Maizie Millwood's remarkable journey to a degree continued this week when she was welcomed into Onondaga Community College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). "I'm very excited. It means I'm working hard and it's nice to be recognized."
Millwood is a native of Jamaica who came to the United States in 2001. She enrolled at OCC two years ago with the dream of eventually being accepted into the Nursing program. While taking classes she also worked as a Medical Assistant at the Syracuse Health Center.
During the spring semester the 55-year-old mother of two was named the Educational Opportunity Program's Pinnacle Award winner. The Pinnacle program honors students who have shown excellence in one or more of the following fields: leadership, civic engagement, and scholarly research. The College selects only 8 Pinnacle Award winners annually. Around the time she was being honored she also learned she had been accepted into the Nursing program. She began working toward that degree during the summer.
Tuesday night Millwood was one of 100 students welcomed into PTK during the fall induction ceremony in Storer Auditorium. Inductees must have earned 12 credits with a grade point average of at least 3.5. The chapter is in the midst of unprecedented success. It's been ranked among the top ten chapters in the world each of the last three years. During that same period it has also been ranked number one in all of New York State.
Also Tuesday night, current PTK members were recognized for completing various "Edge Programs."
- Employment Edge prepares students to successfully enter the workforce. Students recognized for completing the program were Connor Burkhart, Iannelis Castro Calderon, Kyle Goff, and Leila Yazdaninasab.
- Competitive Edge focuses on soft skills and career planning. PTK members who completed it were Connor Burkhart and Leila Yazdaninasab.
- Transfer Edge helps students learn what they need to know when transferring from OCC to a four-year college. Students who completed the program were Mayada Abbedrabbah, Iannelis Castro Calderon, Connor Burkhart, Destiny Douglas, Michael Iannucci, and Katie Sullivan.
- Undergraduate Research Edge teaches students how to conduct academic research and grow their research skills. PTK members who benefitted from it were Connor Burkhart, Charle Morrow, and Katie Sullivan.
- Healthcare Edge gets students prepared to successfully transition from an academic program to a career in a healthcare field. Student Connor Burkhart successfully completed it.
Below is a list of the students welcomed into PTK during the fall induction ceremony. Congratulations!
- Ajak Afet
- Huda Al Kareem
- Dima Amiri
- John-Peter Anthony Anderson
- Natalie Marie Arnold
- Nathaniel E. Baker
- Isabella Jane Barry
- Alex Marie Beavers
- Kimberly Ann Benton
- Joe Nicholas Bianchi
- Eric Henry Bohenek
- Megan Marie Buchanan
- Luke William Bunner
- Cassidi Rose Callaghan
- Samuel Thomas Campbell
- Lara L. Chappell
- Emily Elizabeth Colledge
- Raymond Daniel Comfort
- Alyssa Christine Congel
- Camryn Lahan Corbett
- Ryan Timothy Covert
- Allison Marie DeJoy
- Paige Gennifer Desalvo
- Collin Albert Dix
- Marwa Dost
- Griffin Trey Dukat
- Corey Joseph Ennis
- Halle Faith Erwin
- MacKenzie Foster
- Anthony John Giovannini
- Jack A. Golden
- Kelsey Leann Graves
- Daniel Patrick Griffin
- Djamila Guesmia
- Patricia A. Halstead
- Miriam Rose Harrington
- Cody James Harris
- John David Haskell
- Patricia Irene Hemmerlein
- Theresa Henry
- Jacob Dylan Hess
- Robert John Hey
- Thao Diep Phuong Ho
- Sheriffe Jermaine Holness
- Lucas Robert Jackson
- Diogo Jorge
- Ondalee Sameria Kelley
- Grace J. Kim
- Josephine Mariama Koroma
- Brianna Kuhles
- Tiffany Patricia Laird
- Leila Lajoie
- Alexys Lee Liepke
- Joseph Samuel Loguidice
- Kelsey Lorrin Martinez
- Christina Massey
- Tara L. Matthie
- Amy Beth McCloskey
- Maya A. McLaughlin
- Kevin Allen Mead
- Lillian Rose Miller
- Maizie L. Millwood
- Emily Shea Elise Monroe
- Rainey Marie Morgan
- Edward John Moses
- Nathan Jack Moses
- Everine Mukeshimana
- Mckenzie Grace O'Hara
- Debbie L. Ortiz-Martinez
- Craig Wilson Osbeck
- Andrew Michael Ottavino
- Emily Marie Elizabeth Pitoniak
- Audrey Elizabeth Plogman
- Ian David Prebish
- Tatum Elizabeth Quackenbush
- Lydia Asa Akua Randall
- Lorien Elenna Renaud
- Alana Lizzette Robinson
- Londi Alicia Rowell
- Joseph Anthony Sabin
- Ivana Sakota
- Deborah Anne Sandy
- Claire Elisa Sears
- Justin T. Shadle
- Saurav Sharma
- Tyler Gregory Shepard
- Manu Shergill
- Amina Smajic
- Gabrielle Stephens
- Elle Joielle Strachan
- Destinee Rose Taylor-Jenkins
- Alexis Renee Thomas
- Julianne Thomas
- Joseph Allen Tschopp
- Sara Ann Turner
- Carl John VanBuren
- Celeste Herta Wagner
- Verina Waldner
- Taylor-Sierra Pamela Watson
