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Five Onondaga Community College employees received SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence during May's commencement ceremony.

The categories and honorees are:

Onondaga Community College today received a gift of $50,000 from Amazon. The generous donation will be used to assist in supporting Student Success Coaches at OCC. Student Success Coaches responsibilities include:

Chayanne "Chachi" Robles '13 can trace the roots of his success at GE Aerospace to a combination of his classmates and professors at Onondaga Community College, and his early job experience at Wegmans. "Both institutions taught me valuable skills in the areas of listening, empathy, and trust. Those have stayed with me into the work I do today."

Ashley Homer '18 always dreamed of attending college, but knew as a first-generation college student she would face unique challenges. She was determined to overcome the barriers and turned to her advocates at On Point for College and Hillside Children's Center during her time at Corcoran High School.

When Jodi DeAugustine '89 graduated from Cicero-North Syracuse High School and came to Onondaga Community College, her plan was to stay for one semester, earn some college credits, and transfer to a four-year school. She was a first-generation college student who grew up in a single parent home and had been working since age 14 to help make ends meet.

"I confer upon you your associate's degree with all of the rights, privileges, and obligations pertaining to that degree and program. Congratulations!"

And with those words from Onondaga Community College President Dr. Warren Hilton, Tom Soccocio Jr's journey to a degree came to a celebratory conclusion some 37 years after it started.

Vicki Brackens knows talent when she spots it, and she's spotted it more than once at Onondaga Community College. She's a Financial Planner and the President of the Brackens Financial Solutions Network which is located on South Clinton Street in downtown Syracuse.