UTICA - Mohawk Valley Community College has a faculty that knows not only the students' names but their stories as well, complimented State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr.

King visited MVCC's Utica campus Wednesday to meet with students, faculty, staff and administrators. He said it was encouraging to hear how much the students respected their teachers and that they know the professors care about the students' futures.

"They said their professors are invested in them and their success and that is always inspiring to hear," King said.

King is in the midst of a 64-campus tour across New York State, starting Jan. 9 in Buffalo and expecting to visit every SUNY college by the end of the spring semester. MVCC was his 17th stop along the way. His visit to MVCC also included tours of its facilities and meetings with local politicians and business owners to learn about their own workforce needs.

Comparing MVCC to his previous stops on the tour, King said he was impressed by the technology offerings in Utica. MVCC is known for the strength of its technical programs, King said, and they work hard to make sure they are able to offer the same level of technology to their students as any other campus around the state.

King talked to many students who have taken online courses offered through MVCC and that is also an important component of its technology offerings, King noted.

"The technology to deliver that instruction is also critical here," he said.

MVCC President Randall J. VanWagoner said he appreciated King's visit and the discussions King encouraged.

"We're excited to have the chancellor come to visit us," VanWagoner said. ""We appreciate him taking the time out of his schedule to come out here and ask us what MVCC needs from SUNY."

King had some good conversations with MVCC faculty, staff and students, VanWagoner said, adding he appreciated the invitation from King to share all of their thoughts about the college.

"It's nice to have someone here asking questions and not just making statements," VanWagoner said.

King also complimented VanWagoner, saying the MVCC president is well known within their community of community college presidents as "a real leader, an innovator and an entrepreneur who is creating new programs that respond to regional economic development needs."

King said that as soon as he got to campus, he was moved by all of the well-kept, modern buildings. He also appreciated seeing dormitories, as that meant MVCC knows the importance of residence life for its college students, he said.

In his talks with the student body, King said he found a wide age range of students at MVCC.

Some were in their mid-20s, others had returned from military service to pursue higher education, and still others were fresh out of high school. And some of them had already taken advanced placement courses for college credit in high school even before they arrived, King added.

But as different as they might be, the students all seemed to feel very welcome by the college and each other, he added.

"I love that diversity," King said. "And the students talked about how there is a strong sense of family here."