Greg Anderson came to Central New York as a truck driver. In two months, he'll leave with a college degree and a career.
Anderson spent nearly 20 years working in low-voltage wiring before the industry slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He turned to truck driving, but when he and his fiancée moved to Central New York, he saw another possibility.
He saw Onondaga Community College, what was happening with Micron Technology, and he saw a path forward. He had attended college for one semester immediately after high school to study Electrical Technology. Now he had a clear destination, and in January 2025 he enrolled at OCC. In December, he will complete his Electrical Technology degree, then plans to transfer to George Mason University in Virginia to pursue a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
During his time at OCC, the College helped open doors for him. This past summer, Anderson interned with Micron in Manassas, Virginia. "It was great. I really enjoyed it. I worked with a really good group - the kind of people who, if they saw you on the side of the road, they would help you change your tire.”
The experience also gave Anderson and Micron the opportunity to get to know one another. “I was able to have a three-month interview with the company. I got to see how they operate, how they deal with employees, how they deal with customers. I got a basic understanding of them. They also got to see how I operate.”
That three-month “interview” resulted in a job offer. Anderson will begin working for Micron in January 2027. “I'm looking forward to going back there. It takes a lot of stress off your plate knowing what you're doing next.”
The journey has required sacrifice. Anderson had been away from the classroom for more than two decades, and returning to college meant immersing himself in something completely different from the life he had been living. But he never allowed his age to become an obstacle. “I always felt comfortable here. I took it for what it was and didn't assume my age meant something. At the end of the day, I'm a student. I'm here to learn and I'm here to grow.”
Anderson has embraced everything OCC has to offer. He's a member of the Unity Day Committee, the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program Board, worked with the Educational Opportunity Program during the summer of 2025, and served as an RA in the residence hall. He is also attending tuition-free thanks to the SUNY Reconnect program. “Everything has been great here. There's a great staff. There are a lot of resources that are easily accessible to the students. The support is really there.”
Two years after looking at what was happening in Central New York and deciding he wanted to be part of it, Anderson has accomplished the goal he set for himself. “It's satisfying. I had to sacrifice a lot to immerse myself in this. Two years ago I looked up and said, ‘I want to work at Micron, and this is the process I have to go through to get it’ - and I accomplished that goal. It's very satisfying.”
