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How far would you travel for the opportunity to improve your life? For Susan and Ater Lay who were living and working in the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar, the answer was 'the other side of the world.' "I was working in a restaurant and he was working in a spa," she said. "We wanted to show people where we came from what we could do."

In 2017 the Lay's immigrated to the United States. The married couple came with a list of things they wanted to accomplish; learn English, pass their GED exams, work full-time, become American citizens, and earn their college degrees.

This is a guest blog from Learning Center tutors. 

It’s that time of year again! The last day of classes is fast approaching, so it is time to start preparing for finals. Whether this is your first semester, or you have a few under your belt, final exam preparation is important. Here is some advice to help you succeed.

Best 5 Tips to Prepare for Finals:

Do you have an idea for an event that should be held on campus?

Perhaps you would like to start a new club!

You can share your ideas with this semester's Student Government Officers.

They are headquartered in the SOLE (Student Orientation, Leadership & Engagement) Office on the first floor of the Gordon Student Center in room G114 next to the Lazer Lounge. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

This semester's Student Government Officers are:

Kaylee Moreau told herself over and over again that she didn't have time for college. She's a single mom who focused all of her time and energy on her two children and her job. "I'd convince myself if I went to school I wouldn't be able to work full-time and provide for my kids. If I went to school, who was going to help me take care of the kids? It was excuse after excuse after excuse. The struggle was getting harder and harder as my kids were getting older. It was time. Finally I figured it out and I just did it."

If you enjoy free hot chocolate and free tater tots during the first week of classes, you can thank members of Student Government!

Officers have spent the semester break planning fun and informative activities for fellow students. Here's what is on tap for the first week of classes:

Dr. Stan Smith had the intelligence and determination to succeed at whatever he put his mind to. But what energized him most was teaching. "I am more highly motivated in the field of education than in anything I have ever undertaken," he wrote in his autobiography more than 50 years ago.

Smith taught students in Onondaga Community College's Electrical Technology degree program for 42 years. He was one of the foundational pieces in a major which continues to play a critical role in fulfilling industry workforce demands. He passed away December 24, 2023 at age 92.

There's a saying about overnight success taking 10 years. If it's true, then Janae Price '14 is right on schedule. The Onondaga Community College Alumna is a Video Producer and Host at Thrillist, an online media website which specializes in reviewing food, drink, travel, and entertainment. And she was recently the star attraction in a Starbucks video about their Holiday Cold Foams which you can view below:

The roster is almost entirely new, but the outstanding results continue. Despite losing 90% of their scoring from the previous year, Onondaga Community College's Women's Basketball team is off to an 11-and-1 start.

Signs of progress can be seen in the Whitney Applied Technology Center where the Micron Cleanroom Simulation Lab is being built!

Just three months ago, the College hosted a celebration in the same space for the unveiling of renderings for the new facility. Shortly afterwards, contractors moved in and the process began.