CORNING, N.Y. (WETM) – The newest SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr visited Corning Community College.

Since entering office in January 2023, he’s been on a mission to combat declining enrollment.

King said, “There’s a diversity of needs across our campuses. Certainly community colleges over the last decade, not just in New York but around the country have seen enrollment declines. And we want to make sure that enrollment is growing across our campuses.”

He added, We also want to make sure that working adults know if they want to improve their skills, if they want to move out of the workplace, choosing a program at one of our community colleges like Corning Community College can be a great path forward for them. “

John B. King Jr the 15th Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) served as the former 10th U.S. Secretary of Education.

Prior to becoming Chancellor, King was president of the Education Trust. The Education Trust aims to dismantle the racial and economic barriers in the American education system.

Chancellor King comes from very humble beginnings. Losing both parents at a young age he says public schools saved him. “The thing that saved me is school, school was the one place in my life that was safe, supportive, consistent, and nurturing.”