Janice Gravely walked into an Onondaga Community College orientation session last August expecting to learn about the Paramedic program, and instead was greeted with, "Welcome to the course." She laughed, shook her head, and did what she had done throughout her career in the United States Army. She accepted the mission and jumped right in! Her split-second decision launched her first semester at OCC, and the next chapter in a lifetime of service.
Her path to the paramedic field began long before she set foot on campus. Originally from Louisiana and now living in northern New York not far from the Fort Drum Army base, she retired after a distinguished career serving her country. “I always wanted to be in the military,” she said. “Initially, I wanted to become a combat physician. I wanted to be in a MASH unit. I wanted to deploy. I wanted to save lives and help people.” She wound up going in a different direction, but built a career defined by meeting the highest standards, earning a spot as the first woman from her ROTC unit to make the Ranger Challenge Team, and becoming the only woman in her class in Alaska to graduate from Air Assault School.
Her continued success in the male-dominated military led her to become an advocate for the equal treatment of women, and she was recently the focus of a news story on Spectrum TV. "Just give us a shot. If a woman can meet the criteria, let her go for it. If they can't, don't change the standard. That is how I have been. I'm there to prove I can meet whatever criteria or standards you have and I can execute."
That same drive is what makes the Paramedic program such a natural fit. Gravely said she immediately recognized the program’s quality, rigor, and depth. “The instructors have been fabulous. Communication is key, and we communicate,” she said. “The quality of this program in comparison to one I attended previously - there is no comparison. Here, I know I’m going to be a great paramedic.” She especially values the hands-on training, which includes weekly labs paired with lectures, practice that builds muscle memory, and opportunities like performing procedures in a cadaver lab. “I’m not just reading something or using a mannequin. I have to execute.”
Support on campus strengthened her transition from soldier to student. She credits OCC's nationally acclaimed Office of Veterans and Military Services, which is led by Steve White, with providing guidance. “He reached out to me right after I got into the school, and provided resources and information that are critical for me,” she said. “Some schools have a Veterans Office just to check a box. You can tell Steve and the staff really care about maximizing benefits for veterans.”
Her military career also gave her a global perspective that continues to shape how she sees her role in the community. Gravely attended a NATO conference during Russia’s annexation of Crimea, served in South Korea during North Korean missile activity, and traveled throughout Europe and Southeast Asia. “What you see on TV isn’t reality,” she said. “Understanding the dynamics, the players—it gives you a different perspective and an appreciation for being part of the greatest country in the world.”
Today, Gravely volunteers with the Evans Mills Volunteer Ambulance Service and sees her paramedic training as an extension of a lifelong commitment to helping others. “For me, it’s why I try to do as much as I can for my veterans,” she said. “Becoming a paramedic is going to give me a greater opportunity to help the community. I’m a volunteer. And when I become a paramedic, I’m still going to be a volunteer.”
