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Our outstanding Nursing major is the subject of this month's edition of our podcast, "Higher Ed News You Can use from Onondaga Community College." Nursing Department Chair Leanne Waterman joins us to discuss the recent announcement of our agreement with SUNY Upstate which gives students a seamless path to a bachelor's degree, the outstanding faculty within our Nursing major who all have current experience in the industry, and upcoming deadlines for students to apply.

Deynaba Farah has set the bar high for her siblings. Farah and her family moved from Somalia to the United States in 2004. She learned the English language and became the first member of her family to earn a high school diploma when she graduated from Nottingham. Then it was on to Onondaga Community College where she represented the students on the Board of Trustees and earned a degree in Human Services. Two years later she graduated from Syracuse University and now works for the Syracuse City School District as a Promise Zone Specialist at Dr.

• Major: General Studies
• Home schooled from Oswego

Rebekah MacLean's life experiences have her on a path to a career assisting others. "When I was a junior in high school I became more and more interested in psychology. I was in therapy for a number of years and it really inspired me to help others who had been through similar difficulties. I want to help people."

Four decades ago Andrew Schuster came to Onondaga Community College from Philadelphia with a plan. "I was going to stay here for just one year and wound up staying for 39. I met and worked with some of the most wonderful people here."

During his time at OCC, Schuster was an Art professor who specialized in ceramics. He retired two years ago. Now his work is on display in the Gallery beneath Storer Auditorium. The exhibit is titled "Vessels & Other Ideas."

They encourage their teammates to go to class, to get help outside class when they need it, work their hardest during practices and games, and lead by example. They are members of the Lazers' Student Leadership Council.

Each was selected by their head coach. The student-athlete representatives meet regularly and communicate with leaders within the Lazers' Athletics department.

The representatives for the fall sports season are:

When Michael Speach was growing up, life revolved around the family business. He couldn't wait to get as far away from that life as possible. "We didn't enjoy the holidays because those were our busiest times and we were exhausted. My view of life and holidays were very skewed. We didn't take a family vacation until I was 15. I told my parents I didn't want to have anything to do with the business."

• Major: Nursing
• High School: Cicero-North Syracuse, class of 1995

Jessica Montena found her second career while helping take care of a family member. Montena had spent 5 years teaching English at Cortland High School when she decided to home school their daughter. During the home schooling period, her husband's grandmother needed to be moved from Rochester to Syracuse.