, uncertainty and time away from classmates. Through it all, they demonstrated resilience. In these HSMSE students, I saw the qualities that every company strives to build in its organization and culture. These students come from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and recognize the value of teamwork. They are poised to succeed and excited to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
HSMSE Co-Presidents Jazmine Chavez and Ayisha Yankey, along with their fellow graduates, embody ... More academic excellence, community spirit and future potential. Leadership starts in the classroom.
A Personal Story of STEM Talent and Leadership
The resilience of the graduates reminded me of my journey and a quote from Nelson Henderson.
'The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.'
As I told the graduates, my father was an orphan when he was eight years old. He worked three jobs in Brooklyn, New York, before joining the U.S. Army and subsequently meeting my mother while on an assignment in Japan. I am the second of their five children. When my older brother became the first person in our family to attend college, I worked three jobs while in high school to help my parents pay for his education. My younger siblings, still in junior high, couldn't help me as I prepared for college, so I decided to find a full scholarship somewhere, anywhere.
I had good grades, test scores, and was a three-sport athlete, so I decided to apply to the United States Military Academy at West Point. However, I required a nomination from my congressman in California, where we lived. After being rejected by my congressman and both senators, I even reached out to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm from Brooklyn since my father grew up there. She applauded my initiative, but still sent me a kind rejection letter because I had to live in Brooklyn to receive her nomination.
So, I applied to the local community college and planned to become a carpenter. Then, one day, a retired general named George Wahl came to my school and asked if I wanted to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. I told him, a bit defeated, 'Not anymore,' because I couldn't get a congressional nomination, so I've given up on that dream. 'You should write to the President,' he said. I asked, 'Why would the President give me a nomination if none of my congressmen would?'
One of several rejection letters Thomas P. Bostick received while in high school as he pursued a ... More congressional nomination to West Point—a powerful reminder that perseverance and guidance from mentors like General George Wahl often precede success.
He explained that Members of Congress have only a limited number of nominations, but the President has up to 100 nominations reserved for children of those serving in the military. I took General Wahl's advice, applied, and was nominated by President Nixon. Like HSMSE, West Point emphasized math, science and engineering, and required the study of a foreign language.
The lesson for me, and each of the graduates, is that the path to success is rarely easy and often indirect. Therefore, they should never give up on their dreams, regardless of the challenges that come their way. I did not become a carpenter after all, but I eventually became the Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. General Wahl passed away shortly after I graduated from West Point. Before he died, he had planted a tree by mentoring me. Yet he never sat in that tree's shade as I grew, but he taught me a lifelong lesson: To pay it forward. I encouraged the graduates to lift as they climb. Just as I benefited from mentorship and belief, I witnessed similar investments being made in the students at HSMSE.
HSMSE Principal Sean Dolcy and City College President Dr. Vincent Boudreau led the graduation ... More procession, fittingly held on the campus of The City College of New York, where HSMSE is housed.
I spoke with City College President Dr. Vincent Boudreau at the graduation ceremony. We reflected on General Colin Powell's legacy as a military and diplomatic leader who always remembered where he came from and continued to give back to the college from which he graduated. HSMSE, located on the grounds of City College, continues General Powell's legacy by preparing students to lead in math, science, engineering, leadership and beyond. As virtually every business competes for diverse and values-based talent, HSMSE and the City College of New York provide an example of how companies can develop high-functioning teams. Businesses today will benefit from encouraging innovation, embracing dreamers, promoting risk-taking and mentoring younger team members. I saw the legacy of giving back bearing fruit at HSMSE. HSMSE is more than a school. It is a model for addressing the national STEM talent gap while cultivating value-centered future business leaders.
LTG (Ret.) Thomas P. Bostick met with many of the graduates and their families, including Collin ... More Megson and his family.
A Call to Support STEM Talent and Leadership
Those seeking to develop teams with STEM talent and leadership must ask themselves:
The next generation of leaders has arrived. Many will come from public schools and the military. Following my remarks at the HSMSE graduation ceremony, a father of one of the graduates approached me and proudly stated that his son was departing for West Point to join the Class of 2029. At that moment, I thought about Frances Hesselbein. Public education and the military continue to sustain our democracy.
As STEM talent and leadership become increasingly essential to national competitiveness, business leaders should consider both public education and the military in developing the next generation of STEM talent.
One HSMSE graduate, Joel Shin, will begin his next chapter at West Point, continuing the Long Gray ... More Line.