Six Onondaga Community College graduates will be recognized as distinguished Alumni Faces honorees for their professional achievements and contributions to the college and the community. Their accomplishments will be highlighted during an induction ceremony April 3 at 5 p.m. in the Frederick Marvin and Ernst Schuh Recital Hall in the Academic II Building. Today we highlight honoree Kim Dwyer '89.
Hunter Yessick has struggled with homelessness and drug addiction. In two months he'll walk across the stage in the SRC Arena and receive his college degree. "My grades have gotten better every semester. I'm 32 but I'm far from having everything figured out. Finally it feels like I'm driving. I'm not just in the back seat."
Yessick is a native of Birmingham, Alabama who had never been north of Tennessee when a relationship brought him to Central New York. "This girl has been with me every step of the way. She's the best partner I could ever have. She's a soldier. I'm blessed."
Meghan Bird's desire for a career she is passionate about with great employment opportunities has brought her from Canada to Central New York.
Matt Forger is an Onondaga Community College Alumnus who has mastered the technical side of recording music. His credits include the top selling album of all-time, Michael Jackson's Thriller. So how did he go from Central New York to becoming a world-class music producer, mixer, engineer, sound designer, and production supervisor? "I don't know what it is about the universe that put me where I am. I tell people I've just listened to that little voice in my heart and pursued things I've wanted to and explored areas I've wanted to."
What do you like to do in your spare time? Before Phil Impaglia became a student at Onondaga Community College, he had a unique pastime. "I enjoyed History as a hobby. I got to a point where I was writing research papers for fun as I read about history because I enjoy writing. A friend of mine who is a historical researcher as a career told me I could get paid for what I was doing. Everything clicked at that point. I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to go to school for."
When Trevor Stedman sat down to write an essay for a criminal justice scholarship, he focused on his personal story of resilience and growth. "I grew up in a very rugged home and had a really rough life as a child. I know what it's like when you have no help and need it, especially legally. I'm a product of the environment where I grew up. I want to give back to my community. I got sober and I decided to take my life experiences and put it to some good."
Sylvia Parsons was pretty sure college wasn't for her. She's a member of the Onondaga Nation who came to Onondaga Community College right after graduating from Jamesville-Dewitt High School but didn't stay long. "I didn't know what I wanted to do. I had just lost a grandparent. It was a really weird space in my life. I ended up dropping out."
She started working as a welder but knew it wasn't her passion. "I wanted to be an artist of some kind... maybe a graphic designer, a marketing designer, or a tattoo artist."
Emilee Durkin had every intention of majoring in Business Administration at Onondaga Community College. But when she sat down with her Student Success Navigator Michele Carey and learned Calculus was a mandatory class, she decided she needed to go in a different direction. "We went over options and she (Michele Carey) thought I would be interested in Communication Studies."
One year ago, Dehaven McCray came to the USURE Science Symposium to view the research fellow students had done and was amazed. "I saw everyone's stuff and I thought 'I want to put myself out there but I don't know how.' And now I'm here and I'm into this research thing!"
This year, McCray was showing off research she conducted during the semester break. Her research question was "what are the effects of ionizing radiation on cellulose?" She conducted her research in the Cellulose Lab at SUNY-ESF with Dr. Mark Driscoll and Dr. Richard List.
A refugee from Somalia who is also an Onondaga Community College alumnus is the newest member of OCC's Board of Trustees. Haji Adan '12 was sworn-in during the Board's meeting Tuesday, February 11.
Adan is Executive Director of Refugee & Immigrant Self-Empowerment, also known as RISE, in Syracuse. He's an active member of the Central New York community serving on the Onondaga County Youth Board, the Somali Advocacy for Justice & Equality Movement, and the New York State Hate & Bias Prevention Regional Council.
