OCC retiree Dennis Fiems walked around tables lined with archived photos of campus events, buildings and employees before spotting a familiar face in one of the photos. The charter faculty member recognized Richard Thompson, OCC’s sixth chancellor, who served from 1996 to 2003.
Fiems was one of several retirees who gathered this summer at the Auburn Hills campus to “Reconnect and Remember” and help the OCC Archives identify people, places and dates in the College’s collection of historical photographs.
“I spent 42 years of my life at OCC,” said Fiems, who taught world civilization for most of his career. “As an original faculty member, we really helped build and shape the institution. We didn’t have any traditions or a guidebook to operate under—we helped create and evolve these. Our hearts are in the institution.”
The effort to identify photographs is instrumental to OCC Records Manager and Archivist Elizabeth Green, who says these insights provide meaningful historical connections. She emphasized the importance of including retirees in the archival process.
“I wanted to involve our retirees as they bring a wealth of knowledge—not only did they witness our history, they helped shape it, and build the foundation of the College as we know it today,” she said. “With OCC celebrating its 60th anniversary, this felt like the perfect time to honor their contributions and invite them to share their memories.”
“My mission is to preserve their legacy and ensure their voices are part of OCC’s historical record. It’s my hope that this Reconnect and Remember event is the first of many,” added Green.
Among those who helped to identify photos was Gerald Kelley, a retiree who spent five decades at OCC, primarily as a paraprofessional in the Computer Information Systems Lab at the Auburn Hills campus. Kelley spotted a portrait of Beth McCarter, who worked in the campus’s audio-visual department.
“OCC has been my entire life since high school,” said Kelley. “I took classes the very first September the College opened up—and in some ways, I never left for 51 years.”
Learn more about OCC's College History.
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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