Tompkins Cortland Community College is home for Janita Moricette. She first felt the connection as a student, and it only deepened when she came back to work in several different capacities. Now a member of the faculty, she is part of what makes TC3 such a special place.

Moricette came to Dryden from the Bronx. “I had family members attending colleges in upstate, and being part of a close-knit family, I naturally began exploring schools in the region,” said Moricette. “TC3 was the only community college I visited, but it was all I needed to see. From the moment I stepped on campus, I realized I didn’t want to attend a large institution where I’d just be another number. The warm welcome my mother and I received made it feel like an extended family, which was exactly what I needed at that time.” By the end of her first visit, she knew this was the right place for her.

What she didn’t know was that many years later, she’d still feel that way. “I chose to work at TC3 because it was the place where I discovered my career path and gained clarity on my future,” said Moricette. While working at TC3, already making a difference in the lives of hundreds of students, she went back to school so she could take the next step – joining the faculty. Now she can share what she has learned with current students. But don’t be fooled – she may be in front of the class, but she is still learning, just like her students. 

“Authenticity is something my students can sense from a mile away. If I want to reach them and teach them, I have to first meet them where they are, and that begins with being genuine in my approach,” she said. “Every day, I learn from my students because I make a point to ask questions, to speak with them, not at them, and to ensure they know what it feels like to be seen and heard.”

Janita Moricette
Assistant Professor of Business
Tompkins Cortland Community College; A.S. - Liberal Arts and Sciences: General Studies, A.S. - Sport Management
SUNY Empire State; B.S. - Business Management and Economics (marketing minor)
University of Massachusetts Amherst; M.B.A. - Business Administration

In her own words
Why did you want to work at TC3?
I felt a strong desire to give back to the institution that played such a pivotal role in shaping who I am today. As a lifelong learner, I knew that working in higher education would be an environment where I could thrive. One day, I made up my mind that I wanted to work in higher education, and I decided the best place to start was my alma mater, TC3. Determined to make it happen, I began with a summer job as an Office Assistant in Residential Life and the rest is HERstory (also known as history). It gave me the opportunity to give back in a space where I believe it mattered. My goal was to offer that same sense of belonging and support to students, especially those who share my background and experiences. By doing so, I knew I was in the right place, fulfilling my purpose. In essence, I became the change I always wanted to see.

What do you like best about working at TC3?
What I love most about working at TC3 is the strong sense of family. When you think about it, we often spend more time with students and colleagues than we do with our own families. The fact that we, as a higher education institution, create an environment where students truly feel at home is invaluable. However, the students are my true 'WHY.' As much as I enjoy working at TC3, it is the students who inspire me to show up every day. Having once been in their shoes, it’s deeply meaningful to now be able to educate them in the same classrooms where I once sat as a student. There weren’t professors who looked like me, spoke like me, or shared my background when I attended TC3, so being able to teach such a diverse population of students from all walks of life is incredibly powerful. I approach my work with a deep sense of pride every day, and it is truly an honor to serve and contribute in any and every role I have held at TC3.

How would you describe your best students - what characteristics do they share?
My best students are proactive and they are self-motivated, driven by their own goals, and take full responsibility for their education. These students also possess a growth mindset and actively engage in their learning, which is essential for success at the college level. They demonstrate a strong work ethic, paired with curiosity and focus. What sets these students apart is their combination of academic, personal, and interpersonal qualities that contribute to their overall success. This blend of traits not only enables them to excel academically but also equips them with valuable life skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.

What have you learned from your students?
The real question is, what haven’t I learned from my students? One of the greatest lessons they’ve taught me is to trust myself and never conform. For every person who doubted my ability to become a professor—questioning how a woman of color, part of the LGBTQIA community, and from New York City could be both capable and successful—my students have proven that being authentically myself is not only influential and powerful, but it’s also the best thing I can do for both them and myself. They have taught me to trust in the work I’ve put in, to believe in the woman I was raised to be by my single, hard-working mother, and to be confident in my own skin because that woman is, indeed, a powerhouse of a professor.

There is incredible power in making someone feel truly acknowledged, and my students have shown me just how transformative that can be. These are just a few of the instrumental lessons they’ve taught me, and I continue to relish in learning from them every day.