Association of Retired Personnel
A Message to the OCCARP Membership
This year Oakland Community College celebrates a particularly memorable milestone
– the 60th anniversary of OCC’s opening semester.
As a graduate of a community college sixty-five years ago, I was familiar with their
benefits. Upon completing my graduate degree in 1966, community colleges were opening
at a rate of one per week including OCC.
Having graduated from a community college, with an undergraduate degree in education,
graduate degree in Hotel Management, and residing in Oakland County, it was only natural
for me to apply for a position at Oakland in 1966 as an instructor in Food Service
Technology.
During the past 60 years many of the retired faculty and staff have different stories
and reasons why they chose OCC as their place of employment.
Now that our period of service is completed, the OCC retiree’s organization is an
excellent way to maintain ties with old friends and the College.
Thanks to the support of Vice Chancellor Christina Ayar, Executive Director of the
OCC Foundation, our newsletter continues to be sent every month keeping us in touch.
For those who remain in the area, OCCARP continues to maintain its schedule of enjoyable
group activities. This year for example we are planning a lunch at the new Seasoned
Oak Restaurant located in the new OCC Culinary Institute building on the Royal Oak
Campus, “Million Dollar Man” at Meadowbrook Theatre, Mental Health First Aid training,
Pewabic Pottery Tour, Annual Picnic in June, and the annual Holiday Luncheon.
I would like to draw your attention to the directory in the middle of the Handbook,
which contains members’ home addresses, enabling you to contact old colleagues and
friends outside the scheduled get togethers.
As an association we continue to support students and in December, $2,000 was donated
to the scholarship fund. Since 1994 OCCARP has donated over $28,000, sponsoring 55
students.
As a member you and your spouse still have a tuition waiver for one class each semester
and/or personal Enrichment and Professional Development money for yourself to explore
your creative side, pick a new hobby, dive into a craft, or enroll in a course through
your community’s senior citizens organization. All of this for a mere $18 a year.
As I begin my nineteenth year as OCCARP Board Chair, I want to say that it has been
a privilege and honor to serve. Thank you for your confidence and support.
On behalf of my fellow Board members, I wish all OCCARP members and their families
health and happiness for the coming year.
Bob Zemke
OCCARP Board Chair