Suffolk County Community College honored the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans during its annual “Veterans Day” ceremonies held on the Michael J. Grant and Ammerman campuses.
The Long Island college also commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and was recognized as an early adopter of the new “SUNY Military Tuition Rate Program,” announced by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. on Veterans Day.
The new tuition program will make SUNY’s high-quality education more accessible to active duty military members, National Guard and reservists, beginning at select campuses, including Suffolk County Community College, in spring 2026.
“Suffolk County Community College is proud to be one of the first SUNY campuses to offer the new Military Tuition Rate. Our institution has a long history of supporting military service members and veterans, and we currently enroll more veterans than any other SUNY institution,” said Dr. Edward T. Bonahue, president of Suffolk County Community College.
“This new military tuition rate reinforces our commitment, making it even easier for active duty military members, National Guard members and reservists to achieve their educational goals. “We are honored to help lead the expansion of access to a SUNY education for those who serve our country.”
Ceremonies on both campuses included flag presentations, musical tributes and speeches from university officials, student veterans and community members.
The keynote speaker at both ceremonies was Joan A. Furey, RN, Master of Arts, U.S. Army Nurse Corps veteran, and founding director of the Veterans Administration (VA) Center for Women Veterans.
Ms. Furey, a Vietnam veteran and Bronze Star Meritorious Service recipient, served as a post-operative and critical care nurse at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku.
Following her military service, she became a pioneer in veterans advocacy, co-founding the first inpatient post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment program for women veterans at the VA National PTSD Center in Palo Alto and later serving as founding director of the VA Women’s Veterans Center.
Additionally, in recognition of all who have served, yellow flags and ribbons were displayed on all three campuses to honor America’s veterans and active service members.
Each campus also featured a table commemorating those missing in action and prisoners of war, and the East Campus housed a Wall of Honor with photos and names of veterans contributed by students, faculty and staff.
