Student Spotlight: Lauren Shaler

Lauren Shaler was only 14 years old when her father passed away, but his experiences as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician made a lasting impression on her. "He would tell me stories and I would study his notebook. It was interesting. I liked hearing about what he did and reading about it."

As a student at Baldwinsville High School, she was named to BOCES National Technical Honor Society for Health Occupations. After graduating in 2021, she chose Onondaga Community College because of its affordability and proximity to home.

Shaler is enrolled in the Health Sciences degree program, doing prerequisites for what she hopes will be her eventual admission into OCC's in-demand Nursing major. Earlier this semester she was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. "I hadn't been in an honor society for anything other than BOCES. I wanted to be in it. I had heard all about it!"

During her time on campus she has also excelled as a member of the Lazers Outdoor Track & Field Team. In the spring she finished 5th nationally in the Women's Hammer Throw event and was named an All-American. With her two years of eligibility behind her, she's become a Volunteer Assistant Coach with the team.

When she's not on campus, she can usually be found working at the Museum of Science and Technology. Her career goal is to become a nurse at SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital.