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Crystal DeStefano '04 has a never-ending desire to not only achieve, but overachieve. The proof is in her performance: she graduated from Onondaga Community College in less than a calendar year, became the youngest person to be accredited in Public Relations by the Universal Accreditation Board at age 26, bought the business she was working for in 2014 while simultaneously planning her wedding, and was married 11 days after the purchase was completed.

Being engaged both inside and outside the classroom at Onondaga Community College helped Ruby Ramseyer discover her passion and chart a clear path forward. "I had a really good experience here. I was nervous coming from a small high school, but everyone here had their arms open. If you wanted to participate in something, everyone was very accepting."

When Isabella Shenandoah-Kurtz was awarded the Robert H. Edson Memorial Scholarship during her first semester on the Onondaga Community College campus, she never imagined how far it would take her. "It was about more than the money. It was a major deal in my life. It connected me with Sue Edson and her whole family. They're very good people. They showed me what it looks like when you love what you do, and how happy you will be."

The North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is celebrating another outstanding year serving new and existing small businesses. The organization received numerous prestigious accolades during a statewide conference and training session, including:

Nick Kolbasook's summer job has brought him back to a place he's very familiar with, but he's wielding tools instead of textbooks. He's an Onondaga Community College student who is also leading a demolition team for E. Smith Contractors, LLC, which is gutting the first floor of Ferrante Hall on the OCC campus. The work Kolbasook and his team are doing is the beginning of a two-year-long renovation of all of the spaces where students in OCC's health-related programs will prepare for rewarding careers. "It's been going well. It's demolition. It's hard work.

The artwork of Onondaga Community College colleagues was on display in the Gallery earlier this month. The exhibit, titled On My Own Time, highlighted the creativity and skill of those with whom we work every day. "It's been amazing to discover the artistic side of my colleagues. It's added a layer to my work relationships that I didn't expect," said Abby Klein, who is OCC's Assistant Director of Registration and Curriculum, and whose artwork is pictured at the top of this story.

Onondaga Community College's commitment to educating the workforce of tomorrow can be seen in major construction projects across campus.

Onondaga Community College welcomed 240 Syracuse City School District (SCSD) students into the P-TECH program during a signing ceremony held June 3 in Storer Auditorium. P-TECH stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School. The program provides high school students the opportunity to work toward their high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously, and ultimately a pathway to an in-demand job. Students who participated in the signing ceremony are currently in the 9th or 10th grade.

Participating SCSD High School and the P-TECH Degree programs include: