You may not expect to hear a high-achieving student and athlete who earned a bachelor's degree before coming to Onondaga Community College say her time here was transformative, but that's Vanessa Esposito's story and she's sticking to it. "It changed my life for the better, more than I could have ever imagined. I'm so grateful. I took a chance and came here and it's one of the best things I've ever done."
Each Wednesday we are sharing the stories of outstanding students who began their college education while still in high school. Today we introduce you to Trenton Hoyt.
Trenton Hoyt is an 11th grade student at Phoenix High School who takes classes on the Onondaga Community College campus four days a week. He's part of the P-TECH program, working toward a Mechanical Technology degree. "I'm a lot further ahead than my friends who didn't choose P-TECH. It's given me a huge head start."
Sobriety turned Alexis Rios's life around. "I wouldn't be back in school, I wouldn't be a trainer, my life would be so different. I don't even think I would be married. Being sober, the people I've met and the stories I've heard, it does not discriminate. It touches so many people. At first you feel shame, and then you feel pride and you're happy."
Rios is a 31-year-old native of Los Angeles. She earned her GED there and went to college for year before quitting. She spent most of her 20s bartending, first in California and later in New York City.
A group of 11 Onondaga Community College students spent spring break together in a tropical climate, but they weren't there to have fun. The students were all Meg O'Connell Social Justice Scholars who made a life-changing trip to Puerto Rico for a week of service-learning. "Experiencing a different culture and going through the hard work together as a group, we came out of the trip a lot stronger than we went in," said student Sylvia LeBaron. "It opened my eyes to other communities and cultures and how they exist. It was really cool."
Six Onondaga Community College were recognized as the newest distinguished Alumni Faces honorees during a ceremony April 3 in the Recital Hall's Frederick Marvin and Ernst Schuh Recital Hall. The alumni were honored for their professional achievements and contributions to the college and the community. The honorees are:
Kim Dwyer '89
Onondaga Community College's commitment to those who served in the military can be seen in Coulter Hall.
OCC's campus community includes approximately 200 Student Veterans, along with dozens of faculty and staff who also served. And OCC's Office of Veterans and Military Services is recognized annually by national organizations as "Military Friendly" and Best for Vets."
Photos of members of OCC's campus community who served are on display in the first-floor lobby of Coulter Hall. You can also view some of them below.
Onondaga Community College celebrated the grand opening of its new Indigenous Student Center during a ceremony April 2 in Mawhinney Hall. Guest speakers included:
Each Wednesday we are sharing the stories of outstanding students who began their college education while still in high school. Today we introduce you to Hi'Zharria Harper.
Just a few years ago, Dio Brown was homeless and addicted to drugs. "If you could picture the person you saw on the street and you would say to yourself 'they're never going to make it,' that was me. Downtown Syracuse used to be my living room."
