For Faiza Akabar ’26, the road back to college wasn't paved with ambition alone. It was built on necessity, resilience and a doctor's visit that changed everything.

A mother, entrepreneur and recent business administration graduate from SUNY Oswego at Syracuse, Akabar's path to her degree has been anything but linear, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

A pause that became a turning point

Akabar began her higher education journey with an associate degree in graphic design before transferring to SUNY Empire State University to pursue her bachelor’s degree. But when the pandemic forced classes online and the Syracuse campus closed, she made the difficult decision to pause her studies.

What followed was one of the most demanding chapters of her life. Working full-time while raising a baby, Akabar stretched herself thin until her body forced her to stop. A diagnosis of anemia became a turning point.

"I realized that if I wanted a sustainable future for my family, I couldn't just work for someone else," she said. "I needed to build something of my own."

Building something of her own

That realization led her to launch a T-shirt business, combining her design background with a growing passion for entrepreneurship. But running a business revealed a new challenge. 

Creativity alone wasn’t enough. She needed strategy.

"I'm not just getting a degree,” she said. “I'm building the engine that will run my business and my future."

"I'm not just getting a degree. I'm building the engine that will run my business and my future."

Why SUNY Oswego at Syracuse

That clarity led her to SUNY Oswego, where the business administration program provided the structure she was looking for and a way to connect real-world experience with formal business strategy.

Just as important was the location.

“Being able to study in Syracuse made it possible to keep building my business while still being there for my family,” she said.

For Akabar, SUNY Oswego’s Syracuse location wasn’t just convenient. It made returning to college possible.

Learning with purpose

In the classroom, Akabar brought a perspective shaped by lived experience. While many students are preparing for life after graduation, she is already balancing that reality as a mother and business owner.

"A lot of students are in the classroom to prepare for life," she said. "Because I'm already a mother and an entrepreneur, I'm in the classroom to improve my life."

That mindset has made her a more intentional student. Each course was filtered through a practical lens, with immediate applications to her business. Time management is no longer just a skill. It’s essential to her well-being. 

Balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship and a full course load isn’t just a logistical challenge. It’s a statement.

Every credit she earned represented progress toward a future she is actively creating.

"Pursuing this degree while balancing motherhood and a business has meant proving to myself and my child that your path doesn't have to be perfect to be successful," she said.

"Pursuing this degree while balancing motherhood and a business has meant proving to myself and my child that your path doesn't have to be perfect to be successful."

A message to adult learners

Akabar hopes her story resonates with other nontraditional students considering a return to college. 

"Your gap years weren't lost time. They were your research and development phase," she said. "The life experience you gained while working, parenting or navigating health challenges has given you a level of grit and perspective that you can't buy."

A path built around real life

Akabar's journey reflects what’s possible when education meets real life. At SUNY Oswego, she found more than a program. She has found a path that fits her goals, responsibilities and future.

For students ready to take the next step, SUNY Oswego offers flexible, career-focused programs designed to meet adult learners where they are, including in Syracuse. 

– Written by Cristina Kaplan, Class of 2026