College of Computing and Engineering Feeds Successful Career of Veteran
When Leonard Pounds, Ph.D., first arrived at Nova Southeastern University, he found a college that provided the perfect home to develop his skills in information technology.
NSU’s College of Computing and Engineering was the perfect fit for Pounds, as he moved from his distinguished military service and began building his future dreams.
A photo of Leonard Pounds when he was serving in the Navy
Pounds came to NSU in 2007 and held various positions in the Office of Innovation and Information Technology, including Deputy Chief Information Officer, before being promoted to the university’s Vice President of NSU Health in 2018. Pounds received a Master’s in Information Systems and a Ph.D. in Information Systems from the college.
One of the fortunate similarities of Pounds’ time in the college and his time in service has been the camaraderie, he says. It’s the connections with people that many veterans miss most when they leave the military, he adds.
“This has also been the case within my academic journey; the program was geared toward my learning outcomes, making my educational journey very enjoyable alongside access to NSU’s Veterans Resource Center,” he said.
“I have built great relationships with my classmates, professors, and staff. The College of Computing and Engineering at NSU has been an amazing experience for me that has helped me grow personally and professionally.”
Pounds says that some of his military skills helped him make his transition to higher education a successful one.
“Being a veteran, I had already learned some of the most valuable lessons such as adaptability, perseverance, and time management,” he said.
The product of a military family, Pounds served in the U.S. Navy as an Information Systems Technician Second-Class Petty Officer (ESWS). His active-duty deployments included Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pounds received numerous awards of distinction including two Navy & Marine Corps Achievement medals, a Navy Unit Commendation medal, a Navy Good Conduct medal, a National Defense Service medal, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service medal, two Sea service ribbons and the designation of Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist.
“My father was the most significant influence in my service,” he said. “He served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam.”
As the VP of NSU Health, Pounds is now able to take the vast knowledge he has gained from the College of Computing and Engineering and apply it over a broad spectrum. Pounds oversees all clinic operations at NSU. To Pounds, his career development from military to higher education has been an exercise in seamlessness.
“There has been a relatively easy transition into my professional role. This was due to my military service and the knowledge and skills acquired at the College of Computing and Engineering,” he said. “In the military, we are taught to put the team’s well-being ahead of our personal well-being. … This is servant leadership at its finest and this is the same attention to detail that you can expect from the faculty at NSU.”
Posted 06/19/22