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Juhudi Boazi's 8th grade English teacher at Syracuse's Frazer School saw something in him that even he didn't see. "We had this program where we built robots and things in the computer. She saw how I was doing with it and thought I would be a good fit for P-TECH."

When Ashley Menifee heard about the Syracuse Surge program it almost sounded too good to be true. The 32-year-old iron worker from Syracuse was exploring employment possibilities and considering his options. "Work was slow. I saw this as an opportunity I should take advantage of."

Maya McLaughlin's epilepsy awareness tattoo near her right wrist serves as a reminder of what she has overcome during her time on the Onondaga Community College campus. She's discovered her career path and related degree program, and earned membership in school's Phi Theta Kappa honor society. "I never thought I would make it into the honor society because of my epilepsy and my ADHD. But I did the best I could with my disabilities and I made it! No one should let disabilities hold them back. A disability doesn't have to harm your future.

Seven Onondaga Community College students in a variety of STEM-related degree programs took advantage of a new research opportunity over the semester break. They spent a week at Syracuse University working with Biology professors there as part of the new "BREW at SU" initiative. BREW stands for Biology Research Experience in Winter. It's the creation of OCC's Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program (LSAMP).

Kiamesha Cotton was introduced to technology at a young age through the Liberty Partnerships program and now she's turning that interest into career. "I was in the 8th grade. They showed me thinks like building robots, soldering, underwater robotics competitions, and electrical things. That's when it first began to interest me."