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University News
February 3, 2026

From the Creative Industry Back to Campus: A Second Act at Montclair

After a decade in photography and fashion, Sociology major Horatio Wauchope is channeling his artistic background into a more focused second act, powered by financial support and Uber shifts between classes

Posted in: Admissions, Homepage News, Humanities and Social Sciences, Montclair Life

Horatio Wauchope , wearing a winter coat, stands outside on a campus walkway at night, holding a large folder to his chest in front of a lit academic building.
After a 10-year gap, Horatio Wauchope returned to Montclair to finish what he started, thanks to support that made college possible again. “Going to Montclair and being able to graduate without having to worry about finances was a great opportunity. Now I'm here, trying to do what I couldn't do years ago.” (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Montclair Life by University Photographer Mike Peters

Horatio Wauchope’s story moves the way he does – fluidly, between the arts, fashion and social science. Growing up between Jamaica and New Jersey, he learned to express himself through music, photography and conversation, blending creativity with curiosity about how people connect.

A decade ago, after two semesters at Montclair State University, he left school to launch a career in photography and fashion as an agent and director. “I went deep into my career, but after a while I stopped seeing progress and felt my ideas weren’t being taken seriously,” Horatio, 34, explains. 

“Eventually I got fed up and started seeing signs pointing me back to school.”

Montclair’s readmit program helps students like Horatio return to finish their degrees, offering flexible options to take courses online, in person or in a hybrid format so they can balance school with work, commuting and family commitments.​

When Horatio reapplied, financing his education was a major concern. Montclair provided the Red Hawk Advantage Award, which helps eligible New Jersey students with tuition if they’re working on their first bachelor’s degree, have under 60 credits and meet income and GPA requirements. 

“I had no idea schools had their own funding like that. I thought I’d tried everything.”

Morning Hustle

Two photos show Horatio Wauchope in his car. In the first photo, he is seated behind the wheel, looking down at his cellphone. The second photo is a close-up of his phone screen displaying the Uber app navigation map
Horatio begins his mornings making deliveries to help meet his college costs. “I’m a full‑time student, so in between classes, before and after, whenever I have a break, I drive for Uber or Uber Eats to help make everything work.”
Horatio Wauchope stands outside a neighborhood pharmacy, holding a smartphone in one hand and a yellow envelope in the other, as he walks past a large storefront sign advertising prescription discounts.
Picking up medication on an Uber run.

“Coming back after 10 years, I’ve been surprised by how many people stepped up for me once I was honest about what I needed,” he says.

On a recent winter day, Horatio shared this day, inviting Photographer Mike Peters to ride with him while he made deliveries and sit in on his classes. “We met before my first class in Bloomfield so I could grab coffee and then squeeze in an hour of work. I did a couple of trips, picking up someone’s breakfast at Wawa and a pharmacy run for someone’s medication.”

In Class and In Motion

A collage of four photos shows Horatio Wauchope in an advanced Excel class at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. He works on a laptop, charting and organizing data for a class project that analyzes companies and their inventories.
Horatio took a class on advanced Excel skills at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. Here, he charts and organizes data for a class project analyzing companies and their inventories.

A Sociology major, Horatio took Spreadsheet Essentials at the Bloomfield campus to build data analyst skills because that location better fit his schedule. Students from both locations are able to take courses across campuses. “It was my first time on the Bloomfield campus since the merger, and it was interesting to experience a different environment while still being a Montclair student.”

Gustavo Quintero, left, and Horatio Wauchope at Montclair campus.
After his class in Bloomfield, Horatio heads to Montclair, where he meets up with his friend and fellow Sociology major, Gustavo Quintero.
Two photos show Horatio Wauchope and his friend Gustavo Quintero, both Sociology majors at Montclair State University. In the first photo, Horatio pays for food in the Student Center cafeteria. In the second, they walk across campus toward their favorite study spot.
The friends grab lunch in the Student Center and walk across campus to a favorite study spot.
Horatio Wauchope and Gustavo Quintero sit side by side at a table in a classroom.
Horatio and Gustavo eat together, study and help keep each other motivated. “We push each other to stay focused and get through the semester.”

A decade ago, when Horatio first attended Montclair, he published a photography book for a class project called The Commuter, which mirrored his experiences as a college commuter. “I always had my camera with me, and I’d take photos of people going down the escalator at New York Penn Station or head to Hoboken to shoot birds. I got a really good grade for the class, which inspired me to keep pursuing photography.”

This time around, Horatio is focused on new interests. Last semester, he completed an internship at Montclair’s Project AROS (Applied Research On Social Issues) Lab, mentored by Arnaud Kurze, associate professor of Justice Studies and the lab’s director. “It’s an interdisciplinary research program,” Horatio explains. “No matter what field you want to go into – history, technology or medicine – it gives us room to learn how to do real-life research and shadow professionals on their projects.”​

Horatio’s research examined climate change in Liberia. “I learned how to map vulnerabilities and create graphs to visualize where floods hit hardest. It focused on erosion, flooding and how those changes affect communities, especially women who fish and provide for their families.”

Finding Mentors, Building Momentum

A collage of four photos shows Horatio Wauchope in his Statistics of Social Research class with Sociology Chairperson Sangeeta Parashar. In the first photo, he sits at a desk using a pad, pen, and his phone’s calculator to solve a problem. The next two photos show him talking and working with Professor Parashar. The final photo is a close-up of his written work.
In the late afternoon, Horatio attends Statistics of Social Research with Sociology Chairperson Sangeeta Parashar, who has become a guiding voice in his journey.​

In addition to his internship, Horatio is finding mentorship in his classes. “Professor Parashar has been like a mom to me this semester,” he says. “Her class is tough, very old‑school – pencils, paper, lots of problem sets – but it gave me a strong foundation.”

Horatio Wauchope in a classroom setting, with two students on either side of him.
Horatio, who expects to graduate in either May or December 2027, doesn’t yet know what shape his next chapter will take – but the direction feels right.

I don’t know exactly where I’ll end up – data science, research or something else – but I know I’m on the right track. I’m taking every opportunity as it comes and trusting that the work, the mentors and the connections will lead me to the next step.”

View more photos for a complete look at Horatio’s day.

Photography by University Photographer Mike Peters

As told to Marilyn Joyce Lehren, University Communications and Marketing

Through this photo essay, part of an ongoing series, we highlight how Montclair students, faculty and staff embody the University’s mission in the classroom, on campus and beyond – empowering a diverse community by providing broad access to rigorous learning, advancing research and creativity, and forming partnerships for the common good.

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