Student Spotlight: Terrell Horton

Terrell Horton's decision to enroll at Onondaga Community College can be traced back to something he saw while driving on Route 695 in Geddes near the New York State Fairgrounds. "I saw a billboard advertising free applications at SUNY schools for the first week of November. We had just found out my wife was pregnant, and I decided to jump in and see what happens. I applied to OCC and here I am. I'm here because of a billboard!"

That decision set the 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran from Binghamton on a new path. A decade ago, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and join the United States Marine Corps. “I always felt like I had to serve. I’ve seen the Marine Corps emblem every day of my life. From a very early age, I always thought it was what I was going to do.”

After his service, Horton didn’t immediately picture himself in college. But the billboard moment changed everything. He enrolled at OCC in the spring 2025 semester and chose the Surgical Technology degree program. It's a field that connects to the responsibility and precision he valued in the military. “I like the thought of being in a room with a few people and having a job with a lot of responsibility. In the Marine Corps, I was in the armory. It was just me and another guy overseeing $2 million worth of gear. I think this will translate well.”

2025 was a year of transition and life milestones for Horton. After a successful spring semester, he continued taking classes in the summer. On June 10, he became a father, and raced off to class two hours after his daughter was born. And during the fall semester, he was inducted into OCC's chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) international honor society. "I just wanted to be the best in class, and the next thing I knew, I was invited to join PTK. I'm excited about it. I was a terrible student in high school, but I've learned a lot about myself."

Horton credits much of his success to the support he's received from OCC's nationally recognized Office of Veterans and Military Services, which is run by a fellow former Marine, Steve White. "Any resources I need, Steve is there. When I started here, I didn't think I belonged. He helped convince me I did, and that I could do well."

With his eye on graduation in 2027, Horton plans to continue to excel, not only for himself, but for his wife and daughter. “Having a family makes this a ‘have to,’” he said. “The G.I. Bill is a motivator. I don’t want to waste taxpayer dollars. I’d rather work as hard as possible and be a worthy investment for the country. I’ve learned that I can do this. I just had to take that first step. And for me, it all started with a billboard.”