VESTAL, NY (WSKG) - SUNY Corning has launched a financial aid program that targets student debt. Barons Brought Back is open to students who owe $1,500 or less, have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and who are earning 12 or more college credits per semester.
Corning President Bill Mullaney said the money may not seem like a lot to some people, but it can be significant for students at the community college. “We have a lot of students who really live paycheck-to-paycheck," he said. "Sometimes have to choose between going to the doctor or paying their tuition bills.”
The program is coincidental with the state-funded Excelsior Scholarship. It gives free college tuition at New York schools to students with a household income $125,000 or less a year.
Mullaney, who took over a SUNY Corning this month, said the program can cover some students who don’t qualify for the state scholarship. Plus, it allows his college to compete with the four-year schools.
“If they’re able to go free to college, a lot of them will gravitate to the four years,” Mullaney said.
The program will operate on a rolling basis. That means in December 2020, the school will again evaluate the program and its future.