OCC Celebration Honors Farmington Area Student Scholarship Winners, Donors

Oakland Community College honored 22 Farmington area students and the Farmington AAUW (American Association of University Women) branch during a Thursday lunch that drew nearly 200 scholarship recipients, donors and family members to the school's Orchard Ridge campus in Farmington Hills. 

In all, 296 students received scholarships during the 2012-2013 academic year. Student speaker Richard Pingle of Beverly Hills said the money he received, raised through the college's annual golf outing, helped him return to school without fear of tremendous debt. 

"This money has given me a chance to focus more on my studies, and less about how I was going to pay the bills," he said. "To say the least, I'm grateful to all the donors." 

Former OCC faculty member Dennis Fiems, who spent 48 years at the school, created a textbook scholarship to honor his late wife. Susan died of cancer shortly after they both retired in 2007. Fiems said the scholarship is a way "to give back to a school that has been very important to me and my family." 

Farmington area students honored included:

• Stacy Martinez, Farmington Hills - AAUW-Birmingham Branch Excellence Award, Anonymous Endowed Scholarship
• Evan Smith, Farmington Hills - AMATYC Math League
• Kristin Gillispie, Farmington - Dr. Nadia Boulos Endowed Scholarship
• Angela Umayam, Farmington Hills - Mark R. Dolan Memorial Endowed Scholarship, The New Horizons through Education Scholarship Fund, OCC Foundation Campus Scholarship
• Svetlana Lishak, Farmington Hills - Susan & Dennis Fiems Textbook Scholarship
• Billy Genterola, Farmington Hills - The Garden Party Annual Scholarship
• Amanda Adamson, Farmington - Michael Golds Annual Scholarship, Michael David Golds Endowed Memorial Scholarship
• Adam Sherman, Farmington Hills - Michael Golds Annual Scholarship, Michael David Golds Endowed Memorial Scholarship
• Kelvin Waites, Farmington Hills - Michael Golds Annual Scholarship
• Carolena Becks, Farmington Hills - Life Without Limits Scholarship, OCC Foundation Campus Scholarship
• Jennifer Ledermann, Farmington Hills - The New Horizons through Education Scholarship Fund, OCC Foundation Campus Scholarship
• Deborah Ploski, Farmington Hills - OCC Faculty Association Campus Scholarship
• Ewa Malysa, Farmington Hills - OCC Foundation Endowed Scholarship
• Olena Semyvolos, Farmington - "Golf for Scholarships" Endowed Scholarship
• Maharshi Luhana, Farmington Hills - Raiders Store Textbook Scholarship
• Kayla Green, Farmington Hills - Mildred C. Storch Endowed Scholarship
• Cameron Luchtel, Farmington Hills - Nathan Warshaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship

OCC culinary students prepared the buffet lunch. The event was hosted by the Oakland Community College Foundation, which was formed in 1979 to receive private contributions from members of the community, corporations, philanthropic foundations and alumni. Gift dollars support scholarships and special programs.