Transfer Student Profile: Josie Westmiller '22

student receiving diploma and a flower during a graduation ceremony.

From Tragedy to Triumph: My SUNY Journey from CCC to Brockport

Overcoming Adversity
Throughout my lifetime there was never any doubt that I would attend college. That was until August of 2018, two weeks before the start of my junior year of high school, when I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm while playing soccer. At the age of 16 I had to undergo emergency brain surgery and overall a significant hardship that has changed my life forever. Even though there was a chance my life could have ended at a young age the one thing I worried about most was getting the chance to attend college. At that point in my life college felt completely out of reach but I was determined more than ever to persevere and become a first-generation college student. During my senior year of high school, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. This occurred right at the time I was deciding which college I wanted to attend. Attending a SUNY college was the best option due to financial circumstances. I wanted to stay close to home and was familiar with the town of Corning and CCC. With affordable tuition and housing, financial assistance, small class sizes, great advisors, and a small campus I knew that CCC would be a great start for my undergraduate studies.

Advocate for Human Rights, Reproductive Healthcare, and Marginalized Communities
During my time at CCC I completed my associate degree in liberal arts. After graduating from CCC in 2022 I transferred to SUNY Brockport where I am currently a senior majoring in Women’s & Gender Studies with minors in Sociology and English. I will be attending graduate school in the fall of 2024 to get my master's degree in social work. I have always been passionate about advocating for human rights, reproductive healthcare, and marginalized communities. My main career goals are to work for a non-profit organization, specifically Planned Parenthood - educating people and advocating for those who are unable to. I hope to work within the Corning community and come back to CCC one day to begin a career as a professor.

Why I Chose SUNY Brockport and My Transfer Experience
I chose SUNY Brockport because it’s not too far from my hometown, Newfield NY (and Corning of course). The campus is nice and small and I knew a few people who had attended SUNY Brockport in the past. Transferring from CCC was a smooth transition for me when it came to transferring credits, choosing a major, and getting adapted to my classes. I did struggle getting adjusted to campus life at Brockport as I missed the family atmosphere at CCC, my friends, the faculty and staff, and the campus.

How Campus Involvement at SUNY CCC Prepared Me for Life at Brockport and Beyond
So far I have had a great experience at SUNY Brockport and have excelled academically. I got inducted into the Triota-Women’s & Gender Studies Honor Society and made the Dean's List for the first time in my college career. Being a first-generation college student and brain aneurysm survivor, these were big accomplishments. My success at SUNY Brockport wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for my start at CCC. During my time at CCC I was a residential assistant, secretary of the Student Association Executive Board, and a worker in the Student Life office. My involvement on campus and the classes I took provided me with great social skills, diversity and an inclusive environment, life-long friendships, and overall made me a better student and person. All of this helped prepare me for my transfer to SUNY Brockport and has given me skills to take into my future career. Something I would like CCC students to know is to never give up on your goals and dreams even if hardships occur, your journey may look different and take longer than others but you will get there. If you are a first-generation college student, I am proud of you, keep going!