Student Spotlight: Gabriel Tucker

Gabriel Tucker is a high-achieving student with a diverse set of skills. He's a member of the honor society who can play five musical instruments, loves spending his free time doing creative writing, and prior to Covid was an assistant sword instructor.

After graduating from West Genesee High School in 2021, Tucker enrolled at a four-year college. It wasn't a good fit so he decided to come home and attend Onondaga Community College. It turned out to be the perfect choice for him. "I was surprised by how great all of the instructors and classes are. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. Being able to explore all of my options was really great."

Initially Tucker was focused on Biology, but an elective changed his mind. "Last semester I took an Anthropology class with Professor Lambert and there was something about it that was really interesting to me. It caught my attention in a way others haven't."

During the spring semester Tucker was inducted into the college's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. "I was very proud of myself for that. A lot of people in PTK put forth their best effort and try to succeed no matter what. Being a part of that told me some things about myself I hadn't really considered."

In between juggling classes and coursework, Tucker works at Strong Hearts, a vegan restaurant located on Irving Avenue in Syracuse. He's also a skilled musician who can play 5 instruments: piano, viola, cello, bass, and guitar. He's best at viola and bass, but enjoys all of them. "It's really satisfying to play along with my favorite songs and work up to getting them perfect. It feels really good."

His other hobby is creative writing which gives him a sense of freedom. "I like having complete control over what happens and being able to make every decision for my own little world. That's not something I can do in real life. Having that control is grounding."