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