Marie-Alayna Byrnes tried college three times before, and three times life got in the way. Working in the restaurant industry, struggling with her mental health, moving around - she could never make it work. "I couldn't afford not to work. That was a huge thing in my way." At age 28, after leaving her restaurant job earlier this year and being hospitalized, it was time to try again. "I decided to take much better care of my mental health and advocate for myself more. I thought I owed it to myself."
While browsing Onondaga Community College's website during the application process, Byrnes stumbled across something called SUNY Reconnect. "I thought there was no way this could be real," she remembers. "The financial piece was what always stopped me from finishing anything." This time, that barrier was gone.
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.
Byrnes enrolled in the Health Information Technology program, a field her grandmother and great aunt had worked in and urged her to consider for years. "I had never been one for the blood and guts side of the health care field. But this side of it makes a lot of sense for me. I struggled a lot finding something that would add value to my life, and I feel like this is the right thing for me."
She's taking three classes this semester while working part-time, with plans to increase her course load in the spring. Her wife works full-time to support them while Byrnes focuses on school. "I have to give credit to my fully developed frontal lobe," she laughs, "and I have a great support system right now. My wife is my biggest supporter."
What's different this time isn't just the free tuition—it's the support she's found at OCC. "Part of the reason why college never clicked for me before is I didn't have people explaining how financial aid works, or how other things worked," Byrnes says. "When I came to OCC, everyone was excited to help me register for classes and help me get my FAFSA set up. I couldn't believe how easy it was. Everyone was right there answering whatever questions I had."
For the first time, being successful in college seems possible. "The feelings of this being unattainable are gone," Byrnes says. "Now it feels like this is something I'm conquering. I get to see my grades posted every week and see progress being made." She's hoping to land a job as a medical receptionist within the next year to get her foot in the door before graduation. After three false starts, Marie-Alayna Byrnes is finally on her way—helping people from a side of healthcare she'd never considered before.
