It's only 6-and-a-half miles from Nottingham High School to Onondaga Community College, but Chance Davis had to leave home before discovering the place where he belonged was in his backyard. After receiving his diploma from Nottingham in June of 2019, Davis departed Syracuse for another community college. After one semester away he decided to come home and give OCC a try. "I realized I was a city person and liked diversity. I had never been to the OCC campus. Once I came here, everything felt amazing. I knew I would like it and I do!"
Davis is excelling in the classroom, but it wasn't always that way for him. While in high school he would sometimes be absent for several days at a time. "There were times when I would stay home a lot because of depression and anxiety. I was fortunate to do well on my Regents exams but I can really relate to students who are struggling."
In December Davis will complete work toward his Humanities & Social Sciences degree, then he hopes to enroll in the College's Nursing program. His career choice was inspired by his mother who is a nurse. "It's fascinated me seeing how hard she works. I know helping others will make for a fulfilling life for me. It will help me sleep at night knowing that the job I'm doing is worth it. I'll be driven every day, knowing people are counting on me to get better."
Davis is grateful for the faculty and staff on campus who are always willing to help him, whether he's in the classroom or at The Learning Center. "My professors are all amazing and so helpful. And the tutors have helped me so much. There were things I never thought I would understand and they've helped me understand everything."
That desire to help everyone succeed has made Davis feel welcome on campus. "I love the feel of everything here. I enjoy running into people from my high school and seeing them do well. I love playing Uno in the cafeteria and even though we are wearing masks, it's still fun. It's easy to be social here. I've made so many friends. And I'm looking forward to being here after Covid so I can join clubs and we can use the Lazer Lounge again!"
