MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – In her State of the State agenda for 2025, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed helping qualified New Yorkers obtain free associate degrees in some high-demand careers. 

"New York State will make community college free for students ages 25-55 pursuing select associate degrees in high-demand occupations, including nursing, teaching, technology, engineering and more," Hochul says on the governor's website. 

SUNY Orange student and business administration senior Izabella Matos said if the plan passes, more opportunities will be available for students pursuing higher education.

“Initially, I did apply for financial aid, and I tried to do it unsubsidized," Matos said. "My family [is] not able to provide for me.”

Matos is a full-time student, works part-time and said she relies on scholarships to help pay for her education. As a result, she said she knows firsthand how challenging paying for college can be.

“It did hurt me mentally because trying to get good grades, trying to get a high GPA so that when I transfer I can go into a better school, as well as just being involved in the community," Matos said. "If you’re doing too much in your life, like work, school and trying to be involved, at some point, you are giving up one of those things.”

If Hochul's $28 million proposal is passed, eligible New Yorkers will gain access to free tuition, books and supplies. If approved, students could pursue associate degrees in nursing, engineering, technology, teaching and other occupations.

State University of New York Chancellor John King said the initiative could be life-changing for many families.

“You think about someone who may be working in the gig economy," King said. "They’re barely able to make ends meet to cover the cost of their rent and their food, and then they get into a nursing program and they come out and they end up not only with a family-sustaining wage, but really a career with opportunities for advancement.”

King said educational opportunities like these can lead to better tomorrows.

“This will not only be good for the New Yorkers who directly benefit, but this will also be good for the New York employers," King said. "You think about a company like Micron coming to Central New York. They are going to need a lot of people to work at the chip fab and the supply chain companies. This investment is going to help us prepare that workforce.”

If the plan is passed, qualified SUNY students would be able to enroll in select, tuition-free programs as early as this fall.