Thursday, October 1, 2026 | St. Lawrence County, NY
SUNY Canton earned several prestigious rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges publication and Washington Monthly’s Top 100 U.S. Rural Colleges list.
U.S. News placed the college at 22nd on the Regional Colleges (North) list, which encompasses public and private schools throughout the northeast that grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. When the publication measured SUNY Canton against its public peer institutions, the college was ranked 11th in the Top Public Schools (North) category.
In addition to being recognized for overall academic excellence, U.S. News ranked the college fourth place on the Best Value Regional Colleges list. The magazine also evaluates how well schools enroll and graduate Pell grant recipients, called Social Mobility, and SUNY Canton ranked 14th for 2027.
“We’re building on the incredible amount of work the entire college has put forth to earn these prestigious rankings,” said President Zvi Szafran. “Our most recent achievement is joining the SUNY Reconnect program, which removes financial barriers for New Yorkers who are 25 to 55 and want to earn an associate degrees in high-demand fields.”
The program covers core academic costs for programs related to health care, engineering, automotive technology, HVAC, computer information systems, and more.
SUNY Canton continues to score high in U.S. News’ Best Colleges for Veterans (North) category, earning sixth place this year. The college was named a lead participant in the SUNY Military Tuition Rate Program, and has earned several awards for military friendliness.
In addition to the U.S. News ranking, SUNY Canton was recently in the top tier (43rd) of Washington Monthly’s Top 100 U.S. Rural Colleges.
The inaugural ranking evaluates schools that “recruit and graduate large numbers of in-state students of modest means with degrees that earn higher salaries than would be predicted given the students’ demographics,” according to the publication. The magazine also awarded extra points to colleges that grant large numbers of degrees that are in high demand but low supply in rural areas.
Along with the ranking, the publication lists statistics about predicted earnings of graduates after four years of graduation, compared to the net price of tuition when factoring in aid.
Sadey Sprabary of Hammond is pursuing her dream of becoming a dentist, majoring in Health and Fitness Promotion and minoring in Psychology. She is a forward on the SUNY Canton women’s basketball team.
Sadey picked her major because it offered the most science prerequisites she needed for dental school. It also gave her the opportunity to learn more about health, fitness, and human performance.
“My major has given me a strong science foundation while also helping me develop communication and people skills that I’ll use throughout my future career,” she said.
Her favorite class is Organic Chemistry because she found it rewarding to see her hard work pay off with good grades.
Sadey’s favorite instructor is associate professor Janet Parcell. “She has done so much for me throughout my time at SUNY Canton and has always gone out of her way to support her students,” she said. “She is incredibly understanding and has taken time outside of class to research things for me and help me find answers or opportunities that could benefit me. She has played a huge role in supporting me on my path to dental school and continues to uplift and guide me as I prepare for my future career.”
She grew up in a small town where she was an athlete-student, balancing her academics around her life as an athlete. Since coming to SUNY Canton, she has grown from an athlete-student into a student-athlete, and she takes pride in her academic success, her team, and the community around her.
After graduating in May 2027, she plans to attend dental school and become a general dentist.
SUNY Canton congratulates nine Veterinary Technology graduates from the classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 who have been accepted into prestigious veterinary schools for fall 2026.
Kailey Zimmerman, a Veterinary Technology major from Dexter, receives a congratulatory flower from Assistant Professor and Equine Veterinarian Dorothee Gilmore during a pinning ceremony. Zimmerman was one of nine students accepted into a veterinary school.
Admission to veterinary colleges is one of the most competitive graduate processes in the U.S. Along with completing demanding coursework and maintaining a high GPA, students must also obtain real-world experience working with animals and alongside veterinarians. Because those expectations are so high, it is common for graduates to take a gap year—or several—to build the necessary experience before applying.
“Each year, 15,000 students apply to veterinary schools and only 3,800 are accepted. We are incredibly proud of the work our students have put forth to be among this elite group,” said Dr. Wendy K. Kuceyeski, SUNY Canton Veterinary Science Technology program director.
The SUNY Canton graduates who have been accepted into veterinary schools are:
Daniel Benham, class of 2025, Louisiana State University and Midwestern University
Michael Berry, class of 2024, Centro Universitário Internacional, Brazil
Taylor Cady, class of 2024, Cornell University
Caroline Hookey, class of 2025, Ross University and Long Island University
Marijke Kroon, class of 2026, Kansas State University
Laura Martino, class of 2025, Ross University
Karyssa Maynard, class of 2026, Tufts University
Madi Seguin, class of 2025, Louisiana State University
Kailey Zimmerman, class of 2026, Ross University and Ohio State University
SUNY Canton is one of 20 schools in the nation that offers a Bachelor’s of Science in Veterinary Technology. The degree builds on and complements the college’s Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Science Technology. Graduates have a 90% national exam pass rate when taken within five years.
