Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered a warm and wide-ranging address at Northeastern University in 2012. He endeared himself to the audience by sharing that his own GPA at the City College of New York was a 2.0 — and that was only because his ROTC grades were rolled into his average. Powell told the story with characteristic humor: 'They said, good enough for government work. Get him out of there.' He then noted that he is now considered one of CCNY's greatest sons. The quote was his direct message to any graduate who wasn't at the top of their class — a reminder that a career is measured not by where it begins but by the work ethic, belief, and service that shape it over time. Coming from a kid who grew up in the South Bronx and Harlem and rose to the highest levels of American government, the words carried undeniable authority.