United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called his latest effort a "shot in the arm" for the entire Central New York region.
On January 5 he came to the Onondaga Community College campus to announce he had secured over $12 million for local hospitals and health care providers. Among the recipients as part of the omnibus spending bill was OCC. The college will receive $2 million to create a state-of-the-art health professions education and training center to address a critical shortage of health care workers and train the next generation of health care practitioners, technicians, and support staff. "I'm especially proud that Onondaga Community College is part of this. It's just what the doctor ordered to address our healthcare worker shortage. We're short nurses, we're short health care workers, and now Onondaga Community College will be able to help fill this gap which will benefit all of us."
OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton thanked all of the College's public partners in county and state government for their support, and said when it comes to the federal government, "We have no greater friend in Washington than United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer." As he concluded his remarks Dr. Hilton presented Senator Schumer with head-to-toe OCC gear including a baseball-style cap, a polo shirt, and socks.
Other speakers during the event were Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Dr. Robert Gregory and Dr. Steven Thomas from SUNY Upstate Medical University, Dr. Seth Kronenburg from Crouse Hospital, and Scott Berlucchi of Auburn Community Hospital.
