Occ rEcEivES DONATiON FrOM AMAzON

by ANDrEw wEllivEr

Onondaga Community College received a $50,000 donation from Amazon on Wednesday, June 28 for their Student Success program.

The donation will be used to assist in supporting Student Success Coaches at OCC. Student Success Coaches responsibilities include activities such as monitoring student academic progress and providing proactive and just-in-time guidance and support; Providing a sense of community by organizing educational and social events for students in their respective school; Guiding students through the higher education landscape and managing competing demands from school, family, and work; and Collaborating with colleagues and departments across the institution to provide holistic support and meet the unique needs of individual students.

According to a press release from OCC, this donation is the latest example of Amazon’s commitment to the Central New York region and its mission to create paths to career success through education and learning new skills.

In October 2022, Amazon chose OCC to be its partner in the Career Choice program.

Career Choice provides Amazon’s hourly employees the opportunity to take classes at OCC at Amazon’s expense.

Employees can focus on the academic programs of their choosing and learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere.

OCC’s President Dr. Warren Hilton was on hand to receive the check and show the school’s appreciation for Amazon’s gift to them.

“We are grateful to Amazon for their partnership with us at Onondaga Community College,” Hilton said. “From the Career Choice program which is already changing lives, to today’s support of our Student Success Coaches, Amazon is truly making a difference. Their transformational support is paying dividends today, and will continue to do so in the future.” anDreW Welliver Amazon presented Occ with a donation of $50,000 to help support the Student Success program.

OCC’s Student Success program pairs students with coaches that help them balance their student-life with the other responsibilities and obligations they have.

This includes monitoring their academic progress, providing them a sense of community by organizing social events, guiding the students through higher education landscapes, and collaborating with colleagues to give the best support they can to the students.

Since Amazon partnered with OCC in 2022 there have been 24 Amazon workers who have attended classes at OCC to work towards their degree.

Hilton has been pleased with this partnership since taking over as OCC’s president about one year ago.

Ty Parker, senior operations manager for the Amazon fulfillment center commented on how this donation was important for their own employees who come to OCC through their Career Choice program.

“This donation is a perfect compliment to OCC’s Student Success program,” Parker said.

During the spring 2023 semester nearly two dozen Amazon employees took advantage of Career Choice.

For Amazon employees and students like Ivan Kamdem who sends money home monthly to his family in Cameroon, or Kay Cee, a single mother who also works full time for the Syracuse City School District, Career Choice is providing them the opportunity to better their lives through higher education tuition-free.

“We know that OCC’s Student Success Coaches program is a critical resource for supporting students as they achieve their education goals,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s head of community affairs in New York. “It’s also a great way to support Amazonians who are taking advantage of Career Choice and all the benefits it has to offer them and other employer-sponsored students.”

To learn more visit sunyocc.edu.