“I was in my thirties and had been working at a garage. I thought I was going to be in the office, and then I started helping the owner by holding a flashlight and moving cars. He took me under his wing as an apprentice, and before I knew it, I had my inspector’s license. He retired, and I wasn’t always sure if I even wanted to go to college,” Jennifer Knox explained about her journey to SUNY Orange.

When 38-year-old Newburgh resident Knox first enrolled at the Newburgh campus, she recalled, “As an adult, I didn’t know what to expect. I felt stupid and unsure. I didn’t know what to do, but I met with my advisor, and he was amazing. He walked me through everything step-by-step. There were tools to help me financially and academically, and I started to feel confident.”

Once classes started, she enthusiastically shared, “I just loved it. I had the freedom to take whatever interested me, and I chose Intro to Political Science as one of my courses. I loved everything about it, especially the theories.”

Maintaining a GPA that kept her on the Dean’s List throughout her education, she also noted she completed her entire degree on the Newburgh campus except for remote classes during COVID-19. “I was a student senator and participated in a few Board of Activities events, but I really enjoyed the unofficial adult club that met on the third floor of Kaplan Hall to just talk about our challenges, study, and connect.”

It is common for adult student stories to share a blend of joy, a sense of accomplishment and a celebration of overcoming obstacles. Knox agrees and shares, “I feel so lucky that I was able to start my life over. I found a thirst for learning I didn’t know I had at SUNY Orange. That first conversation with an advisor changed my life. I received so much encouragement while pursuing my education that led me to feel empowered.”

She graduated as a first-generation college student before transferring to SUNY New Paltz. Knox said, “I started at SUNY Orange part-time, then became full-time to earn my liberal arts degree in humanities. While working on my bachelor’s in political science, I participated in the SUNY Washington, D.C., program, where I spent a semester interning on Capitol Hill at a First Amendment advocacy organization.”

Today, she loves her job in New York State Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson’s office. “I love helping people, and I want to help people every single day. It can be in the form of helping them make connections for unemployment, ways to pay their utilities, finding housing — and I get to do that on a daily basis.”

Asked for any advice to give adults thinking about pursuing a degree, Knox said, “It is better to begin asking questions and find out what you need to do to get started rather than always wonder, ‘What if?’”

Adults thinking about attending SUNY Orange can now take advantage of SUNY Reconnect, a free community college program for adults aged 25-55 who want to complete their degree in eligible majors. SUNY Reconnect covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies after other aid is applied. To learn more, visit https://sunyorange.edu/suny_reconnect or contact the SUNY Orange Office of Admissions at admissions@sunyorange.edu or call (845) 341-4030.