Duke Sturgis had a good job in a machine shop when he heard about a new program at Onondaga Community College and decided to give it a try.
After graduating from Fulton High School in 2014, Sturgis went to work at Nixon Gear on Milton Avenue in Syracuse. It is one of the premier precision…
Being heavily involved in campus life has made a significant difference in Eddie Flynn's Onondaga Community College experience. "I've made so many connections here and it's so enjoyable. I have so many friends I wouldn't have had if I was just attending class. I come to school everyday and look…
Eleanor Petrucco started taking classes on the OCC campus in the fall of 2018 while she was in her senior year of home schooling. Over the course of the academic year she took a semesters…
The P-TECH program has given Eliza Velazquez an accelerated pathway to a career. She's a first generation college student who began thinking about her future several years ago. "I went to a P-TECH…
There is little, if any, down time in Elizabeth Kraynak's life. And she's fine with that. Her lengthy list of activities includes:
Lifeguard at the YMCA where she works 35 hours a week.Tutor through her local library in the subjects of physics, calculus, and chemistry.Serves as a Certified…Ellion Magsino dreamed he would one day be able to immigrate from the Philippines to the United States and pursue a better life. That's exactly what he's doing at Onondaga Community College. "I love it here. There are so many opportunities compared to back home where there weren't a lot of…
One year ago Emily Durand was in the process of working through some big decisions. She was a senior at Marcellus High School and feeling the pressure of having to plan her future. "I was very undecided about what I wanted to do for a…
A visit to the CNY Scholastic Art show while Emily Pitoniak was a student at Camden High School ultimately brought her back to campus as an OCC student.
After receiving her diploma in June 2020, Pitoniak enrolled at a SUNY four-year college. As the semester progressed and she realized…
Esteffany Lorena Castillo-Patino's first year at Onondaga Community College was extremely challenging. During her freshman year Covid was in full bloom and she didn't feel she was getting the total college experience. This year has been much different. "My first year I didn't do much outside of…
When Everine Mukeshimana was growing up in a refugee camp in Africa she dreamed of one day coming to the United States, earning a college degree, and becoming a nurse. Living conditions in the refugee camp were poor and she was surrounded by sickness. She thought if she could become a nurse, she…
Gabriel Tucker is a high-achieving student with a diverse set of skills. He's a member of the honor society who can play five musical instruments, loves spending his free time doing creative writing, and prior to Covid was an assistant sword instructor.
After graduating from West Genesee…
On a beautiful spring day in May of 2022, Galia Amor and her mother made a spur-of-the-moment decision to take a ride to Onondaga Community College and visit campus unannounced. Even though both of her parents attended community colleges, Amor wasn't sure it was the right path for her. During…