Alum Found The Flexibility He Needed At OCC

Dewayne Garner Jr’s parents, Kionna '98 and Dewayne Sr. '99, learned long ago the value of choosing Onondaga Community College. They knew you could receive a high-quality education here at an affordable price, and it was a good place to be if you decided to change majors. It’s a lesson their son learned first-hand a decade ago.

Garner Jr. graduated from Cicero-North Syracuse High School in 2012 and decided to come to OCC. He spent his first semester in the Electronic Media Communications program, enjoyed it, but was concerned about post-graduation employment. During that first semester he also excelled in a Calculus class. While pondering what to do, he prayed and had a heart-to-heart conversation with his father who had earned an Engineering Science degree here. The following semester, Dewayne Jr. became a Mathematics & Science major. “I was introduced to intriguing career pathways and options in which I envisioned my potential for long term success. I’m forever grateful to OCC for allowing me to find a subject that piqued my interest in a way that wasn’t debilitating financially.”

Outside class Garner Jr. was involved with both the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). Being affiliated with those gave him the opportunity to participate in the Emerging Researchers National Conference in Washington, D.C. He gave an oral presentation on the immunomodulation of cystic fibrosis and won first place in the category of Microbiology, Immunology, and Virology.

The opportunity to attend conferences while a student at OCC led to one the most important moments of his life. At the 2015 CSTEP Statewide Student Conference, he met the woman who would become his wife. Dadgrain was attending Mercy College at the time, and they would stay in touch on and off in the months that followed.

Garner Jr. completed his OCC degree in 2015 and was selected to be the student speaker at commencement. "It was an incredible honor. I was able to share my story and inspire my fellow classmates which is something I'll always remember."

He began pursuing his bachelor's degree at Stony Brook University but missed his family, and church fellowship and involvement. After one semester he returned home, took classes at OCC, and spoke with his OnPoint for College advisor about Syracuse University's OnPoint collaborative agreement. It would set the stage for his eventual transfer into SU's Electrical Engineering program. "OCC taught me the value of a support network and cemented the importance of family and faith. The financial relief provided to me through the SU-OnPoint collaborative agreement in combination with being close to my network was vital to my overall personal, spiritual, and professional success."

While attending S.U., Garner Jr. reconnected with Dadgrain through social media. They began dating in 2016 and married in 2019. He also earned his Electrical Engineering degree in 2019.

Today Garner Jr. is in Lockheed Martin's Engineering Leadership Development Program where he is exploring different positions while working on his Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering at Cornell University. He and Dadgrain are also the proud parents of two young girls. As he reflects on his journey, he's proud of the decisions he made and the role his alma mater played. "OCC gave me a great educational foundation and the flexibility to find my values and passion with little risk. I stayed true to myself and made choices which provided me the best opportunities going forward."