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Alumni Faces Class of 2017

Submitted by roger-mirabito on
Five former students have been named 2017 “Alumni Faces” honorees for their professional achievements and contributions to the college and the community. They will be honored for their accomplishments during an induction ceremony Wednesday, November 1 at 5:30 p.m. in the Academic II building’s Recital Hall.

Fabrizio Tucci

Submitted by roger-mirabito on
  • Hometown: Valencia, Carabobo in Venezuela
  • Major at OCC: Electronic Media Communications
Fabrizio Tucci’s first year on the OCC campus was filled with outstanding accomplishments. He came to Central New York from Venezuela, learned the English language, was inducted into international honor society Phi Theta Kappa, worked at the SRC Arena as an usher and was a second team All-American on the Men’s Tennis team.
Tucci wound up at OCC after meeting coach John LaRose at a tennis showcase in Florida.

Jerome Ntakirutimana meets London Ladd

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Two worlds collided when London Ladd met Jerome Ntakirutimana.

Ntakirutimana is the OCC student who gave Dr. Casey Crabill a drawing of Malcom X, Martin Luther King Jr. and President Barack Obama that now adorns the walls of the President’s Suite. Ntakirutimana is an aspiring artist with an incredible passion for his work. Ladd is a 1995 graduate and an Alumni Faces honoree. He’s a nationally known illustrator whose latest work can be found in “Waiting for Pumpsie”.

From the Ground Up: the Story of Jillann Neely

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When Jillann Neely first came to OCC in 1979, the hospitality program didn’t exist. As a budding professional, she was tasked with creating the program from the ground up. Thirty-eight years later, she has accomplished that and so much more, leaving a lasting mark on OCC.
Growing up, Neely was always drawn to working with food. At age 15, she started waiting tables. Going into college, she was drawn to the chemical aspects of food which led her to nutrition.

Dave Bamonte '81

Submitted by rjcorbin21 on
Dave Bamonte, ’81 is a highly-accomplished professional trumpet player. He’s worked with world-renowned conductors Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa and John Williams while performing with the Israel Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Boston Pops and New York and Vienna Philharmonics. He’s a 1978 graduate of North Syracuse High School who built the foundation for his career at OCC.
Bamonte returned to campus earlier this semester as part of a Master Class workshop for Music majors.

Betheny Witherell

Submitted by roger-mirabito on
  • High School: Mexico, Class of 2007
  • Major: Mathematics & Science
An unfortunate event changed the direction of Betheny Witherell’s life and steered her towards a new career. Last May she was driving on Colvin Street in the Syracuse University area when her car was rear-ended. Witherell’s injuries required her to go through a series of medical imaging procedures. As she studied her X-rays she started wondering if she had stumbled upon something. “I thought it could be a career for me.

Marthe Ngwashi, Esq., ‘03

Submitted by rjcorbin21 on
Marthe Ngwashi is living the American dream. She’s the child of African immigrants, has her own law firm in Buffalo and is a proud mother who balanced career and life challenges so she could give her son the stability and support he needed. “My son is the best thing that ever happened to me. I am so proud of the man he has become.”
Marthe (pronounced MART) Ngwashi (pronounced n-GWASH-shee) came to Onondaga Community College from Syracuse’s Nottingham High School. Life circumstances made OCC the obvious choice.

National "Outstanding Alumni Award" for Dr. Emad Rahim

Submitted by roger-mirabito on
Former OCC student Dr. Emad Rahim will be recognized in April by a national education association, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Rahim will receive the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award at the AACC’s National Convention in New Orleans, LA.
"The AACC Outstanding Alumni recipients showcase the quality and diverse plethora of the nation's community colleges programs and services," said AACC President and CEO Walter Bumphus.

Morgan Chapman

Submitted by roger-mirabito on
  • HS: Canajoharie, class of 2015
  • Major at OCC: Broadcast Media Communications
Morgan Chapman’s dream school was always Le Moyne College. It still is and thanks to OCC he will get there eventually. “In high school I cared more about sports than grades. My best friend wound up going to Le Moyne. He told me there was a community college nearby so I researched OCC and here I am.”
Coming to OCC turned out to be Chapman’s best move. “Once I got here my entire mindset about school changed completely.
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