Student Spotlight: Joe Doyle

When Joe Doyle was growing up he watched his mother battle lung cancer and the extraordinary care she received from health care professionals. It made a lasting impact on him. "I was always thankful for the oncology team, the radiation therapists, and the radiologists who saved my mom's life. They are the reason she's still alive today. That's something that's always been near and dear to me and something I want to give to other families."

Doyle's plan was to go to college and earn a health-related degree. After graduating from Baldwinsville High School in 2013 he enrolled in OCC's Mathematics & Science program. Although he had been an excellent student in high school, life challenges impacted his coursework in college. He left OCC after one year and went to work.

Doyle would climb the management ladder at a local car dealership but something was missing. "I realized I wasn't getting where I wanted in my life. I had left something unfinished. I wanted a sense of accomplishment and I decided to come back to school."

Six years after leaving, Doyle returned to OCC. His advisor in the School of Health, Dean Tzivanis, guided him into the Health Sciences degree program and helped him structure his class schedule around his work. "Everything worked out so well. I've been carrying a perfect 4.0 (grade point average) since I've been back in school."

Tzivanis recommended Doyle take Introduction to Health Professions (HPR-101), a class which would help him explore health careers. "That's when I realized Upstate had a Radiation Therapy program. It spoke to me because of what my mom went through."

Doyle was recently accepted into SUNY Upstate Medical University's Radiation Therapy program and will transfer there in the fall. And next month, at age 27, he'll finally complete the first leg in his journey when he receives his Health Sciences degree from OCC. "I've loved it here. It's amazing how many resources students have here, especially compared to other colleges and universities. I've received help with my resume, I've done mock interviews, and my advisor has helped me make sure I'm taking all of the courses I need. My professors have been amazing. You can tell they want to help their students succeed. They strive to help each and every one of us the best they can. It's been a wonderful experience."