Campus News
September 2nd, 2025
GC graduate Hilton awarded Regents Scholarship
Fatzinger Foundation Award winner headed to UM College Park
Haedin Hilton took a long and winding road to his love for computer science and math. Fortunately, he had some pretty good tour guides.
Hilton – a 2025 Garrett College graduate who finished with a 4.0 Grade-Point Average (GPA) – praised the support he received from Professor of Computer Science Richard Lewis, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Bryan Lewis, and Adjunct Instructor Wood Clodfelter.
"Richard Lewis taught me just about everything I know about computer science," said Hilton, who was recently awarded the Walter P. Fatzinger Foundation Award as part of the University System of Maryland’s Regents Scholarships program. "And Bryan Lewis is such an accomplished mathematician – but you wouldn’t know it given he’s so down-to-earth and approachable."
Clodfelter, meanwhile, made digital logic... well...logical.
"He [Clodfelter] is not just really great at teaching, he’s also a really nice guy who cares about his students," said Hilton, who will continue his studies this fall at the University of Maryland College Park. Hilton plans to seek dual degrees in mathematics and computer science.
"Haedin is a great student," said Richard Lewis. "Very inquisitive. He loved to hang out after class and talk about that day’s topic. He really had a strong desire to learn. I’m sure he’ll do great things at UMCP." That’s a pretty dramatic change for someone who started out as a psychology major at Bergen Community College in 2022.
"It took a long time to figure out what I really wanted out of education," said Hilton, who resides in Accident. "I’m a CS [computer science] guy, but I really like math, too."
Hilton said finding that calling was important for him.
"I think it’s really fixed my life," said Hilton. "I felt aimless before. Education has given me my drive, my passion, and my confidence back. I enrolled at Garrett College and then everything else happened.
