You think 2020 has been an interesting year for you? Consider what Thanh Nguyen has experienced. In January she left her home in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam to come to Onondaga Community College. By mid-March, all classes became virtual due to COVID-19. "When I was in Vietnam I was involved in many…
Thanh Nguyen's final semester at Onondaga Community College is going much better than her first. "Everything is good. My professors, my success coach, and my advisor have all been very helpful. And there are a lot of resources here for students we are trying to promote in Student Government."…
Farah, Mohamad, and Yasmine Chatila are used to doing things together. They are 19-year-old triplets who share life events like birthdays and graduation ceremonies. On the night of October 25 they celebrated another milestone together when they were sworn into Onondaga Community College's…
One year ago at this time, Thuw J-Elmi was just beginning her journey at Onondaga Community College. She had come here from the Chicago area, spent the previous year taking classes at home because of Covid, and didn't know anyone on campus.
Early in her first semester she decided to take…
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…
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…