Jonathan Lorber didn't think he'd return to college in his 40s. But when his wife told him about SUNY Reconnect, he suddenly saw a path back to the classroom and forward into a new future. "I think this is an opportunity to get peace of mind, to get that education, that leg up. To have the opportunity to get a degree and owe nothing is unbelievable. I just have to put the time in. I have to do this. This is my priority."
SUNY Reconnect is a new, tuition-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.
After graduating from Solvay High School, Lorber enrolled at OCC for Electronic Media Communications. He nearly completed the degree, but left school for a job driving trucks. During the next two decades, he built a career through experience and certifications. He took classes at BOCES and earned his refrigerant license, trained in asbestos removal, and learned to weld. He eventually transitioned into his current position as building manager for the John H. Hughes State Office Building in downtown Syracuse.
In 2020, he enrolled at OCC for a second time and took an online Math class, but the cost was too much to sustain. He figured his opportunity to get a college education was over, until SUNY Reconnect.
Now he's just weeks away from completing his first semester in the Electromechanical Technology program, and he's found a home among fellow adult learners. "My classes have a lot of Reconnect people in them. Everybody has the same goal of getting their education and trying to make things better. We all work together in groups and sit there after class trying to form study groups to help each other get through this. This is where we all want to be."
While many students who select the Electromechanical Technology program do so with the goal of working at Micron, Lorber is focused on a different path that includes infrastructure and clean energy. "It's a great option to say Micron is the future of Central New York, and I fit into that puzzle, but with this degree and experience I have with other jobs, I could do something at a third nuclear plant. These are life-changing opportunities, and I want to take advantage of them! I don't know who would be foolish enough to say no to a free education."
