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Direct Service Provider Expansion

TC3's dedication to addressing the educational needs of every sector of our community was reflected in the ongoing expansion of its microcredential programs. We are pleased to partner with , , and to offer this program. With the development and introduction of Direct Service Provider III, TC3 now offers 14 microcredentials. In 2023-24, TC3 conferred 79 microcredentials, nearly doubling the previous highest amount of 40 awarded the year before. 

Study Abroad

The Office of Global Education and Initiatives continued the resumption of study abroad activities by supporting two faculty-led international study trips in 2023-24; one that brought students to the Dominican Republic to study sustainable agriculture and culinary and one to Cambodia to study travel writing and anthropology. The office navigated new approval requirements from the SUNY Office of Global Affairs, developing a revised internal review and approval process for new TC3 study abroad programs. Proposals for new trips are under review with the hopes of continuing to expand on these opportunities for our students. The TC3 Foundation has made funds available to offset the out-of-pocket costs of the programs, making the experience accessible to more students.

"I can truly say that the decision to join a Bridges to Community trip was the best thing I have ever done in my life. It was love at first sight. I was amazed by the culture, by the people, by the abundance of natural beauty. I couldn’t believe how quickly that cot in a classroom became my home, my haven, and the people working beside me (both from my group and those in the community) became my family.

I can truly say that I have grown and changed as a person, my life has gone in an entirely different direction, and I am for the very first time, incredibly excited for the prospects that my future holds. I now have just one year left of school, and after that, I plan to continue doing all I can to help, but even more importantly, continue learning and growing." - Samantha Smeaton

Disney College Program

The relationship between the Office of Global Education and Initiatives and the Disney Academic Exchange Program continues to be strong, with 50 international TC3 students from Barbados, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Peru spending six months studying and working at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida as part of a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. TC3 is one of just two community college in the United State to offer this to its international partners.  Students in the program can expect hands on experience in operations, lodging, food and beverage, retail/sales, recreation, and entertainment, with a direct pipeline to employment at Disney after the program. 

New Nurses

Utilizing funding from employer partners Cayuga Medical Center and Guthrie Cortland, the TC3 Nursing program’s evening cohort continues to excel, graduating 29 new Registered Nurses into the workforce in December 2023. In addition, thanks to $75,000 as part of New York State’s increased investment in health care education at community colleges, 10 new seats for Nursing students are being added for those joining the traditional daytime program in the spring semester.  

The World Café

TC3 hosted three sessions on Retention and Belonging. More than 210 students and staff participated, helping us understand students' experiences and barriers to student retention, belonging, and completion. Several departments reviewed �첥��Ƶes and considered more than 1,000 comments on ways to strengthen retention. This information is being used in many ways, including informing our Strategic Plan, the Strategic Enrollment Plan, and the continuing reaccreditation self-study with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  

BCL Earns Top International Certification

TC3's Baker Center for Learning (BCL) received the highest level of certification by the internationally recognized College Reading and Learning Association. 

This certification, which included a peer review of tutor selection, training, and service provided, recognizes the BCL at a level obtained by a very small percentage of tutoring centers worldwide. The BCL employs about 40 tutors each semester, making tutoring services available at no charge for nearly all TC3 courses. In the Fall 2024 semester, more than 450 TC3 students utilized the BCL for in-person tutoring, and more than 125 students used online tutoring.

3rd Annual Bonfire

A targeted effort was made by the offices of Residence Life and Student Activities to include programming that focused on community building to help students feel more connected. The academic year began with a campus community bonfire, creating a friendly environment for students to relax and socialize before the start of classes. Each semester opened with a “Welcome Week” full of activities designed to introduce students to the opportunities on campus, including a Student Government Association �첥��Ƶ House and a “Get Connected” Fair where dozens of clubs and campus resources tabled in a fun setting.

Student Club Increases

The positive trend on retention included active student clubs on campus. While the number of active clubs tends to fluctuate from year to year, TC3 saw a 33% increase in the number of active students clubs in 2023-24 compared to the previous year. For fall 2024, the number has grown again, increasing by another 17%. This growth coincides with increased participation in TC3’s Student Government Association, as student involvement has continued to rebound post-pandemic.  

EOP Summer Institute

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) hosted its second �첥��Ƶful summer institute to welcome new students and start creating community. The new class for 2023-24 included 36 students, a 50% increase from the previous year’s class. Now entering its third year at TC3, EOP saw members of its first class graduate in 2023-24. Included in that first class was the 2023-24 student representative on TC3’s Board of Trustees, Romneya Quennell, who transferred to Cornell University after graduating from TC3.  

Serving Future Panthers 

TC3's Arthur Kuckes Childcare Center added an Education Coordinator/�첥��Ƶ Director to its staff. This new position will allow for an increased focus on learning for the youngest people on our campus, the children in the center, who range from six-weeks old to pre-kindergarten. With priority always given to families of TC3 students, the center enrolled 71 children of students, staff, and community members.

A Social Justice Model for Disabilities

A new social justice model for students with disabilities has been implemented. While past practices in higher education often required solely medical documentation for guiding the service of students with disabilities, the social justice model allows students to seek the most appropriate accommodations derived from their experiences, and not solely based on documentation that can be hard to come by for some students. The goal of this move is to improve access for all students for whom reasonable accommodations would benefit. Nearly a quarter of all TC3 students (24.82%) identify as having disabilities.

Residence Hall Improvements

TC3 continues its investment in infrastructure to beautify, modernize, and safeguard an inclusive and welcoming learning environment. Significant investments were made in the student residence halls to provide a welcoming, comfortable space for our students to live. Among the upgrades were new kitchens, bathrooms, and furniture in each suite. We plan to maintain buildings A-D for students and to repurpose the other three. 

Men's Basketball Champions

The TC3 men’s basketball team won its first Mid-State Athletic Conference championship in ten years. Three players earned all-conference honors and the team advanced to the NJCAA Region 3 semifinals.  

CollegeNow Accreditation

CollegeNow, TC3’s concurrent enrollment program, was reaccredited for another seven-year term by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). The association assures programs like CollegeNow adhere to the highest standards. CollegeNow was initially accredited in 2009 and remains one of only 134 programs nationwide to receive the designation.

CollegeNow Value

CollegeNow continues to serve thousands of students, saving families millions of dollars. A total of 5,591 students across 86 school districts earned college credits through concurrent enrollment in 2023-24, with 96 high school seniors completing an associate degree concurrent to high school graduation. In the sponsor counties: 89% of seniors in �첥��Ƶ County and 74% in Cortland County graduated high school in 2024 with credits earned through TC3’s CollegeNow.

Custom Training Grants

More than 460 currently employed workers from 15 different local employers received vital upskilling through TC3’s workforce development team. TC3 secured more than $130,000 through SUNY Customized Training grants supporting the training, which ranged from very trade-specific technical skill to general computer skills specific to fields like advanced manufacturing, banking, human services, government, and hospitality. 

NSF Grant for Penn State, Cornell University & TC3 Partnership

�첥��Ƶ Cortland Community College was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) subaward for a project TC3 is partnering with Penn State University and Cornell University to train military veterans in the field of microelectronics and nanomanufacturing. The NSF subaward provides funding for veterans and/or their dependents to enroll at no cost in a 12-week program that teaches the principles and practices needed to succeed in the semiconductor industry. Veterans build connections with hiring employers through weekly employer presentations, and have the opportunity to apply for available jobs.  

Mentor Connect 

�첥��Ƶ Cortland Community College was accepted into NAF's Mentor Connect program, which focuses on preparing institutions for Applied Technical Education (ATE) grants through NSF. Typically, institutions are 75% more likely to be awarded future ATE grants after the training. 

Paid Internships

TC3 secured a three-year, $116,000 grant from SUNY to support unpaid or low-paid internships for students. In the first year of the grant, 15 students received support to cover expenses associated with the internships, including transportation, tuition, and living costs. This initiative substantially increased student participation in spring and summer internships, a key objective of New York State’s investment in workforce development.

New Electrical Technology Equipment 

We are incredibly grateful to the for their generous donation of the latest Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and their commitment to help develop the curriculum for our ELEC244 PLC class in Spring 2025. Pall Corporation uses PLCs extensively in their factory and knows exactly what skills are needed in the workforce. With their support, our students will be better prepared than ever for their future careers!

Scholarship Funding

Support from individuals and organizations in the community continued to make a difference to our students, with a dramatic increase in the number of students receiving financial support through the TC3 Foundation. Working with many generous donors that share a commitment to help students realize their educational dreams, the TC3 Foundation awarded financial support to 393 students, totaling over $496,000 in student scholarships, grants, and emergency needs funding.  

Strategic Plan

In September, TC3 launched the development of its �첥��Ƶor Strategic Plan, which began earlier this year with an update to their Mission, Vision and Values that included cross-campus reflection and input. The Strategic Plan is guided by an 11-member Strategic Plan Steering Committee with external facilitation by Dr. Ken Ender and Dr. Rey Garcia, two nationally recognized community college sector experts. The plan, which will be developed and curated following a series of campus and community conversations as well as environmental scans and data reviews, is designed to be reflective of institutional strengths and community needs. The yearlong process is scheduled to be completed with the new Strategic Plan launch in June 2025.

Facilities Maintenance and Master Plan

TC3 continues to catch up on years of deferred maintenance with investments in infrastructure, including significant improvements to the student residence halls and upgrades to emergency communications and fire safety systems on the main campus. Looking at ways to align the programmatic and infrastructure needs both now and in the future, TC3 has retained C&S Engineers to develop its first Facilities Master Plan in many years.  

Auxillary Operations Updates

Initiatives to make all of TC3’s facilities inviting and effective learning environments extended beyond the main campus. Infrastructure updates were made at the extension center in Ithaca and at Coltivare, TC3’s culinary center in Ithaca. Coltivare received new kitchen equipment, communications, and electrical upgrades, which will allow both the eatery and teaching lab function more efficiently.  HVAC upgrades at the Ithaca Extension Center will make the facility more comfortable. 

Sustainable Development Goals

A group of faculty comprising of Kerry Curran, Angela Palumbo, Kelly Wessell, and Susan Mueller audited TC3 's work and aligned it with the United Nation's Sustainability Goals. The study revealed we were making great strides in alignment with the goals and provided us with a framework for evaluating new work and initiatives. 

New Welcome Center

Starting in 2025, our Enrollment Services Center will transform into a Welcome Center where many of their business needs can be handled at a central front counter. Students will be able to pay their bill, get answers about financial aid, add or drop courses, and obtain their ID card. They will also be able to make appointments with student �첥��Ƶ, financial aid, or admissions for more in-depth assistance. Welcome Center associates will be available by phone, email, and text during business hours to provide support.

Middle States Reaccreditation

TC3 is beginning the process of Middle States reaccreditation, slated for the 2026-2027 academic year. A core team is drafting the College’s self-study process to be submitted in February 2025. Co-chairs for each of the standards have been appointed, and will work to assemble required documentation over the course of the Spring semester. It is an opportunity to celebrate our �첥��Ƶes, learn from our experiences, and help ensure we continue to meet our mission. 

Adult Student Housing Feasibility Study

In partnership with the Park Foundation, TC3 conducted an Adult Student Housing Feasibility Study. The purpose was to determine benefits, drawbacks, roadblocks, and requirements for adult students and families to be able to live in the residence halls and study at TC3 full-time. An adult student housing option would distinguish TC3 nationally if implemented. The college us currently working to operationalize a plan for adult students without families. 

Mission, Vision & Values

TC3 led a campus-wide overhaul of our mission, vision, and values over the course of this year. The finalized version represents what our campus community felt was core to of our guiding principles for the years to come. The process engaged multiple stakeholders both internal and external through sessions at the World Cafe and Fall Day. 

Campus Climate Survey

The e Diversity & Equity Action Council (DEAC) led the implementation of a Campus Climate Survey in November 2024. We contracted with a vendor, Viewfinder® Campus Climate Surveys, LLC to administer a SUNY-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Campus Climate Survey for students and employees from October 23 to November 22, 2024. Results of the climate survey are being analyzed and incorporated into future efforts.