Alex Espitia-Casallas spent a decade working as a baker before he decided it was time to do something else. He had attended college immediately after graduating high school in Reno, Nevada and left after one semester. "My first time in college was a total failure. I didn't know what I was doing…
Major: Engineering Science
High School: Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, class of 1994
Twenty-five years after graduating from high school, Alexis Riccardo is in her first semester at Onondaga Community College and loving the experience. The 43-year-old mother is an Engineering Science major and an…
Sobriety turned Alexis Rios's life around. "I wouldn't be back in school, I wouldn't be a trainer, my life would be so different. I don't even think I would be married. Being sober, the people I've met and the stories I've heard, it does not discriminate. It touches so many people. At first you…
Alicia Oberlender was prepared to go directly from West Genesee High School to a four-year college and a science-related major when she began having second thoughts. A week before the start of classes, she decided to step back. "I realized I needed to take a break, focus on myself, and figure…
Allie Elkins has always had a pretty good idea what her career path would be. "My dad works in broadcasting and I used to follow him around race tracks when he did interviews with race car drivers. It was really inspiring. I've known for a good chunk of my life I wanted to go into broadcasting…
Allison Logue discovered Onondaga Community College is the perfect place to figure out what you want to do. The first time she came to OCC was for the Medical Assistant program which she completed and went directly into the workforce. "I tried it out to see where it would take me. I needed…
Degree Programs: American Sign Language, Music
High School: Ogdensburg, class of 2017
A music teacher at Ogdensburg Free Academy changed the course of Alyssa LaComb-Brown's life. She was prepared to drop out of school because she needed to take care of her brothers, but a conversation with…
When Amanuel Yohannes came to the United States from Ethiopia three years ago, the North Side Learning Center was where he felt most comfortable. "They helped me prepare for school. They had internet, wifi, and good places to study. I had learned English in Ethiopia but was not good at…
Amber Brink's first semester at Onondaga Community College was a struggle. The assistance she received from someone willing to listen changed the path she was on and inspired her. "I talked to my RA a lot, and they really supported me. I decided I wanted to do that for other people. My RA was…
Amya Graves is so passionate about wanting to work in Tokyo one day as an illustrator she taught herself Japanese. "I bought books and watched videos on YouTube. It took me about 5 years." Her inspiration is Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and artist who is considered to be…
Andrew Coleman was an outstanding high school student until Covid happened and in-person learning stopped. "I went from having a routine to being in isolation, and having no outreach with my teachers, friends, or sports. I lost all of my motivation to do school work."
Halfway through his…
Angel Gonzalez has returned to the area he once called home and has found his groove on the Onondaga Community College campus. "Before, I never really felt like I was part of the Syracuse community. Being involved at OCC has impacted me in such a way I now know this really is home."
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