Onondaga Community College's Storer Auditorium was home to a unique graduation ceremony this week. Twelve women were celebrated for completing the Real Life Rosies program. They were trained in a variety of skills that will help them grow professionally and provide them with opportunities for continuous development.
"I'm pretty proud. I feel empowered by this," said Jennifer Van Luven, a 27-year-old Real Life Rosie from Syracuse who works at Gaylor Archival as an Operations Associate. "I love my job and I'd like to keep doing something I like."
The Real Life Rosies program started as a collaboration between Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica and the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY). The goal was to increase the number of women in manufacturing in the Mohawk Valley with built-in, wrap-around supports to ensure their success. The program succeeded, and was brought to Onondaga County by MACNY. This was its first graduating class.
The program was funded by the Department of Labor through MACNY and the SUNY Apprenticeship Grant. The SUNY Apprenticeship Grant will also fund any program graduates who want to continue their education at OCC. Van Luven is just beginning a mathematics class here.
Real Life Rosies instruction centered around a new OCC-created course with hands-on learning activities to support the learning outcomes of the intended industry-recognized credentials. OCC instructors Colleen Stevens and Mara Metzgar delivered the content which included hands-on learning activities. Topics included shop math, assembly, maintenance, machining, inspection, and employability skills. Students had the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials.
Employer sponsors were Belden, Berry Global, Giovanni Foods, and Gaylord Archival. The first class of Onondaga Real Life Rosies is:
- Vasthi Batapa
- Hannah Caufield
- Claudine Ciza
- Alyssa Dunsmore
- Kathleen Kulis
- Nadege Carole Mandzandza
- Denyse Murorunkwere
- Larina Petsche
- Jillian Prather
- Laureen Schmunk
- Crystal Stobart
- Jennifer Van Luven
