Jennifer Holder has spent much of her adult life trying different career options while balancing the demands that come with raising a family. She's finally found everything she's looking for at Onondaga Community College. "I love it here. There's a lot of support for students. Teachers and…
Major: Nursing
High School: Cicero-North Syracuse, class of 1995
Jessica Montena found her second career while helping take care of a family member. Montena had spent 5 years teaching English at Cortland High School when she decided to home school their daughter. During the home…
Covid changed Jessica Plue's college plans but she has no complaints. Thanks to her hard work and positive attitude, she made the most of the situation and is more than happy with where she is today. "OCC was a great experience and very different with everything that went on. I enjoyed…
When Joe Doyle was growing up he watched his mother battle lung cancer and the extraordinary care she received from health care professionals. It made a lasting impact on him. "I was always thankful for the oncology team, the radiation therapists, and the radiologists who saved my mom's life.…
Joe Logiudice wants anyone considering college later in life to know they can do it, and Onondaga Community College is the place to do it. "It's not too late. It's never too late. No matter what obstacles you think may be in the way, there's always a way. Everyone I've experienced here has…
Josh Barr is amazed by what he is achieving. He's a 40-year-old single father, a recovering drug addict who has been sober for more than a year, and a member of the newest class of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society inductees. "If you would have told me a year ago this is where I would be sitting, I…
When Joshua Newman graduated from Queens Technical High School two years ago, he hoped to attend college somewhere in the New York City area. But his father wanted him to experience life away from home and encouraged him to find a college that could give him the total on-campus experience. He…
Judah Bailey is on the right path and he credits the military with helping him find his way. "It's taught me delayed gratification. I know it's important to work for something and not expect results immediately. I know the value of the compounding interest of things. You have to get up,…
Ka'Chane Russell was disappointed when her family's financial situation forced her to leave a private four-year college in New Jersey and transfer to a community college. But today she couldn't be happier about being at Onondaga Community College. "I love it here. I know what my purpose is. This…
Kasha Flagg has found the support she needs to succeed in every corner of the Onondaga Community College campus. "The professors are really good and they work with you on a lot of things. They're always willing to help and guide me. And there are a lot of resources here for you to take…
College didn't go well for Katie Doshna the first time she tried it, so the mother of four decided to wait until later in life. Once she hit her 40s, she knew the time was right. "My kids were old enough and I was ready. My oldest daughter is in 10th grade and I wanted to instill in them that '…
Katie Morgan was in the middle of a work day when she had her 'aha moment.' "I was sitting in a meeting that could have been an email thinking 'what am I doing here? I can't do this for another 20 to 25 years.'"
Her job paid well but wasn't fulfilling. She thought about her options, talked…