Student Spotlight: Christopher Perdue

Christopher Perdue has gotten use to younger students in the Fire Protection Technology degree program calling him 'dad.' ‘It use to drive me nuts but now I think of it as a term of endearment.”

Perdue is a Student Veteran who went from Henninger High School to the United States Navy. He spent 7-and-a-half years serving his country, then returned home to Central New York.

His desire to serve his community led him to volunteer at the Moyer’s Corners Fire Department where he began hearing about Onondaga Community College’s Fire Protection Technology program. In the summer of 2020, with the full effect of Covid being felt in the region’s economy, Perdue was laid off from his full-time job. “I figured the best place to be during any major catastrophe was either the military or the school.” So he enrolled at OCC.

Perdue immediately found a home on campus in the Office of Veterans and Military Services. “This office is critical. It’s the starting point, the foundation for us. It’s a great place for us to get our work done and stay connected with each other as Veterans.”

He also gained an appreciation for faculty members within his degree program and their industry experience, especially Professor Ron Ryan who spent decades working in codes and as a fire investigator.” He’s phenomenal. He’s a great teacher and he’s super knowledgeable. He’s been instrumental in steering me into places where I need to be.”

Perdue plans to follow in Ryan’s footsteps and become a fire investigator. This May, at age 37, he’ll complete the first leg in his journey by earning his associate degree. "I kept meeting people who told me OCC had a great program and it would help me branch off. I had no idea I would become interested in becoming a fire investigator.”