All Press Releases

Eyes Wide Open: Discover the World from Anywhere

Oakland Community College offers international experiences, education through Virtual Study Abroad and Virtual Exchange Classes As Rachel Marcelli watched an Italian family make pesto in Siena, Italy as part of a Virtual Study Abroad class, it brought back memories of when she was a child watching her mom make the popular Italian dish.

Understanding Juneteenth: History and Continuing Impact

You have likely heard the term "Juneteenth" popping up in conversation over the past few years, and probably saw that it was declared a federal holiday in 2021. However, not everyone knows just what the term refers to or what the holiday commemorates.

OCC Early College Alum Heads to Harvard

It's not often you come across a student who graduated college with two degrees before high school. For Adedoyin Adebayo, a recent graduate of OCC's Oakland Early College (OEC) program, that is just one of several remarkable accomplishments she has achieved at her young age, including her acceptance to Harvard University.

OCC Student Presents at International Conference

Lakisha Dumas of Farmington Hills joined an elite group of students across the globe who were chosen to present papers for the Undergraduate Conference in Philosophy (UCiP) hosted by Eastern Michigan University this spring. Dumas was the only community college student presenting among a field of university students who came from various parts of the country as well as India, Australia and Canada.

OCC Hosts Finals Frenzy Series of Events

It is no secret that finals can be a highly stressful time of year for college students. To combat this stress and empower students to perform their best as they finish up the Fall semester, OCC is hosting Finals Frenzy. This series of events will span the two weeks leading up to final exams, Nov. 29 - Dec. 11.

National Champion in Horse Showmanship Applies Skills as Auto Design Student

Automotive design student, Bailey McCaffrey, considers herself to be a technical person who enjoys challenges. Competition, showcasing top advantages and hard work have led her to numerous championship titles, dually applied as she works toward a career in automotive design engineering.

OCC Giving $14 Million in Federal Emergency Relief Funds Direct to Students

Oakland Community College has a variety of new ways to make it easier for students to access funds and help pay for tuition and educational expenses for the fall semester. In addition to scholarships, financial aid and payment plans, OCC is providing Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) awards to all students registered for classes at OCC this fall.

OCC Offers Personal and Professional Classes in Culinary and Personal Finance

Love to learn and feed your curiosities in a tangible way? Oakland Community College is featuring an expanded series of culinary and personal finance classes for the community this fall. Part of its growing Continuing Education program, the series features opportunities to nourish their inner chef or prosper with greater financially savvy. Early sign up is encouraged. Classes run from September to December.

OCC Foundation raises $240,910 through The Garden Party to support students

During the pandemic, Nelson McDonald lost his job, apartment and car all in the same year. If it weren't for The Garden Party Vocational Scholarship, the OCC student would not have been able to continue taking classes at the College and pursue an associate's degree in Computer Information Systems.

OCC Continues DIA's Inside|Out program

The fall semester at OCC will again feature the energy of students filled with the passion to learn and reach their academic goals. And along with the hustle and bustle on the College's five campuses will be some high-quality art reproductions compliments of the Detroit Institute of Arts to provide some serenity and added beauty as students traverse the campuses.

Experienced Diversity Champion Joins OCC

Kristina M. Marshall, a champion of diversity and inclusion initiatives, has been hired as Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) at Oakland Community College (OCC). She brings a wealth of experience in DEIJ and higher education to the newly created position.

Robotics Technician Training Program Provides New Career Opportunities

Unemployed or underemployed persons interested in pursuing a new post-pandemic career in the robotics industry are invited to apply for a spot in an upcoming training program for programmable logic controller (PLC) and robotics technicians, both of which are in high demand across southeast Michigan

Journey to Success: Empowering Student with Disabilities

Google 'secrets to success for college students with disabilities' and you'll get 'about 77 million results.' But if you ask one local man, he'll narrow down the answer as he shares his own journey to pursue a college education.

OCC Celebrates Class of 2021 Graduates

A Class Like No Other Leads the Way for a Celebration of Equal Proportion After a year like no other, which featured Oakland Community College's first-ever, all-online year of learning, OCC celebrated its Class of 2021 graduates' great achievement with a virtual commencement. This was the second year the event was held virtually, and nearly 1,600 graduates were honored.

OCC Virtual Commencement Reflects Challenges of Unique Year

"Being involved in OCC built my personality and made me the person who I am today. If had to choose again whether I want to attend OCC or go straight to a four-year institution, I would definitely choose OCC again and again." - Razan Alali

Evelyn Chan Receives 2021 Faculty Member of the Year Award

Alliance for Excellence in Online Education honors faculty for teaching excellence during the pandemic. Evelyn Chan understands firsthand the challenges students face with online classes. A few years ago, she enrolled as a graduate student in an online course and has integrated that mode of learning into her own courses to ensure her students' success.

OCC Offers ServSafe Courses on Restaurant Food Safety

The importance of food safety and sanitation techniques has increased greatly in the food-service industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. OCC's Culinary Institute experts are addressing the demand by offering the ServSafe Certification Prep course and exam.

Task Force Reconvenes to Guide Oakland County's Recovery from Pandemic

OCC Chancellor Peter Provenzano, Jr. is part of a respected group of business and community leaders who will advise Oakland County on how to leverage its $244 million share of President Joseph R. Biden's American Rescue Plan (ARP) to bring about short-term recovery and long-term transformation.

OCC Receives National Award for Budget and Financial Planning

Going above and beyond. Knowing your values and sticking to them. Hard work and a great team. These are the traits of an award-winning organization and OCC has done it again. This time in the area of budget and finance - key to any organization's operations and ability to manage unexpected challenges.

Pronouns are Starting to Pop Up Everywhere

You may see them listed in student or colleague email signatures. You'll often find them in social media bios. And, in some cases, students and coworkers may be sharing their pronouns when introducing themselves in person, online or on the phone.

OCC Student Recycles Chip Bags into Blankets for Homeless

Indulging in Skinny Pop, Cheetos or Tostitos? OCC student Eradajere Oleita has a simple wish: Eat until your heart's content but don't trash those chip bags. Instead help repurpose them into blankets for Detroit-area homeless.

OCC Faculty Create At-Home Lab Kits for Student Experiments

Why are chemists so great at solving problems? Because they have all the "solutions." Teaching Chemistry labs online during the pandemic was the problem at hand and it required research, teamwork and flexibility to bring the subject to life. OCC Chemistry faculty member Katelyn Cottone was determined to find a solution through ingenuity, trial and error, and persistence.

OCC Launches "My Safety" Webpage and New Public Safety App

OCC campuses are amongst the safest in Michigan, and the recently released Clery Annual Security Report 2020 echo's OCC's continued commitment to safety for our students, employees and community. One critical piece to continue this safe-campus success is our College community's commitment to staying informed and involved in the safety process, online and on campus.

Two OCC Students Chosen as Semifinalists for Prestigious Scholarship

Oakland Community College students and human rights activists, Tala Alahmar and Yuliia Lane, have joined an elite group of students across the nation as semifinalists for the highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. They were chosen from a pool of over 1,500 applicants attending 398 community colleges across the country.

OCC Wins Regional Graphic Design Award for Excellence

OCC's Marketing & Communications team won a Silver Medallion Award for design excellence for the 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR). This is the second award for the publication produced in partnership with the College's Financial Services team.

OCC Names 2020, 2021 Diversity Champions

Bill Konkolesky, Academic Support Center Paraprofessional, and Beverly Stanbrough, Dean of College Readiness, recognized by colleagues for their advocacy and leadership

Tips to Beat Procrastination

Do you put the "pro" in procrastinate? Was "manage time more effectively" one of your New Year's resolutions? If you recognize yourself in this, you're not alone. Procrastination is ignoring its own delayed advice as it takes a front seat in this pandemic.

OCC Hosts Series of Virtual Events Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Oakland Community College (OCC) is no stranger to virtual events, having successfully migrated expert speaker series and even recruiting fairs to a remote format. This expertise, combined with OCC's continued commitment to honoring and promoting diversity in our community, is the perfect formula to kick off 2021 with a week-long, meaningful virtual celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coffee with an Admission Coordinator

Zoom Sessions Scheduled January 4 - 8 OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan - Jan. 4, 2021 - OCC students with last-minute questions about the application and pre-registration process for Winter semester are encouraged to fill their cup and drop in to one of the "Coffee with an Admissions Coordinator" Zoom sessions scheduled for the week of January 4.

Future OCC Culinary Student Takes Top Honors in Baking Competition

Mix equal parts preparation, performance and perseverance. Add a pinch of resolve and you'll have the recipe that helped future OCC student Natalia Shaffer rise to Baking & Pastry Champion for the second consecutive year in the SkillsUSA Michigan Commercial Baking Competition. Shaffer's prize includes a $1000 scholarship from The Garden Party Foundation.

OCC Culinary Program Launches OCC to GO

In keeping with the trend towards restaurant take-out as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, OCC's Culinary Studies Institute is launching its own lunchtime curbside pick-up service--OCC to GO--every Wednesday, featuring delicious meals prepared by students in the Culinary program.

Application Deadline Nears For Fall OCC Scholarships

While college students are adapting to the uncertainties of the fall semester nationwide, OCC students can count on the college's remote and online learning formats - and, the opportunity to apply for nearly 300 academic scholarships worth more than $325,000 to help them achieve their educational goals.

OCC Culinary Institute Chefs Feed Hot, Healthy Lunch to 175 People in Need

The need to help fight hunger in Oakland County has only increased with the recent pandemic, and the chefs from OCC's Culinary Institute knew they had the resources to help feed those in need. So they cooked a healthy hot lunch in the College's instructional kitchens and transported it to the Baldwin Center in Pontiac. There, they prepared 175 grab-and-go lunches for people in need as part of Baldwin's "Feed the Need" program.

OCC Student Announces 31st Pick at National NFL360 Draft

The NFL Draft is one of the most popular events to watch each year, but this year it took on a different meaning for OCC student Sana Ishaqsei, her team members and coach. Ishaqsei was one of 32 students from colleges and universities across the country selected to participate in the inaugural NFL360 Women's Empowerment Draft.

OCC Honor Society Students Elected to International, Regional Posts

Three OCC students are joining an elite group of student leaders in the upcoming academic year. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society membership elected Elena Wong, Tala AlAlmar and Yullia Lane to represent them at the international, regional and state levels respectively.

Ten OCC Students Honored for Research Writing

Writing a research paper involves curiosity, discernment, and the ability to advocate a position using information sourced from books, articles, and interviews. It is a skill, and like all skills, requires practice. Those research paper "skills" were taken into account by judges who chose the winners of OCC's inaugural Outstanding Research Paper Award Competition.

Message to College Community Concerning Recent Events

As a nation and community we are hurting. People across the country are responding to the inhumane killing of George Floyd, and the historic issue of racial injustice. Our hearts break for the family of George Floyd, and the families of countless others whose lives have ended too soon due to race-related violence. The anger and civil unrest bring to mind a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

Eligible OCC Students to Benefit from CARES Act Emergency Grants

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by Congress and signed into law in March 2020, provides $3,737,183 in direct student funds for OCC to distribute in the form of emergency grants. This money covers student expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the Coronavirus; including eligible expenses under a student's cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care. On Thursday, May 21, 2020, OCC launched its plan to quickly and equitably distribute the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants, following the approval of a Certification and Agreement form earlier filed with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for funding.

OCC Faculty Member Elected President of State-Wide Math Association

Mathematicians are known to be inquisitive, detail-oriented and organized. Math leaders are also said to be creative and good at handling stress. With these traits in hand, it's easy to sum up the leadership choice of Julie Gunkelman as president of the Michigan affiliate of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, MichMATYC.

Application Deadline Extended for OCC's Chancellor's Scholarship

The consequences of the COVID-19 health crisis has greatly impacted Oakland County's graduating high school seniors, and Oakland Community College has extended the application deadline for a special scholarship that can help support their future academic dreams.

OCC Student Athlete Steadfast in Crisis, Advancing His Dream

The path to achieve your dream is sometimes winding, with unanticipated obstacles along the way. Many people may resent those twists and turns, but OCC student athlete Lonnell Martin considers them an opportunity to learn and grow.

Seven Tips to Help Students Put the Chill on Colds, Flu and Seasonal Sickness

Your great, great grandma may suggest wrapping half an onion around your neck with a sweaty sock, or covering your chest with raw bacon and gauze to help ward off colds and flu, but Mary Miles, OCC dean of health professions, offers a set of more practical and proven suggestions to keep high school and college students healthy this winter.

OCC Launches Virtual Maps and Tours

Finding the right building or the best place to park on a college campus can be challenging, especially for new students and visitors. OCC has made it easier with Virtual Tours and Maps.

OCC Initiative Ensures Students Receive the Degrees They Earned

Earning a college degree can be one of the greatest achievements of a person's life. But colleges nationwide are finding that many students who complete the requirements aren't taking the steps needed to be awarded the official degree. They are among students known as the "some college, no degree" population, and according to a recent publication by the National Student Clearinghouse, there are more than 1 million of these students in Michigan

Lynn Cherry Named Associate Academic Dean of Health Professions

Lynn Cherry brings an extensive background in healthcare education, staff development clinical experience and patient care to her new role as Oakland Community College's associate academic dean of health professions. She joins the College from Beaumont Health, where she specialized in nursing professional development education.

7 Safety Tips Before Using Your Fireplace this Season

Now that the weather is charging full speed into winter, the fireplace season is heating up and many homeowners are lighting real or gas logs for the first time since spring. But before you gather the family around the fireplace, you should make sure it is not going to be a fire hazard.

OCC Event and Catering Management class gives culinary students practical experience

If you have ever planned a holiday party, you know the amount of work it takes to ensure it comes off without a hitch. Now take that party and add theme decorations; creative menu planning including themed and five-star options; specialty cocktails; and staffing servers for 100 people and you now have the basis of a unique class taught at OCC's Culinary Studies Institute.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Students Take First, Third at "SonoBowl"

Unparalleled teamwork, professional case study presentation, expert "phantom" patient exams, a bit of creativity, and a smooth slide of the transducer earned eight OCC students two podium finishes at the inaugural, regional SonoBowl hosted by Henry Ford Hospital.

Homeland Security Symposium at OCC

With new and emerging domestic terrorism threats becoming more sophisticated, first responders need to be at the forefront of detecting and reacting to these threats to keep our communities safe.

Tom Kimble Joins OCC Foundation Board

The Oakland Community College Foundation has added another key community stakeholder to its leadership as Tom E. Kimble joins its 11-person Board of Directors.

OCC Seeks Millage Renewal on November 5 Ballot

On Tuesday, November 5, Oakland Community College (OCC) will have a millage renewal proposal on the ballot that will not increase the local tax rate above current levels. The millage would allow the College to continue to provide relevant educational opportunities that meet the needs of our community.

OCC Hosts a Conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Oct. 22

An inspiring, first-hand story of how a Flint doctor was at the forefront of discovery that children in Flint, Mich. were exposed to lead in their tap water will be shared at a free event for community, students and employees of Oakland Community College.

Dr. M. Cathey Maze - "Notable Women in Education Leadership"

OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan - At colleges and universities across Michigan, notable women are the leaders who are building the state's future through higher education. These women are using their passion for education to empower others to advocate for excellence, community impact and student success.

HLC Reaffirms OCC's Accreditation

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich.--Sept. 17, 2019 - The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the top organizations in the country that accredits colleges and universities, has reaffirmed accreditation of Oakland Community College through 2028-2029.

Mary Miles, Ed.D, Named Dean of Health Professions

Oakland Community College has elevated Mary Miles, Ed.D. to dean of health professions, from her previous role as associate dean. In this capacity, Dr. Miles will provide administrative oversight and leadership for all 10 of OCC's popular health professions programs.

OCC Grad Helps Children Facing Surgery

OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan -A trip to Israel to attend a cousin's wedding set the stage for a recent OCC graduate to ignite her own passions. Leia Serlin, of West Bloomfield, Mich., loved her experience in Israel so much that she vowed to go back and "do something good."

OCC Day at Arts, Beats & Eats

OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan-- OCC students and employees with a valid OCC ID will be given free admission to Arts Beats & Eats on Saturday, August 31 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking for students and employees is also available in OCC's north parking structure on the Royal Oak Campus during OCC Day on a first-come, first-served basis.

2019 Chancellor's Scholarship

With the start of fall term right around the corner, 67 recent Oakland County high school graduates will get some help in paying college costs. Each was awarded a $3,500 Chancellor's scholarship to cover their first academic year at Oakland Community College.

Dr. Kim Davis named Diversity Champion

The College's committee for diversity and inclusion awarded Davis, associate dean for communications arts and humanities, the title of 2019 Diversity Champion.

RAINN Day set for April 4

OCC's annual daylong event to raise awareness of sexual violence on college campuses is set for noon to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 4, in Farmington Hills.

MAN'S NEW BEST FRIEND

Hohauser, 6, has stage IV neuroblastoma, and is a big fan of firetrucks, police officers and, especially, police dogs.

XTRA SPECIAL: OCC student Indigo Buikema succeeds against all odds

Buikema, 23, of Rochester Hills, Mich., is expected to graduate in May 2019 with an associate's degree in Library Technical Services. That's epic for someone who has FXS, which is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities.

OCC first in state to launch 'Tweet-a-day' outdoor campaign

On the heels of launching Michigan's first co-branded billboard campaign with Oakland University and first comprehensive academic program billboard campaign, Oakland Community College is looking to make history again - and possibly change how others view digital outdoor.

Bring on the ice!

Equipped with chainsaws and the title of National Ice Carving Champions for 10 of the last 11 seasons, OCC Ice Carving Team sharpens their competitive edge this weekend at the Plymouth Ice Festival.

OCC Culinary Community Events - Travel the World with our Student Chefs!

From Detroit to France and everywhere in between, allow our student chefs to take you on a delectable journey around the world with this seasons culinary events. Oakland Community College's (OCC) award-winning Culinary Studies Institute continues its lineup of events open to the community. Join the College's aspiring chefs for an incredible dining experience and enjoy the best in food and service.