Eight Oakland Community College students won prizes ranging from $1,000 in cash to $200 gift certificates in the 2007-2008 OCC Student Essay Contest.  The annual competition is jointly sponsored by the college’s Foundation, Student Life Committee, Student Outcomes Assessment Committee and Office of Assessment and Effectiveness.

The theme set for this year’s contest centered around the priorities facing the United States as a member of the global community.  Specifically, it asked “…if you were elected president of the U.S., what global priority would you set for the country, (and) if your priority is met, what impact would there be on other countries?”  Ninety-six papers were submitted.

OCC Essay Evaluation Committee members were pleased with the number of responses the contest drew.  Said Bob Lamphear, a member of the Highland Lakes Campus English faculty who served as faculty chair of the committee, “It’s exciting to see so many students take an interest in the competition.  Certainly, the prize money helps, but I think it’s also reflective of our students’ increasing interest in global issues.”

The contest winners and their prizes are: 

·        Anne Rivard, first place - $1,000.  A resident of Royal Oak, Ms. Rivard is completing the landscape design program at the Auburn Hills Campus.

·        Shaunetta Stokes, second place - $500.  A resident of Southfield, Ms. Stokes will graduate this December with an associate degree in business administration and a concentration in accounting.  She attends the Royal Oak Campus.

·        Kris El-Chemor, third place - $250.  A resident of Hazel park, Ms. El-Chemor is working towards her associate degree in surgical technology at the Southfield Campus.

Each of the following five students won “honorable mentions” and a $200 gift certificate.

·        Angie Baan Aoudi of Royal Oak is a student at the Royal Oak Campus.  She is taking classes for transfer to Wayne State University where she will study photography and journalism.

·        Andrew Klenke of Farmington Hills is a student at the Orchard Ridge Campus who will transfer to Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute.

·        Sonja Schnecker of Waterford is completing her associate degree in business administration at the Highland Lakes Campus.

·        August Sutton of Commerce Township is majoring in English at the Highland Lakes Campus.

·        Patricia Thompson of Bloomfield is an Oakland University guest student at the Highland Lakes Campus who plans to complete a nursing degree at OU.  After that she will return to OCC to pursue a degree in art.

      For further information call OCC Director of Assessment and Effectiveness Martin Orlowski at (248) 522-3882.

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