Like Father, Like Son

Growing up as a military brat, Clint Morano Jr., '14, wanted nothing more than to be like his father. Now a public communication major at Buffalo State, he is well on his way.

“I originally came here to play football, which is what my dad did,” the younger Morano said. “We have the same name. We played the same sport and the same position at the same school. My dad was a history major, which is what I was until I switched to public communication, with a minor in Spanish and leadership.

This proud son wants to be like his father in one more way. Morano Jr. is following his father’s career path as an officer in the U.S. armed forces.

Clint Morano Sr., B.A. ’88, who was inducted into the college’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, enlisted in the Navy and attended its Aviation Officer Candidate School after graduating from Buffalo State.

“Last year, my dad officially retired from the Navy, going from active duty to the reserves,” Morano Jr. said.

With the eventual goal of becoming a member of the Army’s elite Special Forces division, Morano Jr. joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Morano Sr., a member of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division at John F. Kennedy International Airport, is understandably proud of his son. “I’m very proud. It takes a special kind of person because you sacrifice a lot. But as a father,” he acknowledged, “with every bit of pride there’s apprehension that he’ll go in harm’s way. But I’m glad he’s taking that step. It’s a step of maturity and responsibility. And it’s a step that every father wants to see his child take.”

Read more Class Notes in the latest edition of 1300 Elmwood.