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Enrollment up at OCC as new president prepares for first commencement

A large arena with a stage at the end of center aisle and chairs on each side.
Scott Willis
/
WAER News
OCC's SRC Arena prepares for students, families and friends for the college's 60th commencement. May 18, 2023.

About 500 students are expected to walk across the stage at Onondaga Community College Saturday to mark their achievements and a milestone in the school's history.

OCC is celebrating its 60th commencement and the first for Dr. Warren Hilton as the college's president. He says he can tell an endless number of stories about students who’ve overcome the odds to earn their degrees.

“I find myself tearing up every year at this time," Hilton said. "Because we have stories of someone who's single parent with multiple kids who was going to have to drop out of school, but because of our emergency funds here, didn't have to drop out of school, and now she's going to be able to walk across the stage in front of those three kids, right? That's changing the whole family's life.”

Hilton says the children learn that they, too, can succeed even under the most challenging circumstances. He says one of the biggest challenges for community colleges and even four-year institutions is, in fact, student retention.

Hilton says they’ve actually hired a student success staff to help track student progress.

We have a lot of part-time students," Hilton said. "And when you go to school part-time, life happens. Most of what you've seen us do over the last, you know, couple years, is really about helping our students not only get here, but retain and walk across the stage.”

Hilton says that can also lead to higher enrollment, which was up this spring, and appears to be trending higher for fall. He credits a revised curriculum tied to the semiconductor industry, and coursework in fields with critical worker shortages such as construction management and health care.

Saturday’s commencement ceremony begins at 11 am. Earlier in the morning, OCC will hold a nurse pinning ceremony for about 30 students who’ve earned their degrees.

A poster of a smiling man in a brown turtleneck shirt with his hand folded under his chin.
Scott Willis
/
WAER News
This poster will profile one of several 2023 graduates as people enter SRC Arena. May 18, 2023.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.