SUNY Chancellor King Celebrates Launch of Tompkins Cortland Community College's New Adult Learner and Reconnect Center

August 27, 2026

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

Interested Adults Can Learn More About SUNY Reconnect Here

Dryden, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the launch of Tompkins Cortland Community College's new Adult Learner and Reconnect Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the campus. The new center will provide assistance and support for TC3’s adult learners, including those enrolled through SUNY Reconnect, Governor Kathy Hochul's program to provide free associate degrees in high-demand fields for eligible adult learners.

"The SUNY Reconnect program continues to help our students achieve upward mobility and good jobs through access to a high-quality public higher education," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Through the new Adult Learner and Reconnect Center, Tompkins Cortland Community College will ensure its students are supported as they work to achieve degrees in high-demand fields. Congratulations to Tompkins Cortland Community College on the opening of this new facility, and I applaud the campus for its outstanding support of our adult learners."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect program has enabled adult learners throughout New York State to access the education of their dreams and pursue the next step in their careers. We congratulate Tompkins Cortland Community College on the opening of their new Adult Learner and Reconnect Center, which will help our adult learners thrive as they pursue the excellent, affordable education of their dreams."

Tompkins Cortland Community College's Adult Learner and Reconnect Center is a centralized point of access designed to better serve adult learners, including SUNY Reconnect participants, evening and online learners, veterans, and students balancing education with work and caregiving responsibilities. The office will provide proactive coaching, navigation, and case-managed support for adult learners across their enrollment, re-entry, and persistence journey, serving as a supportive space for students balancing work, life, family, and college.

During his visit, Chancellor King also met with students enrolled in SUNY Reconnect to discuss how the program has prepared them for upward mobility and success after graduation. Tompkins Cortland Community College has seen significant growth in its Chemical Dependency Counseling program, as well as its Health Sciences program, which began enrolling students in the Spring 2026 semester. To learn more about SUNY Reconnect at Tompkins Cortland Community, visit: https://www.tompkinscortland.edu/freeCC.

Tompkins Cortland Community College President Amy Kremenek said, "Serving adult students has historically been a significant priority for community colleges, and the SUNY Reconnect program has emphasized the importance of this segment of TC3's student body. With adult students now accounting for the majority of our core population at TC3, we are keenly attuned to the needs of adults to support enrollment, retention and completion of high-demand, high-value degrees. We are grateful to New York State and SUNY for their investment in the SUNY Reconnect program, and for this center, unique to TC3, that serves as the hub for the services and supports that are specifically aimed at the needs of our adult learners."

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Supporting eligible adult learners pursuing free community college degrees not only guarantees their success but also builds a highly skilled workforce for New York. I thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the unique needs of SUNY Reconnect students as they return to school for high-demand careers in areas like counseling and health sciences, and for her continued investment in making New York State an affordable place to live and work."

New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Acting President Doris B. González said, "The SUNY Reconnect Program reflects a powerful commitment to ensuring that adult learners have the opportunity to advance their education and career. I applaud Governor Hochul for championing this initiative and thank Chancellor King for his tireless dedication to bringing its promise to campuses across the state. The opening of Tompkins Cortland Community College's Adult Learner and Reconnect Center is a meaningful step forward to creating a dedicated space where adult learners can access the coaching, resources, and support they need to succeed. Whether balancing work, family, or other responsibilities, students at TC3 will now have a true home base as they pursue degrees in high-demand fields. We are proud to see Tompkins Cortland leading the way in supporting adult learners and look forward to the impact this center will have."

State Senator Lea Webb said, "I truly believe that higher education is one of our best pathways to ensure our communities can thrive. The SUNY Reconnect program is immensely successful because it helps to open doors for adult learners in building their careers through earning an associate's degree in high-demand fields such as nursing, engineering, or cybersecurity. Tompkins Cortland Community College, or TC3, is continuing to lead in its mission to support every learner at their campus and beyond. I appreciate SUNY Chancellor King’s visit and great support of TC3. I look forward to seeing the new Adult Learner and Reconnect Center flourish."

Launched in Fall 2025, Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect initiative provides free tuition, fees, books, and supplies for New York State resident adults ages 25-55 who do not already have a college degree to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand fields, after all applicable financial aid. SUNY launched a dedicated website: SUNY.edu/reconnectk, to provide information to prospective students and promote the launch of SUNY Reconnect. In November 2025, Governor Hochul announced that in the inaugural year of SUNY Reconnect, more than 5,600 New Yorkers took advantage of the program.

Governor Hochul's 2026-27 Enacted Budget expanded SUNY Reconnect to include associate degrees in supply chain/logistics, air traffic control and aviation management, and emergency management. The Enacted State Budget also made it easier for adult learners to return to college to pursue nursing if they have a prior degree in a different field, to further strengthen New York State's nursing workforce and support Governor Hochul's goal to grow the healthcare workforce by 20 percent.

The 2026-27 Enacted Budget also expands SUNY Reconnect to include eligible associate degree programs at bachelor degree-granting institutions including Alfred State, SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech, SUNY Canton, SUNY Delhi, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), SUNY Farmingdale State College, SUNY Maritime College, and SUNY Morrisville.

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

To bolster the success of students participating in SUNY Reconnect, SUNY has allocated $4.6 million to support SUNY Reconnect programmatic implementation through advising, enrollment, outreach, award of credit for prior learning, and other student services, supports, and campus operations.

Chancellor King's visit is part of his ongoing effort to visit SUNY institutions throughout the state to highlight SUNY Reconnect. Following the May 2025 launch of Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect program for adult learners in New York State, Chancellor King kicked off the first leg of the SUNY Reconnect Tour and visited all 29 participating community college campuses throughout 2025 and 2026.

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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SUNY Chancellor King Celebrates Launch of Tompkins Cortland Community College's New Adult Learner and Reconnect Center

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