Chancellor King Highlights the SUNY Reconnect Expansion with Visit to SUNY Broome Community College
September 9, 2026
Governor Hochul's SUNY Reconnect Program Provides Free Tuition, Fees, Books, and Supplies for Eligible Adult Learners in High-Demand Fields
Visit Highlights SUNY Broome's Cybersecurity and Teaching Programs
Town of Dickinson, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today visited SUNY Broome Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour to highlight expansion in the second year of the program. Chancellor King has been visiting SUNY campuses throughout the state to highlight Governor Kathy Hochul's SUNY Reconnect program, which officially began at the start of Fall 2025 classes, and provides free associate degrees in high-demand fields for eligible adult learners.
During his visit, Chancellor King emphasized Broome Community College's Cybersecurity and Teaching programs, which are both eligible for SUNY Reconnect. To learn more about SUNY Reconnect programs available at SUNY Broome, visit https://sunybroome.edu/freecc/.
"SUNY's campuses, like Broome Community College, are engines of upward mobility and student success that provide life-changing opportunities to adult learners," said SUNY Chancellor King. "The SUNY Reconnect program embodies our steadfast commitment to providing the resources, knowledge, and support services that students need to reach their full potential."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "With the continued leadership and support of Governor Hochul, SUNY Reconnect is creating incredible opportunities that help adult-learners and their families thrive. This initiative increases access to an affordable and excellent higher education, while bridging workforce gaps in high-demand fields.
SUNY Broome has taken an extensive review of its cybersecurity offerings, particularly in light of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence. To support the growing workforce demands for cybersecurity professionals, the college invested in integrating a state-of-the-art IBM Cybersecurity virtual platform to train students and industry partners on real-time cyber-attack simulations.
In the 2026-2027 Enacted State Budget, SUNY Reconnect was expanded to include additional high-demand programs and associate programs at bachelor's granting institutions, and to make it easier for adult learners to return to college to pursue nursing if they have a prior degree in another field.
SUNY Broome President Tony D. Hawkins said, "SUNY Reconnect has been and continues to be a tremendous gift to our campus. Not only has it brought a welcomed enrollment increase, it has added incredible adult learners, who bring wisdom, life experience, and unique skills, to our college community. We are grateful for the continued expansion of the program, and investment in our institution, so that we can provide students with the best possible training, teaching, and overall college experience."
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Governor Hochul understands that a skilled, knowledgeable workforce is a crucial component of strengthening New York's economy, and SUNY Reconnect helps to ensure New Yorkers will be ready to enter the high-demand fields of today and of the future. By offering free community college to eligible adults, the Governor and SUNY are advancing critical workforce development pathways and ensuring New York is an affordable place to live, work, and raise a family."
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Acting President Doris González said, "The SUNY Reconnect program recognizes that every student's journey is different, particularly for adult learners who are balancing education with work, family, and other responsibilities. New York State is committed to meeting students where they are and helping them reach their goals. Broome Community College's programs in teaching and cybersecurity will give this next class the skills and opportunities they need to succeed. SUNY Broome has also invested in integrating a state-of-the-art IBM cybersecurity virtual platform, giving students and industry partners the opportunity to train through real-time cyberattack simulations and gain hands-on experience with the challenges facing today's workforce. Together, these efforts are helping prepare the next generation of skilled workers and strengthen New York's workforce for the future."
New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said, "Through SUNY Reconnect, adult learners can turn opportunity into a career, whether that means preparing to lead a classroom, caring for patients, or building the technologies and infrastructure that will power New York's future. We're excited to see this program grow in both New York City and New York State, opening the door for even more New Yorkers to earn degrees, build family-sustaining careers and help fill critical workforce needs across our state."
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 don't already have a college degree to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand field, after all applicable financial aid. SUNY launched a dedicated website, suny.edu/reconnect, 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.
State Senator Lea Webb (SUNY Broome ‘01) said, "The SUNY Reconnect program provides essential support to adult learners who want to build their careers and earn an associate's degree in high-demand fields such as nursing, engineering, or cybersecurity. When we talk about training intergenerational healthcare professionals and teachers, addressing workforce shortages, and supporting economic advancement across the state, we must also talk about investing in higher education and programs like SUNY Reconnect. I am grateful to Chancellor King for his visit to SUNY Broome today."
State Assemblymember Joseph G. Angelino said, "The SUNY Reconnect program is doing wonderful things for schools in the SUNY system, including SUNY Broome. Their cybersecurity and teaching programs are both top- notch, and I am happy to see that they are eligible for Reconnect."
State Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, "I'd like to thank Chancellor King for highlighting SUNY Broome as part of his SUNY Reconnect Tour. The program has already helped bring more adult learners back to college and into high-demand careers. Its expansion will give even more New Yorkers the opportunity to earn a degree in critically important fields. SUNY Broome and other community colleges play an important role in connecting students with career opportunities and this program has really helped them advance these goals."
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's-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. SUNY Broome will use its share of this funding, which totals $216,000, for the following:
- Supporting the responsible implementation of AI into all programs;
- Providing an Online Program Navigator to support virtual learners; and
- Expanding clinical placement support for nursing to accommodate the higher volume of nursing students and required placements.
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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Holly Liapis
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