2024 Pinnacle Award Winners

Onondaga Community College celebrated the accomplishments of 10 students, presenting them with Pinnacle Awards during a ceremony May 1 in the Gordon Student Center Great Room.

The Pinnacle program recognizes students who have shown excellence in one or more of the following fields: leadership, civic engagement, and scholarly research. Students selected demonstrated not only an exemplary academic performance, but also a strong connection with the campus community.

The Pinnacle Award honorees come from 10 different organizations on campus. This year's winners, and the group which nominated each, are:

Athletics - Elizabeth Kraynak

• Elizabeth is a graduate of Baldwinsville High School and a member of OCC's Cross Country and Track & Field teams. She completed a Mathematics & Science degree two years ago, and will finish her Engineering Science degree this semester. She's a member of the Lillian Slutzker Honors College, Student Government, a lifeguard at the YMCA, a tutor in physics, calculus, and chemistry, and a certified EMT. She will continue her education at Clarkson University this fall.

Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (C-STEP) - Ammale Yousuf

• Ammale graduated from Henninger High School in 2014 and worked in the financial world for several years before enrolling at OCC. She plans to continue her education at SUNY Oswego with the goal of becoming a Certified Financial Planner.

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) - Amya Graves

• Amya came to OCC in the summer of 2022, beginning her higher education journey in the EOP Residential Pre-Freshman Summer Institute. The positive experience gave her the foundation to become an outstanding student in the Art degree program with a specialization in Drawing and Painting, and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) - Heather Patrick

• Heather will complete her American Sign Language degree in December. She has Autism and hopes to one day work for Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to promoting solutions for the needs of individuals with autism and families.

Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (L-SAMP) - Carlos Rodriguez-Bornot

• Carlos graduated from Cicero-North Syracuse High School in 2021, spent a year in the workforce, then came to OCC where he majored in Mathematics & Science with a specialization in Biology. He took advantage of research opportunities at SUNY Binghamton and SUNY ESF. Those solidified his plans to continue his education at SUNY ESF and one day become an ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in eye and vision care.

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society - Danielle Lambert

• Danielle went from Henninger High School to the United States Air Force where she served for four years, got married, and started her family. Once her  children became school-aged, she came to OCC and majored in Early Childhood. She served in Student Government, was a Meg O'Connell Scholar, and an officer in PTK where she counseled fellow students on scholarship opportunities. She was named a SUNY Chancellor's Award winner and a PTK All-State student. In the fall she will continue her education as she works to become a teacher.

Residence Life - Zach Thompson

• Zach graduated from Phoenix High School in 2017 and served in the United States Marine Corp before enrolling in OCC's Music degree program. Last night he was named Curriculum Honoree in Music! Zach served the campus community as an RA and earned a 3.5 grade point average while also working at Wegmans. In the fall he will attend the Eastman School of Music. His goal is to become a teacher, and eventually someone who teaches teachers.

Student Office of Leadership and Engagement (SOLE) - Haley Madej

• Haley graduated from Amsterdam High School six years ago, went into the workforce, then enrolled at OCC in 2022. She developed into an excellent student in the Humanities & Social Sciences degree program, was inducted into the PTK Honor Society, became a Student Government officer, and the Student Trustee on OCC's Board of Trustees. In December she became a mom to a beautiful baby girl.

TRIO - Mohamed Abdulkadir

• Mohamed moved to the United States from Kenya with dreams of a better life. He grew into a leader, both within his family and on campus. He was a student intern in TRIO and an RA in Shapero Hall. He also led video projects for local businesses and voluntarily mentored young people. Mohamed will transfer to a four-year college as he works toward a health-related career. 

Veterans Affairs - Rebekah Wade

• Rebekah served in the United States Navy for more than 6 years before moving to New York State and enrolling at OCC. She was admitted into the rigorous Nursing program, and earned membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society while raising three children. Her goal is to become a Registered Nurse.

Also recognized during the ceremony were the eight students who organized campus-wide Unity Day celebrations. They are:

• Muhammed Abedrabbah, Co-chair
• Galia Amor
• Zinah Fakhri
• Jonathan Gonzalez Perez
• Taija Hanna
• Mohammad Sharif Jafari, Co-chair
• Heather Patrick
• Jaedin Roget-Feimster

Also, two students were presented with Trustee Awards from the OCC Board of Trustees; Melissa Durand and Jaedin Roget-Feimster. They are pictured below being presented their awards by OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton.