Dillon Davis-Tirado felt he had hit a dead end. At age 31, he believed he had gone as far as he could without a college degree, but he didn't have the means to afford one. "I had 10 years experience - as an assembly line worker, a sales specialist, a journalist, and an operations manager for a major clothing retailer. I'd gotten as high as $22 an hour in pay. But I needed a leg up."
That's when he heard about SUNY Reconnect, and decided to take advantage of it by enrolling in Onondaga Community College's Construction Management program. SUNY Reconnect is a new, free community college program for students between the ages of 25 and 55 who have not yet earned a college degree. SUNY Reconnect covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies after all other financial aid is applied. When New York State Governor Kathy Hochul was rallying support for the program, she came to the Onondaga Community College campus in January 2025. OCC student Josh Barr shared his story, and how much such a program would help him. The program was approved by the New York State Legislature a few months later.
"This program is so wonderful for people who thought they didn't have a shot or didn't think they were good enough," said Davis-Tirado. "Having this program levels the playing field for someone who didn't get the proper education. For New York State to do this is a significant step forward. We might just see the gap bridged between the lower middle-class American and the upper middle-class American."
Davis-Tirado is a native of Queens who moved upstate at a young age and graduated from Tyburn Academy in Auburn in 2012. He had tried college a couple of times in the past, but ultimately returned to the workforce. After a decade of working multiple jobs, he believes SUNY Reconnect will help him finally achieve his goal of earning a college degree and building a fulfilling career. "I find this opportunity to be exhilarating, and I'm excited to get up in the morning. I couldn't be more impressed by what I've seen here. There's a great wealth of professors here who are very knowledgeable. I picked the right place to go. I'm very happy I came here. This is accessible. You can get here, and you can get the work done."
