A Message from President Reaves
Welcome to the Fall 2026 Semester! It is an honor to serve as the eighth President of SUNY Schenectady and join a vibrant and collaborative community where we change the lives of our students through outstanding educational opportunities as we care for and honor one another. I extend my very best wishes to all of our new and returning students, faculty, and staff. As I continue with my 100-day listening tour, I am inspired by all of the valuable insight and feedback that I am gaining from those in our College community. I am energized after learning more about all of the wonderful ways in which we enrich our community through my discussions with key stakeholders, elected officials, business leaders, and K-12 partners. I am proud to lead SUNY Schenectady into a future where we develop new and dynamic avenues to empower our students, value our colleagues, and serve our community.
Dr. Nicole Reaves, College President, with members of the College community during a special meet-and-greet in the Quad on July 15, organized by Campus Events, the President’s Office, Student Activities, and the Student Government Association. Guests had the opportunity to meet Dr. Reaves and enjoy sweet treats from The Cookie House.
President Nicole Reaves Leads SUNY Schenectady Into 2026-2027 Academic Year
New College President Dr. Nicole Reaves began her Presidency at SUNY Schenectady on July 15, 2026, by announcing a 100-day “listening tour.” Since joining the College, President Reaves has met with students, faculty, staff, and administrators, as well as leaders in Schenectady County, the city of Schenectady, and state government. She continues her tour by meeting with workforce and economic development partners, donors, SUNY system leaders, and community organizations. Through meaningful discussions with members of the College community and key stakeholders, Dr. Reaves plans to better understand SUNY Schenectady’s points of pride and areas of opportunity as she leads the College into its 57th year of providing outstanding educational opportunities for students while proudly serving the Capital Region community.
Dr. Reaves shared, “The most important thing a new leader can do is to listen to those they will be leading and collaborating with, and for the first 100 days of my tenure, that is exactly what I am doing. I am committed to understanding the student experience at SUNY Schenectady and ensuring that we continue to provide meaningful opportunities for learning, belonging, and achievement while working intentionally to remove barriers that may impede student success.”
Appointed by the State University of New York Board of Trustees as the eighth President of SUNY Schenectady on April 28, 2026, Dr. Reaves is the first female President of the College. She succeeds Dr. Steady Moono who led the College as President from July 2015 until his retirement on July 14, 2026.
Prior to joining SUNY Schenectady, Dr. Reaves served as Executive Vice President and Chief Programs Officer at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, N.C., where she led and supervised the provosts over the seven campuses, academic affairs, student services, workforce and continuing education, and effectiveness and innovation. Her leadership drove significant institutional advancements including a major reorganization to support a one-college framework, better aligning industry-focused non-credit and credit programs to support student success, and the implementation of the college’s strategic plan which resulted in improved student outcomes. Her more than 30-year career in higher education has centered on advancing academic excellence, partnering to build strong communities, and championing the life-changing mission of open access institutions such as community colleges. Her experience also includes 12 years of teaching in Allied Health and College and Career Readiness.
Professor Megan Hall and Interim Dean of Liberal Arts Rae Doyle (center) joined by new full-time Faculty members Instructor Melissa Evans (psychology) and Instructor Rebecca Yates (human services), following the “Hospitality of Education: Creating Extraordinary Experiences in Higher Ed” discussion led by Professor Kim Otis on August 17.
Institute Week Recap
Faculty returned to campus on August 17 for the start of Institute Week, joining staff for workshops, discussions, professional development experiences, and the Reignite Our “Why”: Teaching for Learning (ATD) Faculty Retreat. President Reaves kicked off the week during Convocation on Monday morning where James Harris, Teacher Education Transfer major; Jasilyn Loppe, Liberal Arts major; Lonny Davenport, Entrepreneurship major; and Shatika Beatty, Paralegal major, spoke about their journeys that led them to the College, proclaiming proudly, “I Am SUNY Schenectady.”
New this year, 21 programs and offices created posters showcasing the work happening across campus to connect with colleagues and share information about resources and initiatives that support student success. Employees also received College shirts created by alumnus Frank DePalma of DePalma’s Screen Printing, Embroidery and Awards and courtesy of Marketing/Public Relations and the College Foundation. Employees are encouraged to wear their new shirts during the first week of classes to create a “sea of blue” showing their College pride, but also to help students identify faculty and staff in case they are in need of assistance.
Jessica Gilbert, Dean of Learner Support, shared, "Institute Week was shaped by the fact that here at SUNY Schenectady, our students are our North Star. Every decision we make, every service we provide, and every opportunity we create is rooted in their success. This year's experience was intentionally designed based on that principal and using feedback from faculty and staff with the goal of providing a meaningful balance of professional learning, important updates, and opportunities to connect. We hope the week left everyone feeling informed, energized, valued, and inspired for the semester ahead."
ATC student Emily Hamedian using the FAA Enhanced AT-CTI Simulator in the Stockade Building.
SUNY Reconnect Expands To Include Aviation and Enhanced Air Traffic Control Degree Programs
New this semester, the SUNY Reconnect program now includes free tuition for students who enroll in the Aviation Science (A.S.) and Enhanced Air Traffic Control (A.A.S.) degree programs. This expansion of SUNY Reconnect is a win-win for students ages 25 to 55 who don’t already have a college degree by providing the opportunity for them to begin their education on their way to entering the aviation and air traffic control professions, and for the aviation industry as the College continues to create a pipeline for qualified students to help fill critical pilot and air traffic controller shortages across the country.
Director of Aviation Programs Mike Gersh said, "With SUNY Reconnect paying the tuition and fees for the Aviation Science and Air Traffic Control degree programs, it sets the students up for financial freedom to focus on their education while in school and most importantly when they reach their first facility for on-the-job training. Without the financial stress of a college education hanging over their heads, they can focus on their jobs and watch their careers take-off!"
Launched in Fall 2025, the SUNY Reconnect program makes it possible for adult students to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand field with free community college tuition, fees, books, & supplies. Other eligible SUNY Reconnect programs at SUNY Schenectady are Chemical Dependency Counseling, Computer Networking Systems and Cyber Security, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Programming for Game Design, and Teacher Education Transfer.
Schenectady County Higher Education Promise Continues to Offer County Residents Free Tuition
New and returning students who are Schenectady County residents once again have the opportunity to take advantage of the Schenectady County Higher Education Promise this semester. Students in credit-bearing classes can take up to six credits for free, receiving up to $1,368 per year in aid. The award is applied after all federal and state free financial aid and scholarships have been awarded and is applied directly to a student’s bill.
The Schenectady County Legislature first approved a resolution to provide $1 million to SUNY Schenectady for the 2024-25 academic year to help students who were Schenectady County residents cover the gap between financial aid and tuition and fees. The program has continued since then.
Students in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) with President Reaves (center) and Michael Henderson, Director of EOP and Access, and Tiffany Wilson, EOP Senior Success Coach, on Aug. 14.
Students in EOP Summer Program Get Ready for Fall Semester
18 students in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) were on campus during August, getting a jump start on the Fall Semester during the EOP Summer Program. The three-week transition experience is designed to prepare incoming students who are in EOP for college through: college-level English/writing and math instruction with pre- and post-assessments, study sessions, tutoring, and academic skill-building activities, workshops on college readiness, financial aid literacy, and AI literacy, wellness and counseling services, career planning, introductions to key campus support services, and educational visits to the University at Albany and Thacher State Park.
College Faculty Shine During Central Park Performance
Schenectady’s Central Park was all about SUNY Schenectady on August 13 when the School of Music Faculty Jazz Combo dazzled audience members during their annual concert as part of the Music Haven Concert Series. The faculty musicians were joined by special guest Jon Faddis on trumpet. The concert featured: Mia Scirocco (vocalist), Brian Patneaude (saxophone), Dave Gleason (piano), Bob Halek (drums), Erik Johnson (bass), Kevin Grudecki (guitar), Christopher Brellochs (saxophone), and Dylan Canterbury (trumpet). A special part of the evening happened when faculty welcomed the following alumni and a current student to join them on stage: Nat Mussman ’26, keyboard, Isaac Nokes ’26, drums, Vinny Marotta ’25, bass, and Eric Achzet, Performing Arts Music and Music Audio Technology major, trumpet. The School of Hotel, Culinary Arts, and Tourism treated concertgoers to a delicious selection of New York–inspired fare from the College’s Food Truck, including chopped cheese sandwiches, corned beef Reubens, and “Banananollis” (banana-flavored cannoli).
Best of the Best Voting Going On Now…Let’s Make It Seven Years In A Row!
SUNY Schenectady has been named “Best Local College” for six consecutive years in the Daily Gazette’s “Best of the Best” contest! Voting has begun and continues through September 13. You can cast your vote for SUNY Schenectady by voting in the category “Best Places – Local College” here.
Let’s show our campus spirit and make SUNY Schenectady #1 again this year! The winners will be announced in October.