Marquita Hetherington knew she had reached a turning point in her career. Despite years of experience, she wasn't advancing - but not because of her performance. "I was passed over because I didn't have a degree. It prompted me to go back to school."
Terrell Horton's decision to enroll at Onondaga Community College can be traced back to something he saw while driving on Route 695 in Geddes near the New York State Fairgrounds. "I saw a billboard advertising free applications at SUNY schools for the first week of November. We had just found out my wife was pregnant, and I decided to jump in and see what happens. I applied to OCC and here I am. I'm here because of a billboard!"
What started as a community service effort by the Onondaga Community College Women’s Basketball team grew into an Education Day celebration that brought hundreds of students, teachers, and staff to the OCC campus.
The story began during the fall semester, when Women’s Basketball Coach Kelly Seibt was looking for a school where her players could volunteer. A connection came through Katelyn Pulver, who works with Seibt in OCC’s Financial Aid Center and whose sister, Jessica Matzke, is a third-grade teacher at Onondaga Central’s Wheeler Elementary School.
What began as a five-week summer program has grown into a lasting academic and personal bond. On January 18, students from Onondaga Community College’s 2025 Pre-College Summer Semiconductor Program reunited in New York City, trading winter coats for warm memories as they reflected on how the experience shaped their confidence, college readiness, and career goals.
Throughout the spring semester, we are introducing you to several of our Student Success Navigators. For Onondaga Community College students, they are the dedicated point of contact for support. Student Success Navigators assist with class registration, help students stay on track academically, and connect students with campus resources to support their success.
Justine Legg
Throughout the spring semester, we are introducing you to several of our Student Success Navigators. For Onondaga Community College students, they are the dedicated point of contact for support. Student Success Navigators assist with class registration, help students stay on track academically, and connect students with campus resources to support their success.
Naomi Stewart
Like many college students approaching graduation, Gracey Trabold wasn't sure what direction her career would take. She's a senior at SUNY Oswego who will complete her Business Administration degree next May. But one experience helped everything click into place.
Janice Gravely walked into an Onondaga Community College orientation session last August expecting to learn about the Paramedic program, and instead was greeted with, "Welcome to the course." She laughed, shook her head, and did what she had done throughout her career in the United States Army. She accepted the mission and jumped right in! Her split-second decision launched her first semester at OCC, and the next chapter in a lifetime of service.
Marie-Alayna Byrnes tried college three times before, and three times life got in the way. Working in the restaurant industry, struggling with her mental health, moving around - she could never make it work. "I couldn't afford not to work. That was a huge thing in my way." At age 28, after leaving her restaurant job earlier this year and being hospitalized, it was time to try again. "I decided to take much better care of my mental health and advocate for myself more. I thought I owed it to myself."
