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Onondaga Community College celebrated the accomplishments of its graduating students during commencement December 11 in the SRC Arena. Approximately 230 students were eligible to participate in the ceremony.

December 11 is one of those dates Rania Estefanous will always remember. It ranks right up there with her daughter's birthdays, her wedding day, and the day she arrived in America. On December 11 she completed her Nursing degree at Onondaga Community College. "This was my dream since I came to the United States. I can't believe my dream came true."

Estefanous immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt in 2005. Five years later she became an American citizen. She had earned a college degree in Egypt and was working as a dietician, but she realized it wasn't the career she wanted here.

Throughout the week we are highlighting students who are completing their degrees this month. Today we introduce you to Jayden Allen.

When Jayden Allen graduated from Central Square High School two years ago, he knew he wanted to go to college but wasn't sure which degree program to choose. That brought him to Onondaga Community College. "I thought if I came here I would have a lot of broad options to choose from. And if I didn't know yet (what to study), I'd be able to get all of my prerequisites done."

Throughout the week we are highlighting students who are completing their degrees this month. Today we introduce you to Heather Patrick.

Heather Patrick's journey to an Onondaga Community College degree began in 2018. It concludes this month when she completes her American Sign Language (ASL) degree. "There have been moments I wish I could just freeze them forever. This is one of them. I feel like I finally made it. It's been a long hard journey, so these moments are beyond special for me."

Throughout the week we are highlighting students who are completing their degrees this month. Today we introduce you to Sylvester "Sly" Seton.

Sly Seton came to Onondaga Community College in "figure it out mode." He was an outstanding high school basketball player who knew he wanted the opportunity to keep playing in college, but wasn't sure what he wanted to study. After graduating from Bishop Grimes High School in 2022, he enrolled at OCC that fall.

Onondaga Community College will celebrate the accomplishments of its December graduates during a ceremony this Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the SRC Arena. Throughout the week we are highlighting students who are completing their degrees this month. Usually, we tell you their stories, but today Karar Abed is sharing his story with you in his words. He moved to the United States from Iraq with his family in 2016. He worked tirelessly to learn the English language and became an outstanding student at East Syracuse Minoa High School on the way to receiving his diploma in June 2023.

Brady Overtoom immigrated from the Philippines to the United States when he was 9 months old. So when he was presented with the opportunity to assist with the refugee resettlement process at Interfaith Works of Central New York, the decision was easy. "I've learned when given opportunities in life, I want to give those opportunities to others every time I can."

Cari Cordell and Tammy Ponto are inseparable in pursuit of their Onondaga Community College degrees. Both are adult learners with families who work full time for the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) and take OCC classes online. They are also "accountability partners" who depend on each other to power through their demanding life and academic schedules. "We lean on each other multiple times a day. Having Tammy to hold me accountable and to go to with questions makes it a lot easier. It gives you that extra push you need to get through," said Cordell. "We're in contact daily.

The United Nations declared December 3 the "International Day of Persons with Disabilities." Today we meet an Onondaga Community College student whose amazing will to succeed makes her one of the most remarkable and unique success stories on campus.

Josh Barr is amazed by what he is achieving. He's a 40-year-old single father, a recovering drug addict who has been sober for more than a year, and a member of the newest class of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society inductees. "If you would have told me a year ago this is where I would be sitting, I would have laughed at you and said 'absolutely not. You're nuts!'"

Barr spent most of his adult life battling heroin addiction. A brush with the law convinced him he was getting one last chance to turn his life around.