Community colleges are frequently where students either begin or return to higher education, as they tend to be more affordable. But since 2012, public institutions across the state have been dealing with a drop in enrollment.

In 2012, there were a little more than 234,000 students enrolled in New York community colleges. In 2022, that number dropped to just below 160,000, a 34% drop.

Unfortunately, the population in New York state is declining. And that's just a fact of where people are at in the state. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the colleges themselves are not going to be successful,” said SUNY Broome Director of Admissions Owen Conklin. “What it really does mean, especially for a college or the community like ourselves, we have to take the time to change a bit.”

For SUNY Broome, that change is in the form of a new “mobile enrollment vehicle,” known as "SUNY Broome On the Move,” and it’s taking enrollment efforts to the community. It will make its way through underserved communities in the Southern Tier where college and career coaching isn’t typically available.

"It's really our role as a community college. It really is the role to be in the community, in each of these rural areas to be there for them. And this is a level of investment that's really all the things that why I love this project … is it shows the investment we want to make in these areas around us," said Conklin.

Many community colleges have a growing population of non-traditional students. The enrollment vehicle will look to build off those numbers, heading to the communities they call home, and looking to prove it’s never too late to pursue a new career.

"I think with busy schedules from adults who may already have jobs that they have to maintain while working towards their next college career and advancement, or parents because they have a lot of other things on their schedule, this is going to provide an opportunity to meet them and meet their needs for flexible time, flexible location in a lot of different ways," said Conklin.

"SUNY Broome On the Move” will head to job fairs and communities in the coming weeks.