Onondaga Community College provided Tiffany Williams the support system she needed to be a successful college student. "It's been such a different experience here. People have listened to me and helped me. It's really been great."
Williams spent five years in the Army National…
Tim Brown's participation in the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (C-STEP) and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program (L-SAMP) have played important roles in his development at Onondaga Community College. “The support I get from them is critical. And if they can…
Majors: Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling, Human Services
High School: Liverpool, class of 1982
Tim Restani almost can't believe what he's accomplished. He's in his final full-time semester at OCC and is on the brink of earning two degrees. In October he was inducted…
Tom Barrack isn't supposed to be alive. Three years ago he was in the hospital in such bad shape, his family members began planning his funeral. Today he's in his second semester at Onondaga Community College and, thanks to his perfect 4.0 grade point average, is a new member of the Phi…
Trevor Scott is comfortable talking about the difficult. He was diagnosed with tourette syndrome at age 5. It's a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds that can't easily be controlled. "I have my bad days but other days you wouldn't even know I have it. I try not to…
Major: Early Childhood
High School: Dunkirk, class of 1994
Tricia Buttiglieri's road to a college degree began in the summer of 2018 when her husband was driving to work and spotted a billboard advertising OCC's new Weekend College. "He called me, told me about it, and said I should check…
By day, Jeffrey Passino wears a badge and helps lead the largest law enforcement agency in Onondaga County. But one night a week, he heads straight from work to the Onondaga Community College campus, where he's close to completing a goal he set aside more than two decades ago: completing his…
You may not expect to hear a high-achieving student and athlete who earned a bachelor's degree before coming to Onondaga Community College say her time here was transformative, but that's Vanessa Esposito's story and she's sticking to it. "It changed my life for the better, more than I could…
Wilo Matan is determined to make a difference in the world. She's a native of Kenya who came to the United States five years ago and is pursuing a degree in Human Services. "There's so much injustice back home and there's no one to help or advocate for people. Everyone is on their own. I thought…
In just three months, Yasmin Hassan will become the first member of her family to earn a college degree. "My dad is so proud I'm graduating and I'm so proud of myself too. High school wasn't the easiest. I completely turned myself around here."
Hassan was just 6 months old when she…
Yesvier Aviles Mendez found his eventual career path as a member of his high school track & field team in Puerto Rico. "I was really good with my hands. My teammates were always asking me to help them stretch out and massage them before meets."
Those experiences coupled with a desire…
March 1, 2022 turned out to be a life-changing day for Yolanda Hosea. She was going door-to-door delivering packages to homes for a national shipping company when a large amount of snow and ice fell on her head, knocking her out of work temporarily. "I had time to reflect on what I wanted…