Onondaga Community College's Commencement Student Speaker will be Meghan Bird! She's a 36-year-old native of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which is about 45 miles west of Niagara Falls. She's completing her Health Sciences degree and plans to transfer to SUNY Upstate Medical University with the goal of becoming an MRI Technician.
Some of the region's best small businesses were recognized for their accomplishments during a National Small Business Week celebration on the Onondaga Community College Campus. The North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is headquartered at OCC, teamed up with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to recognize local success stories. The event was held May 5 in the Gordon Student Center's Great Room. Below is a list of the small businesses honored:
Dominick Kastner is a 28-year-old Student Veteran who is ready to do well in the classroom. "I didn't really like school when I was growing up. The time in the Army and being away from school really changed me."
Kastner is a native of Southern California who spent five years in the United States Army. His time serving his country included deployments to Afghanistan and Syria. In February of 2024, he was honorably discharged.
It took 6 years for Brand Lazore’s bench to finally be in a place where people can enjoy seeing and using it, and he couldn’t be happier that its new home is on the Onondaga Community College quad. “It makes me feel great to see my work on campus. I want students to know I was able to make a career out of my OCC education. I took the skills I learned here and utilized them to the maximum potential I could and it’s gotten me to this point.”
Onondaga Community College and SUNY Delhi signed an agreement that provides local learning opportunities for students enrolled in SUNY Delhi's Veterinary Science Technology online program. While enrolled at SUNY Delhi and taking online classes, students will also be able to take general education courses at OCC, which will be counted toward their SUNY Delhi degree.
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Each Wednesday we are sharing the stories of outstanding students who began their college education while in high school. Today we introduce you to Jared Gardenier.
The P-TECH program gave Jared Gardenier the chance to begin working on his Mechanical Technology degree at a young age. "I love what we do. I love that we get this opportunity. I love being here. I enjoy coming here every day. The teachers are amazing. I like that the classes are smaller and you have the time if you don't understand things to work through them."
Onondaga Community College's Automotive Technology program has a new teaching tool, thanks to the generosity of the Matthews Auto family of dealerships. In conjunction with Nissan North America, Matthews Auto donated to the college a 2025 Infiniti QX60. It's a high-end 3-row luxury SUV loaded with options, which Automotive Technology students will be able to work on and learn from.
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 it over with her husband, and made one of the biggest decisions of her life. She quit her full-time job, picked up a part-time one, and became a full-time student at Onondaga Community College.
Three Onondaga Community College students are winners of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence! Each year SUNY recognizes students for outstanding achievements that demonstrate the integration of SUNY excellence within many aspects of their lives in areas such as academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, or the arts. This is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon any SUNY student.
OCC's 2025 SUNY Chancellor's Award students are:
