Everybody knows Bob. He's the stick figure character on signs posted across the Onondaga Community College campus, reminding you to wear your mask. "This is Bob. Bob wears his mask at all times on OCC's campus. Be like Bob." It's a serious message delivered simply and memorably. It's author is Rashel Chahine, a member of OCC's Student Government. The idea for it came from a meeting she had with Zach Snyder, OCC's Digital Marketing Specialist who oversees the College's social media channels. "He told me he wanted to do something that would encourage students to wear masks that would be fun and creative. I thought 'what if we make it a meme?' He loved the idea and we started making the flyers."
The COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the need for masks (and the creation of Bob) has had a significant impact on Chahine's life. She's an international student from Germany who hasn't been home since the first of the year and doesn't expect to be able to return there until the end of 2021. "It's upsetting and it's a weird feeling to not know when you are going to see your family again."
So how did Chahine wind up at OCC? She was born and raised in Berlin, a large city of approximately 4-million people. She grew up in a bilingual household where German and Arabic where the languages of choice. She began learning English in the 3rd grade and speaks with no accent, although she admits that occasionally one will sneak out. Chahine became familiar with the Central New York region while visiting friends and family in the area. During her senior year of high school she made what she called a 'spontaneous decision' to attend college in the United States. "I had people I knew in this area so it seemed like a logical choice. I was 18 and moving by myself around the world. I thought it would be good to go somewhere where I knew at least a couple of people."
Chahine started taking classes at OCC in January 2019 and was impressed with her experience. "I did a lot of research and found a lot of stereotypes about community colleges. Once I got here I was so surprised with all of the resources, the professors, and the quality of the education. I'm very very happy with my choice."
She excelled in the Humanities degree program and earned membership in the College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). This semester she's an officer in OCC's Student Government, where she holds the position of vice president of media. She will earn her degree this December and hopes to transfer to the University of Washington in Seattle where she will major in Political Science.
Chahine is especially grateful for the resources provided through PTK. When she began working on transferring to a four-year college, Honor Society Coordinator Jackie Barstow guided her through the college essay process. "She met with me twice a week for several weeks until I finished it. She invested so much time in me and I really appreciated it."
Culturally speaking, Chahine has had some interesting conversations. When she tells people she's from Germany she often hears, 'Oh really? You don't look German.' There's a visual stereotype she's become used to dealing with and amused by. "People think we wear lederhosen and drink beer all day. Berlin is very much like New York City where it's the culture of everyone rather than the culture of Germany."
