Glenna Jackson is in a position to help people in the community today thanks to her incredible resiliency and support she received while she was a student at Onondaga Community College.
On Christmas Day in 2021, her 32-year-old daughter died unexpectedly. At the time, Jackson was a full-time student at OCC. Her daughter's death decimated her both emotionally and financially "I had just buried my daughter. I didn't have any money. I fell behind on my bills. The help I got was right on time. I wouldn't have been able to keep going to school without it."
She persisted and in May of this year, at age 53, Jackson walked across the stage at commencement and received her Human Services degree. Four months later she became an ordained pastor. She's continuing her education at SUNY Oswego's Syracuse Campus downtown at Clinton Square. She's a Human Development major who takes classes at night, and spends her days helping refugees at Interfaith Works.
Jackson began volunteering at Interfaith Works while she was a student at OCC. She also counseled women at the YWCA who, like herself, were domestic violence survivors. She's continuing to work toward her goal of becoming a therapist and trauma counselor. "I've been through so much and I can help people because of my experiences. OCC was my safe place. I was so glad to get up in the morning and go there. I have happy tears whenever I think about OCC."
Stories like Glenna Jackson's wouldn't be possible without the generosity of those who support our students through the OCC Foundation. We know that 85% of our graduates live and work within 25 miles of our campus, so when you support our students you are also supporting our community.
The OCC Foundation is conducting a year end appeal, raising money for student success. If you are able to support students between now and the end of the year, you can do so by clicking on this link. We'll continue to highlight stories of students like Glenna who have been impacted by your support.
