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Kevin Geidel has big plans for Onondaga Community College's Fire Protection Technology program. For decades it's been highly regarded as the place where the firefighters of tomorrow are trained. He's prepared to maintain that standard and highlight everything else the degree program can do for students. "Fire Protection is an industry. We teach system design, code enforcement, standards, research, product testing, investigations, all those types of things. We're opening people's eyes to what the Fire Protection industry is."

• Degree program: Business Administration
• High School: Faith Heritage, class of 2019

Noah Singh is determined to educate others about income inequality and the destructive impact it has on our society. That topic is his primary focus in the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society's Honors In Action project. "We had virtual meetings throughout the summer as we began our work. Income inequality is such an important issue. When slavery ended in our country White people were in a better place than Black people.

Si Po Ra and Cede Elizabeth Ramirez are on the path to becoming leaders. The two OCC students, who are part of the College's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), have been selected to participate in SUNY's Sail Institute, also known as its Student Leadership Academy. "I was so happy they picked me. It's hard to get into this program," said Ra."I thought it was a good opportunity," added Ramirez. "Being a leader helps give you a good foundation."

Dr. Annet O'Mara's inspiration to write came while growing up in the jungles of Malaysia. "I saw monkeys sharing papayas or bananas with their families. That bubbled up poetry within me long before I even knew how to pen a line. There were also graceful kingfishers and venomous king cobras. Nature's harmony and contradictions inspired the muse within me."

For 25 years Monisa Procks thought about taking that one last class she needed to get her college degree. "Any time I would talk to someone I knew who I hadn't seen in awhile they would ask me 'did you finish your degree yet?'" The answer was always the same. She was still just one class away and was going to take take it... soon.