Colin Manwaring knows what the next few weeks will look like. He'll have plenty of coursework deadlines to meet in the Electronic Media Communications (EMC) major, and ultimately earn his degree in May. It's what will come next that he's trying to figure out. His dream was to become a sportscaster, but he's realized he's not willing to achieve that goal at the expense of missing out on life. "I've always grown up appreciating family and friends. Being away makes me notice that more. I want to be there. I see announcers who are in New York one night, Houston the next, and that doesn't appeal to me."
Two years ago Manwaring was a senior at Sherburne-Earlville High School. He was 100% sure his college destination would be SUNY Oswego. "I went there for my visit and bought all of this Oswego gear. My grades were good but I didn't do well on my ACT (standardized test) and I got wait-listed."
His father, Jeff Manwaring, had attended OCC in the 1970s and earned a Music degree. He taught Band in the Sherburne-Earlville School District for 35 years before retiring the same year Colin graduated from high school. "He had great things to say about OCC and pushed me in that direction. I visited campus, spent time with (Department Chair) Mike Kaminski, and decided to come here."
SUNY Oswego told Manwaring if he earned a 2.5 grade point average in his first semester, they would accept him as a transfer student. That was his plan until he started doing well in class and getting involved in campus life. He earned a 3.3 GPA in his first semester, became involved in Unity Day activities, was invited into the College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa, and began dating a fellow student. "I thought about leaving but really liked it here and stayed."
Manwaring also felt at home in the EMC major. "I made a lot of friends, did well in my classes, and everyone treated me very well." He appreciated the credibility so many EMC faculty members brought into the classroom because they still worked in the industry. He also noticed the toll it took on some of their personal lives. "Some of them would be gone every weekend working on sports broadcasts. They were away from home a lot and that's not what I wanted."
In recent weeks Manwaring has been listening to career advice from people of all different professional backgrounds. "I grew up in the country and like doing things outside and with my hands. My grandfather grew up very poor. He worked for the state for 30 years, saved his money, and left a lot to his children. I want to be like him. I want to be able to take care of my kids and I want to be there for them. I don't want to be in Houston one day, San Antonio the next day, and miss out on what's important."
Manwaring isn't alone in wondering about the future. Similar conversations about what's next occur regularly on campus. "It's okay to be 19 or 20 years old and decide you want to do something else," said Abby Klein, Assistant Director of OCC's Advising Center. "A community college is a wonderful place to discover what you want to do and, equally important, what you don't want to do. You can arrive at your decision without compiling a substantial amount of debt which you will spend the next several years paying off." Klein recommends students visit the Career Services office in Coulter Hall where they can take assessments and have meaningful conversations about career options.
