“The new grant is part of our continuing efforts to expand the number of students in the region’s nursing
programs,” Snyder said. “We’re improving coordination among area colleges and creating clear, stackable
academic pathways to much-needed careers in rural and urban regions of the State.”
One of the initiatives outlined in the new grant establishes the Northern New York Nursing Consortium,
a collaboration led by SUNY Canton that includes Clinton Community College, Jefferson Community College, and North Country Community College. The consortium aims to maximize existing capacity by aligning admission criteria, redirecting qualified students to programs with available seats, strengthening articulation agreements from Practical Nursing programs to two-year Registered Nursing associate degrees, and culminating with four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
The second initiative establishes a partnership between SUNY Canton and the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center to deliver SUNY Canton’s Practical Nursing program near the East Adams Neighborhood. Demand for this program currently exceeds capacity in the area. The program would offer virtual instruction, with labs, simulation, and clinical experiences provided locally. The program is expected to enroll 20 students in 2026 and expand to 40 students the following year, pending approval from SUNY and the New York State Education Department.