Exceptional students come in many forms, and college and university professors have met their fair share. And sometimes a community college is just what a high-achieving, young intellect needs to mature and prepare for a large, competitive university. 

Eighteen-year-old Emily Fry embodies this truth. She is recognized as exceptionally bright – some even say gifted. She also is driven, delightfully curious, emotionally mature and refreshingly humble according to OCC Academic Support Center Faculty Member Rosalind Reaves. 

Her story highlights how the right environment can unlock limitless potential. 

Primarily homeschooled by her mother—who was born in Ukraine and later immigrated to the U.S. from Russia—Emily was given the flexibility to learn at her own pace and explore a wide range of academic interests. Her homeschooling also allowed her to dedicate time to a deep passion: competitive ballet. 

At just 14 years old, Emily began taking classes at Oakland Community College’s (OCC) Royal Oak and Auburn Hills campuses, where she experienced a traditional classroom setting for the first time. Her new classes fueled her passion for learning, gave her valuable exposure to college-level academics, and provided Emily an opportunity to learn alongside a diverse group of students in a small, collaborative environment where she also earned college credits. 

“My love of ballet gave me a way to socialize and grow outside of academics,” explained Emily. “I danced all through high school, traveled a lot for competitions, and even attended ballet boarding school. A big part of why I decided to stay homeschooled through high school was so I could have the flexibility to practice for several hours a day." 

In addition to dancing, Emily took on leadership roles at OCC, serving as president of student government and an officer of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.  

“Those experiences really helped me develop my leadership skills. I’m so grateful for what OCC has done for me and the opportunities I’ve had to help me grow emotionally and academically. I’ve had a really good taste of what college is like and how to study for higher-level classes.” 

Helping Others Succeed Through OCC’s Academic Support Center 

At OCC’s Academic Support Center (ASC), students benefit from a variety of services, including tutoring, study skills workshops, college success seminars, and Supplemental Instruction (SI)—a peer-led support program for traditionally difficult courses. SI sessions are generally held one hour before class where SI instructors work with students to make content more accessible to them.  

Emily’s OCC math instructor quickly recognized her strong math proficiency, emotional maturity, and eagerness to help others. The instructor recommended her for a paid SI position in the ASC to help students who struggle with high level math courses like trigonometry.  

“Because an SI instructor is a paid position at OCC, Emily had to wait until she was 15 to participate,” said Reaves. “We interviewed and vetted Emily for a host of qualities, including aptitude and emotional maturity. She hit on all cylinders. Emily was the youngest SI leader on record at OCC and in the state of Michigan.”  

Reaves added that more than half of Emily’s math class attended her SI sessions, a testament to her knack for explaining difficult concepts and engaging students at different skill levels. 

As an SI instructor, Emily helped students in their 20s with classes from College Algebra to Calculus 2.  

"Some of the older students probably were wondering, ‘who is this young girl with braces on her teeth helping me understand calculus? But they didn’t seem to care about my age because I provided value and helped them learn math,” said Emily. 

Ready for what’s next 

Emily graduated in May with an Associate Degree in Arts. She was accepted by several top-tier universities and ultimately chose her dream school, Stanford University in California. There, she is planning to study Symbolic Systems, a mix of neuroscience, computer science, psychology, and philosophy. 

“This degree will prepare me for a variety of paths,” she said. “I may want to do research or even get involved in the local start up scene.” 

No matter where her path leads, one thing is clear: the sky’s the limit for Emily Fry. 

About OCC 

Celebrating 60 years, Oakland Community College (OCC) has educated over one million students since 1965. OCC offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs and is committed to student success with affordable tuition, support services, flexible class options and top transfer opportunities. The College serves more than 20,000 students annually while advancing our community through education, training and career support. OCC is nationally recognized as Michigan’s top online college, and seventh in the U.S., by Newsweek’s  America’s Top Online Colleges 2025. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.     

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