ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Onondaga Community College (OCC) will use a $1 million donation from Eric Allyn for the creation of the Meg O’Connell Center for Social Justice and Community Impact.
O’Connell — wife of Eric Allyn — is OCC’s former interim president and a former chair of the school’s board of trustees. Allyn is a member of the family that previously owned Welch Allyn, the medical-products manufacturer in Skaneateles Falls.
The Meg O’Connell Center for Social Justice and Community Impact will provide support for students in volunteer and service-learning opportunities, OCC said. Through these opportunities, undergraduate students will support local efforts, gain work experience, and “use their expertise to improve our community.”
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The program will have a group of 20 students each year. Students will receive a stipend and additional programming. The stipend will help fill in the financial gap from lost wages while students volunteer or perform service-learning, as 80 percent of OCC’s students work 30 hours a week or more, the school noted. Since the vast majority of OCC graduates remain in Central New York, developing their leadership skills is “key to the region’s future,” it added.
“Meg O’Connell’s commitment to improve lives through her service to the entire Central New York community is an inspiration to all of us. Her contributions here leading our Board of Trustees and as interim president played a critical role in the College’s success,” Casey Crabill, president of Onondaga Community College, said. “The support of Eric Allyn with today’s gift ensures future students will benefit in her name as they become the community leaders of tomorrow.”
About O’Connell
Margaret (Meg) O’Connell has a lengthy and distinguished career of community leadership. She served as interim president of OCC from 2012-2013, prior to the hiring of Casey Crabill, the school’s current president. She was also chair of OCC’s board of trustees from 2010-2012 and from 2013-2015.
O’Connell is currently executive director of the Allyn Family Foundation and leader of the Syracuse Urban Partnership, which constructed and operates the building at 484 South Salina St., where the Salt City Market is located along with a grocery store, offices, and mixed-income apartments.
Other organizations she has contributed her time and expertise to include Blueprint 15, the Early Childhood Alliance, ABC Cayuga Play Space, Work Train, CenterState CEO, Syracuse 20/20, Friends of the Central Library, Skaneateles Library Association, Wells College, Planned Parenthood of Rochester/Syracuse, and the Skaneateles Central School District Board of Education.
“With this generous gift from my husband of 35 wonderful years, OCC will be able to continue to provide opportunities for its students to become the future leaders of our community — and I couldn’t be more honored and proud to be a part of it,” O’Connell said.
