Mark Parry stands next to the dentist's chair every day, assisting with procedures and handing over instruments. "I work next to the dentist, but I want to be on the other side of the chair one day." At age 29, he may finally be on his way.
Parry is attending Onondaga Community College tuition-free thanks to SUNY Reconnect, 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.
Back in 2014, when he was fresh out of Fulton High School, Parry enrolled at Onondaga Community College as a Music major. He had two distinctly different dreams: to perform on Broadway or be a dentist. "Because I was so passionate about music and art, I came here for Music. Unfortunately there was a lot of life stuff happening, I didn't feel I was mature enough at the time, and I wound up dropping out."
While attending classes, he worked as a delivery driver for a local Pizza Hut. When he left school and had more time, he worked his way up to manager. In 2017 he moved to Buffalo and took a job at a Texas Roadhouse. When COVID hit, the restaurant industry turned chaotic. "We moved to complete takeout, and when restaurants opened back up, people came back to dine in, but our takeout orders stayed at full capacity. It was crazy!"
In 2021, an opportunity in the dental field opened up, and Parry jumped at it. He's been working as a dental assistant ever since—getting a front-row seat to the career he'd dreamed about in high school. When he moved back to Syracuse and in with his brother last year, he decided it was time to return to OCC. While continuing to work as a Dental Assistant and ironing out the logistics of returning to school, he learned about SUNY Reconnect and found out he qualified. "I felt like it was a sign for me. It was one of the best days of my life!"
The financial relief has been transformative. "The stress of money was a huge thing. My brother is helping me with rent and expenses, and SUNY Reconnect completely removed any type of money problem from my life." During his first semester back, he's taking two online classes - Sociology and Communications - while continuing to work full-time and remain active in his church. "I'm bad with online classes. I thrive in person. But my two professors (David Van Arsdale and Ben Miller) have been really great. The way they structure their class fosters an environment where you feel like you're in the classroom."
In the spring, he'll become a full-time student in Health Studies, and accelerate his goal of eventually transferring into Le Moyne College's Pre Dental program. His advice to anyone considering SUNY Reconnect? "Keep pushing and take advantage of every opportunity you get. This was a dream I had from high school. I didn't want to settle for something because it didn't work out the first time. Keep pushing!"
