“The nurses graduating from SUNY Sullivan are not leaving for somewhere else. They trained here, they live here, and they are going to work here, caring for our neighbors and strengthening the healthcare system that every Sullivan County resident depends on it."”

SUNY Sullivan President Dr. David Potash

LOCH SHELDRAKE – Sullivan County has a healthcare workforce crisis. With only 1.4 primary care physicians per 10,000 residents, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Sullivan was among the most acutely underserved rural counties in the state for healthcare workers. 

The consequences for Sullivan County residents are real and measurable. SUNY Sullivan nursing program is one of the most consequential answers to that challenge. SUNY Sullivan educates local healthcare workers who can work in the hospitals, clinics, and care facilities that this community depends on every day.

Enrollment has increased more than 50 percent in SUNY Sullivan’s health sciences programs in the last two years. 

The college made a commitment to grow the healthcare workforce in Sullivan County, increasing access, adding faculty and upgrading facilities and partnerships. This spring 31 students will graduate from the college’s Associate in Nursing program. These students will take the NCLEX-RN examination, pass, and begin their careers as registered nurses in the hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, and clinical settings that serve the region. 

According to the State Department of Health, New York is projected to face a shortage of almost 40,000 nurses by 2030, and SUNY Sullivan graduates are positioned to help meet that demand right here at home. 

“The nurses graduating from SUNY Sullivan are not leaving for somewhere else,” said President Dr. David Potash. “They trained here, they live here,
wwand they are going to work here, caring for our neighbors and strengthening the healthcare system that every Sullivan County resident depends on. Investing in this program is one of the most important things this college can do for this community.”

Registered nurses who complete SUNY Sullivan’s program enter the workforce with an average starting salary ranging from $65,000 to $100,000, working in hospitals, nursing homes, home care, and clinical settings, providing patient assessment, medication administration, care coordination, and direct patient support. The program’s clinical partners provide students with hands-on training in the local facilities where many will ultimately build their careers, creating a direct and reliable pipeline from the classroom to the bedside.

The program is led by Dr. Chyrise Taylor and a faculty team that includes many SUNY Sullivan alumni. “Almost 100% of our clinical faculty are SUNY Sullivan alums, educators who trained at this institution and returned to prepare the next generation of nurses for the community they call home,” said Taylor.

Access to the nursing program has expanded significantly through the SUNY Reconnect Scholarship, which covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies at no cost for eligible New York State residents between the ages of 25 and 55 who have not yet earned a college degree. 

By removing the cost barrier entirely, Reconnect has opened the door to a nursing career for working adults who never thought it was within reach, and with an evening schedule designed around the demands of real life, SUNY Sullivan’s nursing program meets students where they are and makes success genuinely possible.

The Associate in Nursing is one component of SUNY Sullivan’s broader health sciences portfolio, which also includes programs in Respiratory Care, Medical Assisting, Certified Nursing Assistant training, Emergency Medical Technology, and Phlebotomy. Together these programs constitute the most comprehensive locally accessible healthcare workforce training available anywhere in Sullivan County—a pipeline that begins with entry-level credentials and extends through full associate degrees, serving students at every stage of their healthcare careers.

For more information about SUNY Sullivan’s nursing program or to learn about enrollment for Fall 2026, contact admissions@sunysullivan.edu or call 845-434-5750.

[National Nurses Week runs from Wednesday, May 6, through Tuesday, May 12, ending on Florence Nightingale’s birthday. This annual celebration honors nurses’ dedication and recognizes their contributions to healthcare systems. See our National Nurses Week Salute on pages 5A-9A.]