FEBRUARY 9 • 2023 | 19

“I give so much 
credit to OCC. 
I couldn’t be 
more grateful.” 

Discover how OCC helped 
Kalie Fishman discover a better 
path and a promising career.

OAKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STAFF
K

alie Fishman always 
thought she knew 
what she wanted to 
do with her life. As she started 
her freshman year in 2018 at 
a college in Detroit, she was 
convinced she’d get a degree in 
journalism and become a news 
anchor. 
“I always saw myself being 
on TV,” remembers Kalie. “But 
I guess I just lost interest.” 
Like most 18 year olds just 
beginning their college path, 
Kalie struggled with deter-
mining not only her major, 
but what her ultimate career 
would be. It was the sort of 
uncertainty that brought with 
it mounting anxiety - so much 
that Kalie decided to leave col-
lege after just one semester. 
“It was a really tough time 
for me,” says Kalie. “I just 
didn’t know what I wanted. So, 
I decided to get some coun-
seling.” 
Her proactive approach to 
her mental health helped Kalie 
in both big and small ways. 
Not only did the therapy help 
her to manage stress more 

effectively, but she also struck 
up a friendship with a woman 
who was a social worker. 
“She really showed me the 
value of social work and how I 
could help people,” says Kalie. 
“I’ve always enjoyed making a 
difference in people’s lives, so 
becoming a social worker defi-
nitely piqued my interest.” 
As Kalie imagined herself as 
a social worker, she began to 
research educational options. 
Because her grandmother, 
mom and sister had all attend-
ed OCC, following in their 
footsteps seemed like a perfect 
fit. 
“The more I looked at my 
educational options, the more 
appealing OCC became for 
so many reasons. The credits 
were super affordable, the 
campus was close to my home 
and I really liked the small 
class sizes,” says Kalie. 
And that wasn’t all. By 
working closely with a coun-
selor at OCC, Kalie learned 
about OCC’s many articula-
tion agreements. This meant 
her credits would easily trans-

fer to many 4-year colleges 
in Michigan. Kalie crunched 
the numbers and realized 
she could save thousands of 
dollars by getting a two-year 
degree at OCC before transfer-
ring to another school to get 
the required master’s degree 
she would need in social work. 
In 2019, Kalie started at 
OCC and graduated in May 
of 2021 with an associate’s 
degree in social work. And she 
couldn’t be happier with her 
experience. 
“I give so much credit to 
OCC,” says Kalie. “The advisors 
and instructors went above 
and beyond to help me both in 
and out of the classroom. The 
free tutoring was great as well 
as so many resources. I’m just 
so grateful.” 

Now getting her mas-
ter’s degree in social work 
at Wayne State University, 
Kalie also works part time as 
a senior youth specialist at 
Common Ground Sanctuary. 
This youth shelter in Royal 
Oak helps runaway and 
homeless teens in Oakland 
County to get the mental and 
emotional support they need 
to overcome life’s toughest 
challenges. 
“I run drug and alcohol 
awareness groups where I get 
to help kids as a mentor,” says 
Kalie. “It’s so heartwarming to 
see them thrive.” 

OAKLAND COMMUNITY 
COLLEGE

oaklandcc.edu/admissions

SPONSORED BY OAKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Learn why OCC is a great place to start your someday. 
Join a campus tour or virtual admission event. Visit 
oaklandcc.edu/getstarted

