Marine vet finds pride in helping children


Mary Lou Fulton alum Cliff Vellucci

After 25 years of service in the U.S. Marines, Cliff Vellucci retired in 2007 and began his transition to civilian life.

"Going from 1,000 mph to a very slow pace, it just really wasn't enough. I needed something more," he said.

He had always had a knack for teaching, so he returned to college and completed his degree through Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. Today, he serves as an assistant principal in a Phoenix elementary school. 

"When I was a Marine, people would come up to me and ask me what I did for a living. And I would feel really proud of saying, 'I'm a Marine,'" he said. "Well, now when people come up to me and ask me that same question, I feel that same sense of pride about saying I'm a teacher."

Watch his story here.

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