ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Onondaga Community College (OCC) will hold its commencement ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at the SRC Arena with 660 students eligible to participate.
The students completed their course work in the current spring semester or will complete it in the upcoming summer semester, OCC said in announcing the ceremony.
For its graduation ceremony, OCC selects a graduating student to deliver the commencement address. This year’s student speaker is Meghan Bird, a 36-year-old native of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, OCC said. Bird is completing her health-sciences degree. She plans to transfer to Upstate Medical University, where her goal is to become an MRI technician.
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Honorary degrees
The ceremony will also include the awarding of a SUNY honorary degree to Melanie Littlejohn, who served on OCC’s board of trustees for 14 years becoming president and CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation. Littlejohn also worked at National Grid for nearly 30 years, most recently as vice president, customer, community, & external affairs, NYS. She retired from her work there in early 2024.
OCC will also award honorary degrees to Heather Drake-Bianchi, CEO and critical-care paramedic at Drakos Clinical Dynamics. The school’s Drake-Bianchi’s “generous support” with starting a paramedic certificate and degree programs as well as providing students scholarships.
Judge Ava Raphael and Dr. Irving Raphael will also receive honorary degrees for supporting OCC students; funding the Lillian Slutzker Honors College; and for the naming rights to Shapero Hall in memory of Judge Raphael’s father, Ephraim E. Shapero.
OCC will also award a posthumous honorary degree to registered nurse Mary Porcari Brady. The Mary Porcari Brady Fund financially supports Nursing students at OCC and community colleges across New York State, the school said.
