There was a time when Nicholas Pangaro wasn't sure he cared about school at all. "There was so much going on in my life. I was in a really bad spot. I doubted myself and my abilities."
During his first semester at Onondaga Community College, the Baldwinsville High School graduate withdrew from his Chemistry and Pre-Calculus classes. The coursework was overwhelming, and he hadn't yet learned how to study effectively or take meaningful notes. He was a first-generation college student who was struggling in his first semester.
During the semester break, he changed his mindset. "I came back determined. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. That next semester was so much fun. I enjoyed coming to school every day and taking notes. It's what got me up in the morning." His renewed sense of purpose would shape everything that followed.
As his confidence grew in the classroom, Pangaro pushed himself beyond it. He took part in three paid internship opportunities as part of the USURE Science Undergraduate Research Experience.
His first was at Syracuse University. "I was very nervous. By the end of it, I realized everything I learned at OCC in labs and lectures helped me complete the internship with ease."
His second was at SUNY ESF. "It made my confidence higher. I realized there was nothing to worry about."
His final one was two months ago at SUNY Upstate Medical University. "I had more of a purpose with science than I ever had. I was a little upset when it ended! I wanted to keep working there. It was so much fun."
This May, Pangaro will complete his Laboratory Science degree. His next stop is SUNY Binghamton's Bridges to Baccalaureate program, which includes a scholarship and a 10-week biomedical research internship. He will rotate through a different lab every two weeks, and at the end of the 10 weeks he will choose the lab that best fits his interests and continue working there in the fall as a chemistry major.
Pangaro says he is ready to experience success at Binghamton. "Now I know what it will take to be a Chemistry major. I know the type of studying, the amount of time, all of the resources I need to put into class whether it's tutoring or time in the library. I've done all of these things. I've learned what I never knew before thanks to my time here and my internships."
His long-term goal is to work in a laboratory developing medicine and drugs. He wants to contribute to research that improves lives. When Pangaro reflects on his two years at OCC, he can see how much he has grown. "I've matured. It's night and day how different I am. If I had the ability to change my past mistakes, I wouldn't. I've pushed past it all and am better for it. It's an amazing feeling!"
