“I knew an SU degree would make a big difference in my life, but I had a lot of real-world responsibilities standing in my way.”

When Sinclair Houtman started college in 1972, he thought he’d complete his degree just a few years later. Thirty five years passed before that dream was realized, and the long wait made it all the more special. “I dropped out of college in 1975, but promised myself—and my mother—that I would return and get my degree,” he recalls. “I knew that having a degree could improve my life by letting me do things that are valuable to me.”

Sinclair’s detour took him on a path that ended up being very fulfilling—he became a police officer and works as a detective for the Syracuse Police Department. Many years were spent working hard while he and his wife raised two children, and somehow, there never seemed to be enough time for that return to college. “I knew an SU degree would make a big difference in my life, but I had a lot of real-world responsibilities standing in my way,” he recalls. “But responsibilities in life will always be there. You have to look beyond everyday life. You have to push yourself, and strive for your goals in life.”

It was this philosophy that lured Sinclair back to college, as a part-time student at University College. It wasn’t easy, but he found that UC’s flexible formats, along with helpful academic advisors, made it possible to take courses that interested him without putting his work and family life on hold. Sinclair’s degree was the fulfillment of a dream for him, and he hopes it might inspire others to follow the same path. “I am a role model for some of the staff and students at Danforth Middle School, where I am assigned as a school resource officer. Now that I have a degree, I pray that it will inspire not only people my own age, but younger people who need to follow their dream.”

"Our paths led to Syracuse University. Now we lead others."
Sisters and members of the Onondaga turtle clan, Freida Jacques and Stephanie Waterman lead by reaching back: to history, to the Onondaga Nation, to Native American students following the paths they once walked. It is no coincidence that the word liaison describes both their careers. Both sisters worked at SU while earning degrees part time through University College.

Freida has always worked directly with people. She believes that SU gave her a solid background to build her skills as a bridge and ambassador for the Onondaga Nation School and its neighboring community. Stephanie temporarily left SU's staff to enroll in a doctoral program. Her dissertation focused on the Haudenosaunee college experience. Now she is a Faculty Associate in the School of Education, and works part time with the Native Student Program, a new initiative to support SU's Haudenosaunee students. She also serves as "runner" or liaison for the Onondaga Nation with Syracuse University.

For Freida and Stephanie, an SU degree started a journey of discovery. Now they help others find their way.

"Earning my SU degree gave me the confidence to explore new opportunities."
Jim Barrett was a newlywed with an associate degree from OCC when he arrived at University College in 1974. Nancy Gelling was his advisor at University College. In addition to advising him on what classes to take, she found a tutor to help him conquer calculus and encouraged him through statistics. He took two courses each semester—including summers— while working full time at Smith Corona in order to graduate in four years.

"Attending SU part time allowed me to continue working and to meet colleagues who shared the same vision, earning my degree and becoming more valuable to my employer. Saying that I earned my degree at SU gave me the confidence to explore new opportunities. I was better able to adapt to change and use my degree to become more marketable," he says.

After graduation, Jim went to work as credit manager for GTE. His cousin, Dr. John Michaels, encouraged him to think about a career in medical office management. As a result, he became the administrator for Orthopaedic Associates of Central New York in 1997.This new career prompted him to earn an online master's degree in health care administration from RIT in 2001. His thesis was a study of patient satisfaction. That was also the topic of a required paper that, with a rigorous exam, qualified him as a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE), one of just 400 of the ACMPE's 3000 members to hold this designation.

He is also president-elect of the New York chapter of the Medical Group Managers Association (MGMA).

"I am completely changed by what I have learned here."

John Dau fled his native Sudan amid death threats as a twelve-year-old, wandering from one refugee camp to another for years before being brought to the U.S. in 2001 by a humanitarian organization. As one of the "Lost Boys" who survived the years-long, harrowing desert journey, Dau recently gained a measure of celebrity as the subject of a documentary film. God Grew Tired of Us received two major awards at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. National Geographic bought the film and is distributing it. Dau also wrote a book about his experiences, also titled God Grew Tired of Us. National Geographic magazine promoted the book with a photo feature in its January, 2007 issue. In the meantime, Dau travels to different locations to speak to audiences that are inspired and touched by his experiences.

Dau is now living in Syracuse, where he works as a security guard at St. Joseph's Hospital and pursues an SU degree in public affairs through University College. "Coming to this school has become a tool to fixing things in Africa," Dau said. "I am completely changed by what I have learned here." He is combining his African experiences with his classroom knowledge to undertake a significant project—the creation of a health clinic in his native Duk County village. Dau raised the money to build his first clinic, and has plans to build five more. It's a bittersweet task for the lost boy who found a new life in Syracuse, through the kindness of strangers. "I want to work with people at the community level to help others the way I was helped," he said.

"My SU degree prepared me to meet every challenge."
What makes someone a successful leader? Just ask Robin Toia, the Vice President for Community Relations for M&T Bank. "It's not just a degree, or even an attitude," she asserts. "It's the whole experience of learning from the best, with the best, in an environment that shapes and nurtures leaders."

Robin found that a Syracuse University degree encompasses that whole experience. She earned her degree part-time, through University College.  Now she organizes events like the M&T Jazz Festival, the Symphony Pops program, and the American Heart Walk. Robin also oversees neighborhood initiatives like the construction of a huge playground at Southwest Community Center. It came together with money donated by M&T and labor donated by Syracuse University students. "My job is to bring M&T into the community in ways that make a positive difference. It's always interesting and incredibly rewarding," Robin says.   

"My SU degree prepared me to meet every challenge," Robin notes. "My job is multifaceted and people-driven, just like I am. Every day brings a new challenge, because I'm interacting with individuals, groups, businesses, and programs that are essential to the vitality of the community we all value."