Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) is pleased to announce that, along with three other colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, it has joined the network of Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national organization committed to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility.

As one of nine institutions in total joining the organization as part of its 2025 cohort, TC3 will enter into ATD’s Foundations of Transformation core engagement, an intensive three-year program designed to build essential institutional capacities and accelerate student success. Grounded in ATD’s Community Vibrancy Framework, the engagement will help the colleges strengthen critical capacities with the ultimate goal of supporting the transformation of these institutions as they seek to become inclusive, equitable hubs of economic mobility and regional vitality.

“Tompkins Cortland Community College is proud to join the Achieving the Dream Network, steadfast in our shared belief that every community college is a catalyst for more equitable, economically vibrant communities,” said Amy Kremenek, president of Tompkins Cortland Community College. “TC3's mission aligns with ATD’s demonstrated commitments, fostering lifelong curiosity and inquiry through innovative educational pathways, leading students to meaningful work, economic growth, and a brighter future.”

Teams from the cohort colleges will convene at ATD’s Kickoff Institute, an annual event to welcome incoming Network colleges, which will be held this year from June 25 to 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Kickoff will set the stage for the colleges’ partnerships with ATD and introduce them to the organization’s Institutional Capacity Framework, a comprehensive assessment built on essential capacities that help colleges develop a student-centered culture and enhance student success. 

“We are honored to welcome these nine colleges into the ATD Network,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “By joining Foundations of Transformation, these institutions are taking an ambitious step to redesign systems, structures, and cultures to support their students more holistically. The addition of the four SUNY colleges to the ATD Network signals SUNY’s deepening commitment to reimagining student success in ways that extend far beyond completion, strengthening both individuals and the communities where they live and work.”

TC3 has grown from a tiny community college housed in a renovated high school to an integral part of the Tompkins County and Cortland County communities. Located on a 220-acre rural campus in Dryden, New York, TC3 is one of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York, and offers degrees, certificates, and microcredentials in more than 40 academic programs including nursing, business administration, criminal justice, chemical dependency counseling, new media, sport management, sustainable farming and food systems, and liberal arts programs, including education and general studies. The College has been a leader in educating students for a global society for more than 30 years, with a dedication to international education that has featured partnerships with education institutions in several countries and study abroad opportunities for our students. TC3 is known for its commitment to academic rigor, transferring graduates into top four-year universities, as well as its dedication to providing the focused training the local workforce needs today. A hallmark of the College is its passionate commitment to providing the community support students need to succeed, including a model on-campus food pantry and extensive mental health services.

Achieving the Dream (ATD) is a partner and champion of more than 300 community colleges across the country. Drawing on expert coaches, groundbreaking programs, and national peer network, the organization provides institutions with integrated, tailored support for every aspect of their work — from foundational capacities such as leadership, data, and equity to intentional strategies for supporting students holistically, building K–12 partnerships, and more. ATD calls this Whole College Transformation. Its vision is for every college to be a catalyst for equitable and economically vibrant communities. ATD knows that with the right partner and the right approach, colleges can drive access, completion rates, and employment outcomes — so that all students can access life-changing learning that propels them into community-changing careers. Learn more by visiting the Achieving the Dream (ATD) website.