Chancellor King Announces $1.4 Million NYS Grant to Increase Enrollment and Student Success at Dutchess Community College
February 9, 2023
State Investment to Improve Access, Increase Retention, and Boost Completion Rates for Students and Adult Learners
Funding Will Allow Dutchess Community College to Develop Programs Over Time for In-Demand Fields Such as Manufacturing, Transportation, and Logistics in the Hudson Valley and Beyond
Poughkeepsie, NY – To bolster enrollment and build on student success at Dutchess Community College, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. today announced the college has received a $1.4 million state award to improve access, increase retention, and boost enrollment at the college.
The funding will be used to increase outreach to prospective students, provide transportation for students between its three campuses, as well as to develop programs that build microcredentials into certificates and degrees in emerging and high-demand fields – including early childhood education, mechatronics, and cannabis – to prepare for jobs in industries and organizations in the Hudson Valley and beyond. The proposal being funded was submitted by DCC, which also intends to create a ‘one-stop’ center to house all student services and to purchase passenger vans to provide transportation to and from the campus and its three satellite locations.
"Our community colleges continue to be a launching pad for students to obtain a degree or credential affordably, and in many cases, at a place right in their backyard, on their own time," Chancellor King said. "In his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Joe Biden rightly highlighted our nation’s community colleges as engines of opportunity and upward mobility for students and communities. Thanks to the support from Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, and other lawmakers, this investment will help DCC do just that by reaching more students and adult learners in the community, helping them succeed while here, and leaving with a degree in hand."
SUNY Board Trustee Christy Woods said, "Dutchess Community College plays an integral role in this region and in doing so has innovated degree programs and expanded its infrastructure to benefit students with an excellent college education. Over the years, the campus has also expanded its business partnerships to provide a clear path for our students to obtain internships and good paying jobs. With this generous award, the campus will broaden its reach further to help students and adult learners know that there are options for them to get their start."
SUNY Dutchess Community College President said, "We gladly welcome Dr. King back to the Hudson Valley as the new Chancellor of the State University of New York. His passion and commitment to expanding the reach and impact of SUNY is already evident as he gets to know each of our colleges. With these funds, DCC will strengthen existing academic programs and initiatives, and continue to explore innovative ways to help underrepresented and adult students acquire the knowledge and credentials they need to meet the ever-growing workforce skills gap, across our region."
Representative Pat Ryan said, "Supporting our regional community colleges is a top priority of mine in Congress – they drive our local economy and provide upward mobility for students and communities. Dutchess Community College’s innovative degree programs are a shining example of how our community colleges should function, and I am thankful to lawmakers from across New York State for making this grant possible. This funding will improve accessibility, retention, and enrollment, allowing Dutchess Community College to help even more students."
Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, "It is a great pleasure to welcome our new SUNY Chancellor John King to Dutchess Community College and to showcase the college’s innovation aviation program. For six decades DCC has sought to meet the diverse and changing needs of Hudson Valley families, while continuing to enhance quality of life and build community across Dutchess County. I thank Gov. Kathy Hochul and Chancellor King for recognizing and supporting DCC’s efforts to boost enrollment, increase retention and improve accessibility with this significant state funding."
State Senator Rob Rolison said, "This timely investment will allow DCC to reach more prospective students and expand its considerable menu of options to focus on the Hudson Valley's in-demand fields. I am grateful to Governor Hochul, Chancellor King and others who have worked to make this state award a reality for current and future learners in our region."
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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