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Critical scenario: There's been a serious accident and there is an urgent need for acute medical care. A 48-year-old male is rushed to the hospital following a head-on car crash. He lost consciousness briefly upon impact, was trapped in the vehicle for a lengthy period of time before being extricated, has an open leg break, and a nerve injury to his leg. During his initial examination by a Physical Therapist it is discovered he also has what is known as "foot drop," meaning he has difficulty lifting the front part of his foot.

The OCC Foundation is conducting a year-end appeal, raising money for student success. Here are a few Onondaga Community College students who have benefitted from your support:

Nick Chai

Lieve Marie-Claire Kitsa has forgotten what "free time" is because she simply doesn't have any. She's a student at Onondaga Community College who works full-time, is a mother, and a wife. She also has something new to celebrate. Earlier this semester she was inducted into the College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. "It was a surprise. I was honored."

Nadia Diaz '20 discovered her passion at Onondaga Community College, and on November 20 she returned to campus to be sworn-in as a Syracuse Police Officer. "I had a phenomenal time here. I learned a lot, I grew a lot. To come back here today... there's no other place I'd rather be to do this."

Katya Rohova has vivid memories of Russia invading Ukraine in February of 2022. She was living in her native Ukraine in the capital city of Kyiv when the war started. "I remember waking up because of explosions and my parents telling us we had to pack our stuff. We sat at home for two days before deciding what to do." Katya, her two sisters, her mother, and a 6 month old baby would flee to the bordering country of Slovakia.

When Alexis Riccardo set foot on the Onondaga Community College campus in the fall of 2019, she was a 43-year-old mother determined to change the course of her life through higher education. She had attended three different colleges, spending a semester at each. She worked more than a decade in retail and was burned out. And she had a young son, James, to consider.