Six Onondaga Community College graduates will be recognized as distinguished Alumni Faces honorees for their professional achievements and contributions to the college and the community. Their accomplishments will be highlighted during an induction ceremony April 3 at 5 p.m. in the Frederick Marvin and Ernst Schuh Recital Hall in the Academic II Building. Today we highlight honoree Emad Rahim '16.
Emad Rahim '16 is a survivor of genocide in Cambodia where he lost his father and older brother to the war. After fleeing to the United States, his family found a home on Syracuse’s west side.
He graduated from Fowler High School and came to OCC where he was part of the Educational Opportunity Program. His Advisor and Professor Nicholas Poulos recommend he be tested for a learning disability. When he was diagnosed with dyslexia and received much-needed accommodations, it opened up a world of possibilities for him.
He earned multiple doctorate degrees and became an award-winning author, educator, Fulbright Scholar, and TEDx Speaker. He dedicated his life to making his community a better place, working as the Surge Entrepreneurship Manager at The Tech Garden with CenterState CEO, and serving as the Kotouc Endowed Professor & Chair at Bellevue University.
"My journey at OCC was nothing short of transformative! From struggling to graduate high school to earning two doctorate degrees and serving as a college dean at multiple universities, OCC's student-focused culture ignited my passion for teaching and turned my life around."
