2026 Alumni Faces Honoree Anthony "Tony" Vadala '83

Thursday, October 8 at 5:30pm, Onondaga Community College will honor a new class of Alumni Faces inductees during a ceremony in the Frederick Marvin and Ernst Schuh Recital Hall in the Academic II building. OCC's Alumni Faces program recognizes outstanding alumni who have made a difference. Their stories illustrate the transformative power of an OCC education, and the promise of self-discovery that the College commits to every student, every day. In the weeks leading up to this year's ceremony, we are highlighting one of our new Alumni Faces honorees every Wednesday.

Anthony "Tony" Vadala '83

• High School: LaFayette
• OCC Degree: Radio & TV
• Professor and Audio Engineer

Anthony "Tony" Vadala came to OCC from LaFayette High School in the early 1980s. For more than four decades, he inspired generations of students as a professor in the Broadcast Media Communications program while building an acclaimed career as an audio engineer for television sports productions at ESPN, CBS, and NBC, and as a multi-award-winning theatrical sound designer for The Redhouse Arts Center, The Covey Theater Company, and The Talent Company. Although his professional accomplishments earned widespread respect throughout the industry, his greatest legacy was the knowledge, mentorship, and passion he shared with countless students. The opportunity to help each new generation discover its potential inspired him to continue teaching beyond retirement. "When I'm lecturing or demonstrating a process, and you see the light bulb go off in their eyes, you know you've made a difference. They go from struggling to getting it. It motivates me. The students energize me!"