When Mirianny Tifa Paulino was growing up in the Dominican Republic, the goal was to live in America one day. "My mother always saw the United States in our future. When I was a little she put me in an English institute so I would learn English."
Paulino started taking classes at Onondaga…
Mohammad Afsar has turned challenging situations into valuable life lessons. Those experiences have brought him to Onondaga Community College where he has become a valuable member of the campus community.
When Afsar was growing up in Bangladesh, he was injured in a serious bicycle…
Molly Upah has known since 6th grade her life's work would revolve around psychology. "We had to do a career presentation for class. I was interested in psychology and I haven't changed my mind since then."
After graduating from Liverpool High School in 2021, she followed the footsteps…
Monica Barksdale is a no-nonsense adult learner. With 7 children, 3 dogs, her own business, and a full-time job, she doesn't have a moment to waste. Taking classes at Onondaga Community College along with all of the other moving parts in her life is a big challenge, and she's ready for it. "…
Major: Criminal Justice
Home: Tehran, Iran
Four years after leaving his home country of Iran for a better life, Murtaza Khawari is feeling at home in the United States and on the Onondaga Community College campus. "I chose OCC because there are a lot of refugees here like me. I hoped I…
Onondaga Community College turned out to be a great place for Fernando "Nando" Guzman to figure out what career he wanted to pursue. Guzman graduated from Jordan-Elbridge High School in 2023 and enrolled at OCC that fall. He started in the Nursing degree program, switched to Mathematics &…
Natalee Tomski graduated from Cicero-North Syracuse High School in just three years and planned to begin her higher education journey studying Criminology at a four-year school in Manhattan. But when she arrived there for the start of the fall semester, an unfortunate housing situation resulted…
Nick Berlo learned valuable life lessons during his 6 years in the United States Air Force. Now he's focused on building a strong academic foundation for himself at Onondaga Community College as he pursues a career in the auto racing industry.
Berlo grew up in Destin, Florida. He…
Seven years ago at this time Nick Chai was a freshman at a four-year college, majoring in Music with the dream of one day becoming a teacher. With the benefit of hindsight, he knows he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I pigeon-holed myself into one degree program and paid the price for…
When Nick Sprague was a student at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he participated in the Science Olympiad, the nation's premier STEM competition which provides standard-based challenges to thousands of teams in all 50 states. "I always liked science…
Major: Mathematics & Science
High School: PSLA at Fowler, class of 2018
Nidaa Aljabarrin's career aspirations are motivated by family tragedy. While growing up in Syria one of her brothers died from asthma. "Because of the war we couldn't take him to the hospital. He had a genetic…
Noa Ford spent much of her life struggling to survive, leading her to focus her education and eventual career on helping others. "I've been on my own since I was 16. In high school I was hopping from couch to couch. Being older and being able to get a place on my own with help from people…