An unexpected turn brought Chuck Campagna to AIC. The lessons he learned here would shape his leadership approach for decades to come.
The American International College Legacy
141 Years of Opportunity. Countless Lives Changed.
For 141 years, American International College has evolved to meet the needs of an ever-changing world while remaining true to its mission of expanding opportunity.
AIC’s legacy is reflected in the lives of the people who have passed through its doors—and in the lessons they carry long after graduation. Chuck Campagna ’78 is one example.
Campagna arrived at AIC unexpectedly after a last-minute change in his college plans. What began as an uncertain turn in his path became an experience that shaped the way he approached perseverance, discipline, leadership, and service throughout his career.
“If I hadn’t attended AIC, I would never have heard that.”
The “that” that Campagna refers to is a philosophy introduced by his AIC football coaches: “Pride, poise, and execution.” Decades later, those words remain a framework for his approach to leadership.
From his days as a standout football player to his career as president and CEO of Amerlux, Campagns has carried lessons first introduced at AIC into the professional world and into his commitment to mentoring others.
In this story, originally published in Lucent, the AIC alumni magazine, Alena Williams explores the experiences, people, and lessons that shaped Campagna’s approach to leadership—and the unexpected college decision he still considers one of the best decisions he ever made.
Read “Pride, Poise, and Execution: How AIC Shaped Chuck Campagna ’78’s Approach to Leadership.”
From the Lucent Story
by Alena Williams
What if everything had gone according to plan? For Chuck Campagna, that would have meant never attending American International College—and missing the first lesson that would go on to define everything that followed.
“I actually arrived at AIC a little bit unexpectedly.”
For Campagna, the plan was Syracuse University. He had been recruited since his sophomore year of high school, attending camps and building toward what felt like a certain next step. “So I thought I was off to Syracuse.”
Until, suddenly, he wasn’t.