Student Spotlight: Judah Bailey

Judah Bailey is on the right path and he credits the military with helping him find his way. "It's taught me delayed gratification. I know it's important to work for something and not expect results immediately. I know the value of the compounding interest of things. You have to get up, train every day, and work hard so you graduate."

Bailey grew up in a military family. His father was a sergeant in the United States Army and the family moved often. Bailey was born in Syracuse, moved to Kansas, attended three years of high school in Texas, and returned to Syracuse for his senior year, graduating from Cicero-North Syracuse High School in 2018.

As he got older Bailey became more aware of how his father lived his life and the value of the structure the military provides. "He would always wake up early. He had the same routine every morning. So I started waking up early because of that. He inspired me to join. I saw the discipline and it instilled discipline in me."

After graduating high school Bailey joined the United States Army as a Reservist. "I got through basic training and learned how to be a solider. Now I just keep it up every month. I get to live both lives... civilian and Army."

Bailey enrolled at OCC in the fall of 2019. He became an outstanding student, earning a 3.4 grade point average in the Business Administration degree program. "I've been a better student than I was in high school. I've found that when you're paying for classes, you really want to learn." He was also a member of the OCC Men's Basketball team, contributing to an outstanding season for the Lazers.

Bailey will earn his degree next Spring, then plans to transfer to a four-year college and pursue another Business-related degree. He'll also continue his military career. He encourages others to join and have their lives transformed just as his was. "Joining is a good thing. It teaches you discipline and how to balance things in life. Being a student-athlete and being in the Army go hand-in-hand with the values you learn."