SUNY REOC: Rochester Educational Opportunity Center

REOC was the start of an ongoing pursuit for greater opportunities for Doris Irizarry. A Milwaukee, WI native whose family included ten siblings, a father who was a native of Puerto Rico and a mother who was the daughter of Croatian immigrants, Doris longed to improve herself and provide assistance and service to an underserved population with compassion and empathy. As a single parent, she raised her two daughters and three grandchildren in a faith environment.

Her faith encouraged her to work first as a Community Outreach Worker and then proceed on a mission to Zambia, Africa where she focused on HIV/AIDS education and spiritual belief enhancement.

Doris is currently a Case Manager and Outreach Worker at Ibero American Action League in collaboration with AIDS Community Health Center. Her future educational goals include pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work Education.

Emeterio (Peter) Otero attended the REOC’s Cooperative College Center in the 1970’s. Prior to attending REOC, Peter was employed at Bausch & Lomb. With a GED and a desire to make a career change, he knew that he needed to obtain a college degree to achieve his goals. He took REOC’s College Preparation Courses with the ultimate goal of attending college and completing his degree. While enrolled at the Cooperative College Center, Peter was hired as a recruiter for the school.

Peter continued pursuing his educational goal and graduated with a Bachelors degree from St. John Fisher College, a Masters degree from SUNY Brockport, and a Doctorate degree from the University of Buffalo. He left his position at the REOC to take the position of Assistant Director of Admissions and then Assistant Dean of Admissions at Monroe Community College (MCC). He has since been MCC Damon Center’s Director of Student Services and Dean of Students and is currently the Executive Dean of the Campus.

His community involvements and accomplishments include serving on the Board of Directors for the Monroe County Library, Action for a Better Community (ABC), and the Rochester Downtown Development Association, he is a Trustee for the IBERO Charter School, is the IBEA President, works with IBERO Model Cities program, and is an adjunct teacher in the Counselor Education Program at the College at Brockport.

Genevieve Pedaci was introduced to the REOC Cosmetology Program while searching for a way to actualize a dream she had of opening her own hair salon. Upon graduation, she passed her State Boards to become a licensed cosmetologist. This year, with her husband/business partner Mike, she has achieved her dream by opening her in-home-salon, “Genevieve’s Hair Studio.”

Through this field, she finds an avenue to help, encourage, build people up, listen and to care.

Lee is a testament of determination, motivation and faith. An accident on his job left Lee unable to continue working in his previous career. His training as an athlete for the U.S. Air Force coupled with his strengths, beliefs, and faith helped him to persevere. Refocusing on giving to others shifted his attention “outside himself” as he began coaching soccer and basketball, and volunteered his culinary talents at church fundraisers.

Working closely with his VESID counselor, he determined that in order to maintain and continue on, culinary training was the path to pursue. Through his research, Lee found that REOC culinary training offered a results-driven, applied approach to culinary training.

Since graduation, Lee has been working with All Occasions Catering, and supervises a culinary crew. Lee has become very successful in his culinary endeavors, and is highly recognized in the Rochester community. Determination and attitude are the key elements to Lee’s success as his options and opportunities are blossoming.

Marthenia Goodson graduated from the REOC Medical Secretary Program. While diligently working to become one of the top students in her class, Marthenia worked as a Certified Nurse Assistant, a certification she continues to hold after almost 10 years.

Since graduating, she has worked at Strong Memorial Hospital for the last 6 years and has recently accepted a position as a patient representative at Via Health Vascular Surgery Associates. Now married and a mother of two, Marthenia continues to strive to achieve her goals and serve as a good example for her children.

She continued on in her education with the Genesee Valley BOCES Licensed Practical Nursing Program.