By Jim Danko, Assistant Director of Communications, Springfield Technical Community College

SPRINGFIELD, MA – For Damion Harper ‘05 and Cindy Gaynor-Harper ‘09, Springfield Technical Community College gave them the foundation they needed to succeed.
STCC unleashed their creativity and drive to pursue a dream to be entrepreneurs while providing support and an affordable pathway to a degree. While they went to STCC at different times, they met in 2019, got married and went into business together.
Today, they are focused on growing the real estate investment company they founded – DFG Management. The idea for the company came to Damion Harper when he was a student at STCC. A graduate of the High School of Commerce, he came to STCC to play soccer and didn’t know much else about the college.
“Once I came to STCC to play soccer, I realized all of the opportunities that were here,” said Harper, who was born in Jamaica and moved to Springfield in 1998.
At STCC, he earned a degree in business. While studying at STCC, he realized he wanted to create a company called “Destined for Greatness” or DFG, which would be a vessel to give back to the community and be his best.
In 2019, he met his future wife, Cindy, at a charity event at an elementary school. It wasn’t long before they decided to become partners and create DFG, focused on real estate.
“DFG originally was thought of and brainstormed at STCC,” Gaynor-Harper said. “The idea was birthed at STCC. Entrepreneurship has been one of the biggest highlights of our lives.”
But Damion Harper had another big responsibility. While going to STCC, he was serving in the Massachusetts National Guard. He joined in August 2001, just a few weeks before the 9/11 attacks, and served three tours of duty in Iraq. Today, he still serves in a full-time position overseeing the Emergency Operations Center for the Mass. National Guard.
Because of his deployments, it took longer than the typical two years for Harper to earn his associate degree. He graduated from STCC in 2005. He said he always received support and encouragement from the professors while balancing studies with his service.
“The professors understand who attends STCC and support us every step of the way,” he said. “With every training and other things I had to do for the military, the professors said, ‘That’s fine. Just go.’ We stayed in communication. I saw the passion of the teachers, the love for country and service.”
For Cindy Gaynor-Harper, a first generation college student, STCC offered an affordable pathway to a degree. She graduated from Chicopee High School in 2006. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school.
“I wanted to go to NYU (New York University), which is a six figure university,” she said. “So then I did research about colleges in this area.”
She chose STCC because it was affordable and local. She could take a bus from her home to the campus. She also did not know what she wanted to study, so she chose a liberal arts degree. While in college, she gave birth and was caring for an infant, but that didn’t stop her from getting the degree.
“The professors cared about my situation,” she said. “I felt like there was a sense of community. There are friendships built here. A lot of alumni are doing extraordinary things in Springfield and beyond.”
Cindy and Damion reconnected with STCC recently at an alumni celebration at the Big E in West Springfield.
The event sparked a desire to give back to the college that supported and inspired them.
“There is a lot going on (at STCC) that gives everyone a shot at getting a piece of the American dream,” Damion Harper said. “That’s one of the big things about STCC. People come from humble beginnings, and once you get to a certain level, you give back to the community. We learned to always find a way for us to provide value for the community.”
After graduating from STCC, Cindy Gaynor-Harper earned her bachelor’s degree from American International University. She recently agreed to serve as the president of the STCC Alumni Network.
Cindy and Damion recently returned to the STCC campus and walked through the familiar halls. They saw the picturesque campus green bursting with fall colors. They marveled at the Ira Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons, which opened four years ago as a bustling central hub for student services.
“We were remembering the times we were here,” Cindy Gaynor-Harper said. “It reignites our drive, our passion behind our business. It’s beautiful to be back here.”
Dr. Shai Butler, STCC’s Vice President of Advancement and External Affairs, said the college has a strong and closely knit alumni network that continues to grow.
“I love meeting alumni like Cindy and Damion, hearing their stories and discovering how STCC has influenced their lives,” Butler said. “We want to help our alumni grow their networks and encourage other STCC graduates to get involved. I think they will find it to be a rewarding experience.”
To learn more about STCC’s Alumni Network, visit stcc.edu/alumni. Contact Eunice Guidry, Manager of Advancement & Alumni Relations, at 413-755-4475 or emguidry@stcc.edu for more information. Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at 413-755-3333. ■