Reverend Ashanti Dickerson came to Onondaga Community College in search of a healthcare related career and found a path in the new Healthcare Administration degree program. It provides students with a solid foundation for transfer and ultimately a position as a manager or administrator. "…
Ryan Merrow bet on himself and his bet is paying off. He's a first generation college student from tiny Weston, Vermont (population 566) who decided to come to Onondaga Community College sight unseen. He's blossomed into both an outstanding student and a leader amongst his peers. "I…
When Sabirin Hassan came to the United States from Somalia five years ago the only English she knew was "how are you?" She expanded her vocabulary by watching movies with the subtitles on and reading children's books. "I worked really hard to learn English," she said.
Hassan graduated…
Sajad Ali has found a home in the United States and on the Onondaga Community College campus.
Ali was born on the first day of the 21st century in Iraq, moved with his family to Syria 6 years later, and immigrated to the United States in 2013. When he arrived, he didn't know a word of…
Major: Fire Protection Technology
High School: Baldwinsville, class of 2018
Sam Farren always had an interest in firefighting. Every time she climbed into her stepfather's truck, she saw the blue light volunteer firefighters use. While recovering from a medical procedure she found…
About nine months ago, Sam Pandossi decided to gamble on himself. He had tried college before but it didn't work out. He had become used to the security of a full-time job in retail and the financial security that went along with it.
Then he heard about Micron, and the new…
A faith-based quote Saray Quevedo's mother shared with her at a young age provides her the daily inspiration to be the best she can be. "'If God is with me, who's against me?' That quote has brought me through everything in my entire life. It's why I have succeeded."
Quevedo is the…
Major: Liberal Arts & Sciences - General Studies
High School: Fayetteville-Manlius, class of 2018
Sean Egan has loved performing for as long as he can remember. "Since I was old enough to talk, I used to put on shows in the living room. I would host a morning talk show and make family…
Major: Human Services
High School: The Heritage School in New York City, class of 2017
When Shania Guzman started taking college classes she was pretty sure she didn’t belong. “I didn’t think OCC or any school was for me. I was eager to go home but that wasn’t an option. That’s when I made…
Shannon Smithson plans to turn her passion for athletics into a career helping others recover from injuries. That's why she's working hard to succeed in Onondaga Community College's Physical Therapist Assistant degree program. "It's really demanding. You have to maintain a certain GPA. I'm…
Think about where you were exactly two years ago and what you were doing.
Then consider Sharif Jafari's story.
In August of 2021 he was in his home country of Afghanistan. The United States military was suddenly withdrawing, leaving the country in chaos.…
It's been just about a year since Shelly Dunham had to make one of the biggest decisions of her life. For 33 years she had worked at Natur-Tyme, a health and wellness store on Erie Boulevard in DeWitt, where she served as Store Manager. In the spring of 2023 the owners informed their employees…