Mark Santariello is in a good place now. The struggles he experienced earlier in life are inspiring him as he considers his career path. "I want to help people and work on mental health. I like making people's lives…
Matt McCarthy tried college right after he graduated from East Syracuse Minoa High School, didn't have the right mindset, and decided to enlist in the United States Navy a year-and-a-half later. "I was immature. I didn't take college as seriously as I should have. Now I know why I'm here and…
Maxwell Sheer never considered a career in a health-related field until he began receiving treatment for a serious medical issue. "Once I became a patient fairly frequently, I built up a great respect for what professionals in that industry did. I never realized the level of education involved,…
Maya McLaughlin's epilepsy awareness tattoo near her right wrist serves as a reminder of what she has overcome during her time on the Onondaga Community College campus. She's discovered her career path and related degree program, and earned membership in school's Phi Theta Kappa honor society. "…
Meg Hart started taking OCC classes during her junior year at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown High School as part of the Distance Learning program. The technology allows students to learn from college professors while seated in their high school classes. By her senior year she was coming to campus…
Melissa Duran immigrated to the United States from Ecuador 11 years ago with the dream of becoming a surgeon. She settled in New York City with her sister where she worked full-time and went to school full-time. She earned Biology degrees from Laguardia Community College and Brooklyn College.…
While growing up in Cuba, Milka Arencibia and her family always dreamed about what it would be like to live in the United States. "The situation in Cuba was very bad. We were looking for a place with freedom and knew we could find it here."
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Miranda Cleveland is a Criminal Justice major who says the perception of law enforcement in our country is unfortunate and she wants to be part of the change. "It's sad to see what they're going through. They're here to keep our communities safe and people are hating on them for doing what they…
Mohammad Afsar has turned challenging situations into valuable life lessons. Those experiences have brought him to Onondaga Community College where he has become a valuable member of the campus community.
When Afsar was growing up in Bangladesh, he was injured in a serious bicycle…
Molly Upah has known since 6th grade her life's work would revolve around psychology. "We had to do a career presentation for class. I was interested in psychology and I haven't changed my mind since then."
After graduating from Liverpool High School in 2021, she followed the footsteps…
Monica Barksdale is a no-nonsense adult learner. With 7 children, 3 dogs, her own business, and a full-time job, she doesn't have a moment to waste. Taking classes at Onondaga Community College along with all of the other moving parts in her life is a big challenge, and she's ready for it. "…
Four years after leaving his home country of Iran for a better life, Murtaza Khawari is feeling at home in the United States and on the Onondaga Community College campus. "I chose OCC because there are a lot of refugees here like me. I hoped I would…