Student Spotlight: Craig Osbeck

Craig Osbeck is a 46-year-old Student Veteran who has come to Onondaga Community College to work toward a second career. In 2018 he retired from the United States Army. His service included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. "When I retired my first priority was fixing myself mentally and physically. My second priority was going back to school. I had done something I was proud of. Now I wanted to do a passion."

Osbeck graduated from Henninger High School in 1993 and went straight to college. Four years later he earned an Accounting degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. "Unfortunately accounting just didn't fit me. I wanted something where I could use my brain and my body. I was still young enough to join the military. I thought I'd do 3 years, and 3 years turned into a career."

After completing his service, Osbeck began pursuing his passion. He wanted to become a nutritionist. He visited Syracuse University and its College of Sport & Human Dynamics with the goal of entering its masters-level Nutrition Science program. He was told he needed to take a variety of science and food-related courses before he would be admitted. That brought him to Onondaga Community College and the Office of Veterans and Military Services. The administrators who run the office, Steve White and Erin Elliott, impressed him immediately. "The level of attention and quality they provide to Veterans who come into this office far exceeds what I expected. For me this is the gold standard that every Veterans office I go to from here on out will be judged by."

Osbeck started taking classes at OCC in the summer of 2021. During the fall semester he was inducted into the College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa which requires a minimum grade point average of 3.5. He's committed to doing as well as possible with his coursework. "I get Veterans support for going to school. If I don't do the best that I can and make this my number one opportunity, I feel I'm wasting the government's money... my money, your money, the taxpayer's money."

Along with his outstanding work ethic, the learning environment on campus has also played a significant role in his success. "I'm very impressed with the teaching here, the diversity of the students, and the fostering of thoughts I've had in my classes. As I look back at what I was like at that age, I don't know if I would have been as open or willing."

As he pursues his passion Osbeck has a very specific goal in mind for his second career. He wants to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and work at the VA hospital, assisting fellow Veterans. "It's a population I know and care about. It would be a perfect fit for me."