Crediting a former school counselor for much of the success he has achieved in life, Kevin Moncrief on Saturday became the latest member inducted into the Highland Park High School Hall of Fame.

Moncrief, 50, a 1978 Highland Park graduate, accepted his honor and made remarks before a group of about 15 people gathered in the media center at the school, 2424 S.E. California Ave.

A resident of the Hesperia, Calif., Moncrief is a principal in the Computer Sciences Corp.'s strategic services-enterprise intelligence practice.

At the outset of his remarks, Moncrief said school counselor Kem McHugh showed an interest in him when he was at Highland Park, making a profound difference in his life.

"She was a shining light of hope," he said. "She saw something in me that I didn't see in myself at the time."

McHugh, herself a member of the Highland Park Hall of Fame, was in attendance at Saturday's event. She nominated Moncrief for the honor.

As a result of McHugh's interest and encouragement, Moncrief said, he joined the school's mathematics club and debate team at a difficult time in his life, as he had gone through the divorce of his parents, both of whom were Highland Park graduates.

He emphasized the importance of youths having a mentor to help guide them.

"To have a mentor is everything," Moncrief said. "Without a mentor, you cannot succeed — or you have to do it through trial and error, and you have to learn the hard way."

Moncrief said he was blessed to have had other mentors at various stages of his life. He said the teachings of Daisaku Ikeda and philosophies of the world peace organization Soka Gakkai International also have been of benefit to him.

After graduating from Highland Park, Moncrief said he joined the Kansas National Guard. As a result of that experience, he was able to land an Air Force ROTC scholarship at Washburn University.

He then became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force before entering the private sector, working for various firms in developing cutting-edge business strategies.

Beyond his work for Computer Sciences Corp., based in El Segundo, Calif., Moncrief also is a professor of international business and marketing management at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.

Earlier this year, he completed his doctorate in management at Claremont University. His doctoral process was started about 20 years ago at St. Louis University, he said.

His post-military career has taken him around the world, but Moncrief said he never has forgotten the values and work ethic that were instilled in him at Highland Park.

After the induction ceremony, Moncrief visited with members of the Highland Park High School football team, who came to the Media Center from a break studying game film to visit with him.

Moncrief said he was in attendance at Friday night's Highland Park homecoming football game in which the Scots lost to Manhattan 57-22. In spite of the loss, Moncrief said he saw positives for the football team.

"There was a boldness and a courage I saw last night," he said of the Scots. "They weren't intimidated. They didn't crumble and let the other guys roll over them."