When Onondaga Community College student Irielle Mwija opened an email, and read that she had been selected for a scholarship, she wasn't sure of its authenticity. "My first question was whether it was real. I asked my husband, then came to OCC and went to the C-STEP (Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program) office where I showed them the email. They said, 'Yes, this is real. Congratulations!"
For Mwija, who came to the U.S. from the Congo just four years ago and receives no financial aid, this opportunity was life-changing. "When I recieved my scholarship I was almost crying. It means a lot. Without it, I could not continue. When you have a bill you have to pay and you don't know how to pay it, and then someone donates the money, you say, 'Oh my God. It's like an angel from heaven."
Mwija is in the Electromechanical Technology program, and will graduate in 2026. She was one of dozens of students who participated in a Student Scholarship Thank You event, hosted by the OCC Foundation in the Gordon Student Center Great Room. Scholarship recipients expressed their gratitude in writing by filling out "thank you" cards to donors.
Ella Seymour was among the students who took the time to say "thank you." She's a Cicero-North Syracuse High School graduate who is studying Social Media and Digital Communications. "It's amazing. I feel honored to have been recognized for my academic achievements. I wouldn't have ever thought I'd have an opportunity like this." Seymour will complete her degree next semester, and plans to transfer to SUNY Oswego, where she will major in Public Relations.
For Jada Crocker, a member of the OCC Women's Basketball team and a Humanities & Social Sciences major, the scholarship is encouragement to keep pushing forward. "I want to keep learning, and I know it costs money. I want to get my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and cut costs as much as possible. I want to say ‘thank you for choosing me sincerely.’ I feel really honored that people believe in me and what I want to do with my education. That’s amazing.”
Brittney Benedict balances school, work, and parenthood, and knows first-hand how a scholarship can relieve pressure. The 27-year-old from Phoenix is a full-time student in Human Services, and the mother of two young children. She will graduate this December and continue her education in Keuka College’s Bachelor of Social Work program. “I only work part-time because I go to school full-time and take care of the kids. This took a lot of stress off my shoulders because I didn’t have to worry about one more thing I had to pay for. I’m becoming a role model and meeting the goals I hope my children see. I’m the first in my whole family to go to college and graduate with any kind of degree. It means I’m capable of doing things I set my mind to.”
The OCC Foundation raises, administers, and invests funds on behalf of Onondaga Community College students. If you are interested in supporting OCC students, contact the OCC Foundation by email at occfoundation@sunyocc.edu.
