Malia Awald is on the fast track to success. She's an 18 year old high school senior who is just a couple of months away from finishing her General Studies degree at Onondaga Community College. "I'm very proud of myself for completing both. I have a big family and I work. It can be hard to manage time, but I definitely think it's worth while."
Awald is enrolled here thanks to the Early OCC program. It provides high school students over the age of 16 in partner school districts the opportunity to take OCC courses on campus during their regular school day. Students receive a tuition waiver and are only required to pay for their books and associated course fees. Through the Early OCC program, students are able to begin earning college credits on a pathway toward their desired degree.
Awald is homeschooled and a member of the Home Learners Association of Central New York which is part of the Early OCC program. She began taking online classes at OCC in 2020, and one year ago started coming to campus. "It was different for me. I really enjoyed being in the classroom and the hands-on student experience."
Her favorite OCC professors so far are Kelly Kaminski and Jennie Sabo who both teach American Sign Language, and Christian Sisack whom she had for ENG-103. Outside class, her go-to person on campus is Hailey Warren, Early College High School Coordinator. "If I have any questions about things I see Hailey. She's really nice, really supportive. I ask her a lot of questions and she always answers them."
After she receives her high school diploma and first college degree, Awald plans to continue her education. She's interested in a career related to psychology, possibly focusing on mental health.
