This story first appeared in the University Advancement Fall 2025 Donor Impact Report, whose theme is “Thank you for believing in me.”
May 2025 was a busy month for Blake Binda ’25. On the 16th, he got married. On the 17th, he graduated summa cum laude from Worcester State. And on the 22nd, he received his commissioning as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
It was the culmination of an unexpected, decade-long journey.
“Out of high school, college would have never crossed my mind,” Binda said. Drawn to hands-on work—and to service—he enlisted in the Marines in 2015, at age 17.
Binda went on to serve as a combat engineer, deploying to 15 countries. As a platoon sergeant in 2021, he oversaw the safe relocation of more than 500 Afghanistan refugees, earning him the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. He received Navy and Marine Corps achievement medals for his roles as a breach team leader in North Africa and a security squad leader in the Middle East. He also became a black belt in Marine Corps Martial Arts.
Binda’s superiors saw his leadership potential and encouraged him to apply to the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program, which enables qualified Marines to earn a bachelor’s degree while remaining on active duty. These Marines attend Naval ROTC while in school and become commissioned officers upon graduation.
That’s how Binda, who is from Goldsboro, N.C., ended up as a business administration major at Worcester State. During his time as a student, Binda earned an academic award for business administration majors and a scholarship endowed by the late alumnus James F. Sheehan, a retired U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel.
Binda chose Worcester State because it was friendly to veterans, active-duty military, commuters, and adult learners, and because it was near his Massachusetts relatives. Right away he enrolled in Accounting 1, which “built my confidence and set the stage for the semesters that followed,” he said. It remains one of his favorite classes. In fact, his long term plan is to begin a second career in accounting after his 20 years in the military.
Binda’s other favorite course was statistics, which he took with Professor Judy Sarkis. “I didn’t just learn statistics from her; I learned how to effectively instruct.” This proved invaluable for Binda, who teaches Marine combat marksmanship. “Her approach to teaching was so effective that I was able to earn a high A in that class—when on the first day, it was almost like she was speaking another language,” he said.
Binda’s classes refined his decision making and critical thinking skills too. “A lot of things I had seen as black and white. I now know there’s gray,” he said.
But of all his college experiences, he’s most proud to have participated in a ceremony held in memory of Marine Corps Captain Ross A. Reynolds ’17. Honoring the life of a fellow Marine from Worcester State reinforced for Binda that he’s part of something larger than himself.
Binda participated in ROTC at the College of the Holy Cross, where, following his May commissioning, he served briefly as a staff instructor. He then headed to Quantico, Virginia, for The Basic School, where all newly commissioned Marine officers go for training.
Speaking of his commissioning: The ceremony took place in an auditorium at Holy Cross. His wife of less than a week, Naelly Binda ’25—a Marine Corps veteran and a fellow new graduate of Worcester State—met him on stage to place the pin on his lapel.
For Binda, crossing that stage felt a lot like joining the Marines at 17, and also like enrolling in Accounting 1. “It was the first step forward,” Binda said, “in the rest of my career.”
Blake Binda’s Donor Support
Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan, USMC Ret., Endowed Scholarship
George and Sheila Tetler Award in Business Administration
The Sheehan Scholarship and the Tetler Award helped Binda cover his college expenses. He used part of the Sheehan Scholarship to buy a new computer, for example.
“Beyond the monetary value, I was proud to be recognized and to be a part of something larger than myself,” he said. “And then, it became a motivator. It helped me realize that I am capable.”
To donors, he shared this message: “Giving speaks to your values. It’s selfless. I see the impact it has on other students at the university, too. To be able to see them excel, to see their drive and sense of pride—it’s the same thing that drew me to the Marine Corps. The sense of belonging, the brotherhood and sisterhood, the family, the community. And now as an alum myself, it gives me a real sense of pride.”
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