Chancellor King Continues SUNY Reconnect Tour with Visit to Mohawk Valley Community College

June 24, 2026

Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect Program Provides Free Community College Tuition, Fees, Books, and Supplies for Eligible Adult Learners in High-Demand Fields

Visit Highlights Mohawk Valley Community College's Mechatronics and Health Information Technology Programs

Utica, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today visited Mohawk Valley Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour. Chancellor King has been visiting SUNY community colleges throughout the state to promote New York's free community college program for adult learners, which officially began at the start of Fall 2025. Under Governor Kathy Hochul's SUNY Reconnect initiative, New York State is providing free tuition, fees, books, and supplies for adults ages 25-55 who don't already have a college degree and want to pursue an associate degree in high-demand fields.

"SUNY Reconnect is empowering adult learners throughout the state to transform their lives by pursuing degrees in high-demand fields," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Campuses like Mohawk Valley Community College serve as engines of upward mobility for all New Yorkers, and I applaud the campus for its excellent course offerings and support of SUNY's adult learners. Through the leadership of Governor Hochul and the SUNY Board of Trustees, we are able to unleash New Yorkers' potential and empower them to earn an affordable, excellent higher education that prepares them for upward mobility."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "The SUNY Reconnect program has made the educational dreams of adult learners a reality by increasing access to higher education. We thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for their unwavering support of SUNY's community colleges and our adult learners."

Reconnect ensures that students receive enough financial aid and support services, including a single point of contact, extended hours, and prep courses, to complete their associate degrees. During his visit, Chancellor King highlighted Mohawk Valley Community College's mechatronics and health information technology programs, which are eligible for SUNY Reconnect. Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that integrates mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and control systems. To learn more about the SUNY Reconnect degree programs available at Mohawk Valley Community College, visit https://freecc.mvcc.edu/.

Mohawk Valley Community College President Randall J. VanWagoner said, "SUNY Reconnect speaks directly to MVCC's mission of opening doors for students and strengthening the communities we serve. For adult learners in the Mohawk Valley, this program removes major financial barriers and creates a clear path into high-demand fields such as Mechatronics and Health Information Technology. We are proud to help adults return to college, build new skills, and move into careers that support both their families and our regional economy."

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Governor Hochul knows that a skilled and educated workforce is critical to New York's success. Thanks to her and the SUNY Board of Trustees, free community college for eligible adults is helping to build an educated workforce for careers in the state's high-demand fields, including computer science, childhood education, and semiconductor manufacturing technology."

New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said, "SUNY Reconnect is helping adult learners step into the careers that are driving New York's future. At Mohawk Valley Community College, programs like mechatronics and health information technology are preparing students for high-demand fields that power our economy and strengthen our healthcare system. We're especially excited that this year's enacted state budget expands SUNY Reconnect and CUNY Reconnect so even more New Yorkers can take advantage of this life-changing opportunity."

State Joseph Senator Griffo said, "I thank SUNY Chancellor King for visiting Mohawk Valley Community College as part of his SUNY Reconnect Tour, and the SUNY Board of Trustees for supporting this initiative. This was an important opportunity to highlight programs at MVCC that train adult students in high-demand fields and to the emphasize the support and resources available to help New Yorkers pursue higher education."

State Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon said, "As a former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of this institution to act as the gateway to opportunity for so many hardworking individuals in our community. Under the leadership of Chancellor King and the guidance of the SUNY Board of Trustees, the SUNY Reconnect program has widened these gates even further, removing the financial barriers standing in the way of adults who are ready to invest in themselves and their futures, and preparing them for careers in high-demand fields where employers are ready and waiting to hire. I am proud to welcome Chanceller King back to Mohawk Valley, and I look forward to seeing more residents take advantage of this tremendous opportunity."

To support the success of SUNY Reconnect, SUNY has allocated $4 million to community colleges to support SUNY Reconnect programmatic implementation through advising, enrollment, outreach, award of credit for prior learning, and other student services, supports, and campus operations. Mohawk Valley Community College received $160,000 and has hired a full-time Reconnect admissions counselor; created a targeted marketing and outreach campaign; hired a part-time credit for prior learning coordinator; and created tailored in-person and online events for adult learners.

SUNY Reconnect funds degrees in high-demand fields including:

Advanced Manufacturing
Air Traffic Control and Aviation Management* (newly added for 2026-27 Academic Year)
Artificial Intelligence
Cybersecurity
Engineering
Emergency Management* (newly added for 2026-27 Academic Year)
Supply Chain/Logistics* (newly added for 2026-27 Academic Year)
Technology
Nursing and Allied Health Fields
Green and Renewable Energy
Pathways to Teaching in Shortage Areas

Governor Hochul's FY2026-27 Executive Budget expands SUNY Reconnect to include careers in logistics, air traffic control and transportation, and emergency management, as well as to make it easier for adult learners to return to college to pursue nursing if they already have a prior degree.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York 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, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its 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 $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

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Chancellor King Continues SUNY Reconnect Tour with Visit to Mohawk Valley Community College

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