BROCKPORT, N.Y. — SUNY Brockport is seeing some of the largest recruitment classes in nearly 50 years, despite a decline in enrollment for many other colleges and universities.

Sam Corey-Walker is a junior transfer student and criminal justice major. The 19-year-old is planning for his future of becoming a law enforcement officer.

“Eventually I would like to make it to that federal level,” Corey-Walker said.

On Friday morning, he and his family drove four hours from Glenn Falls to campus for move-in day.

He transferred because it was a good fit, socially and academically.

“I have a couple friends that go to RIT, my girlfriend goes here. I came here to visit and I really liked the campus,” Corey-Walker said.

He’s part of SUNY Brockport’s largest class in nearly 50 years. The SUNY school’s preliminary numbers show a slight dip after the pandemic hit, and then a jump back up in 2023 and 2024.

This fall, the new class is tracking to be nearly 2,500.

Sara Kelly, Vice President for Enrollment Management, said the cost is top of mind for families. Three out of four students receive scholarships.

President Heidi Macpherson said they’ll get ‘real world experience’ before they even graduate.

“Helping them design what their future is going to look like, we have many ways in which we’re impacting our students, getting more internships for students, helping students when those internships are unpaid,” said Macpherson. “We’re going to help them with the expenses that they have, and we’re looking for even more paid internships for our students.”

Eriketa Cost, News10NBC: Any specific course you feel really preps you for the real world?

Sam Corey-Walker: I can’t think of a specific one … it’s more of the discussion-based classes; I’ve come to figure out that those classes are the ones that really allow you to give your opinion, sometimes there’s arguments but it’s productive and never malicious!

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