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Victoria Wood, now in her fourth semester at the Monroe Community College nursing program, entered the field out of a sense of altruism.
“I really wanted to go back to school for nursing because of the ability to help people,” she says.
Wood is a member of SUNY Reconnect, a financial aid program launched last fall for adult learners pursuing an associate’s degree. Similar to others in her cohort, this is Wood’s second time at post-secondary education.
The program was intended to support learners in high-demand fields such as nursing and allied health, advanced manufacturing, green and renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and pathways to teaching in shortage areas. The program recently expanded to include air traffic control and aviation management, emergency management, fire protection, and supply chain/logistics.
Although any expansion of Reconnect would require legislative action from the state government, SUNY chancellor John King supported the idea during a recent visit to MCC.
“We need folks in these fields. We are facing a shortage in dentistry,” said Assemblymember Harry Bronson, giving another example. “Over at the University of Rochester (Eastman Institute for Oral Health), they have a waitlist of over 30,000 patients needing care. So, the more people we can get into the profession, the better we’re going to be at administering care.”
“And it’s really important to continue to expand out the number of Reconnect programs, so in the words of Chancellor King: ‘Yes, and more,’” added MCC president DeAnna Burt-Nanna.
SUNY Reconnect will cover costs like tuition, books, required supplies, or other fees after other financial aid is calculated. Eligible students must apply for New York’s Tuition Assistance Program, be between the ages of 25 and 55, be a New York resident, be in a participating program, and take a minimum number of credits per semester.
Wood entered the program this year and says it has already helped pay for books, which cost as much as $800 a semester.
Colleen Caruana, nursing department chairperson and nurse administrator, adds that about 75 percent of MCC nursing students are adult learners with an average age of 26.5. Since many of them already have degrees and are earning their second in nursing, they do not qualify for the same aid packages.
“Not having to figure out how to come up with $800 is one less stress for those students. It is a huge burden off of their shoulders,” she says.
“SUNY Reconnect really comes in and saves the day,” agrees Wood. “It takes the financial burden of going to school out of the equation, which is amazing for those who don’t have the financial support from the FAFSA or scholarships.”
This year, 110 MCC nursing students are part of the Reconnect program, representing 41 percent of the entire program. This is also a large jump from last year’s total of 45 students.
“To go from 45 to 110 (in Reconnect) is a game-changer for students in nursing,” Caruana says. “We encourage them to focus on their studies and not on working so much. But that isn’t always an option depending on their financial situations.”
SUNY reported that Reconnect had over 12,000 eligible students in its first year. This year’s budget set aside $49.5 million for the program, a $12.5 million increase from last year.
King said he is confident that number will continue to grow and encourages non-degree holders to enter a program.
“Certainly at (MCC), they’re going to have nearly 1,100 students in SUNY Reconnect this fall, which is fantastic,” King said. “But the reality is, there are 4 million New Yorkers who do not have a college degree. We want all 4 million folks to take advantage of these incredible opportunities.”
Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist.
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