The State University of New York Board of Trustees voted today to appoint Ken Knelly as the tenth president of Clinton Community College. Mr. Knelly has served as Acting President of Clinton Community College since 2025, following his appointment as Administrator in Charge by the Clinton Community College Board of Trustees in 2024. Knelly’s appointment is effective immediately.

“Throughout its nearly 60-year history, Clinton Community College has served as an engine of upward mobility that has empowered thousands of students throughout the North Country to transform their lives,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “President Knelly has been instrumental in leading Clinton Community College through a period of growth and transformation, including the successful relocation of the college onto SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus. As Acting President, Ken Knelly helped achieve impressive enrollment growth on campus, reposition the Institute of Advanced Manufacturing as a regional workforce development hub, and secured reaccreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for Clinton Community College. Congratulations to President Knelly and I look forward to working with him to ensure the campus, and our students, continue to thrive.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Throughout Ken Knelly’s tenure at Clinton Community College, he has shown his commitment to student success, and has worked to bring people together to ensure the college can evolve to benefit both current and future students. We are pleased to appoint Ken Knelly as the next president of Clinton Community College and look forward to supporting his efforts to move the college forward.”

Clinton Community College President Ken Knelly said, “It is an incredible honor to be chosen to lead Clinton Community College into its next generation of service. The past two years have laid the groundwork. The efforts of the college’s faculty and staff, joined by SUNY system and so many others, have been instrumental. I am grateful to Chairman Tisch, the full SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor King, and the Clinton Community College Board and Search Committee for their confidence in me and the future of our college. There are great opportunities ahead.”

Clinton Community College Chairperson Devi Momot said, “Following an extensive search that brought forward tremendous candidates and three outstanding finalists, the Board is grateful for the support of our dynamic search committee and the guidance of SUNY. After thoughtful deliberation, we have decided to recommend Ken Knelly to continue leading the college. His track record through the essential campus relocation speaks to his abilities, and we look forward to continued growth and impact for all students. At Clinton Community College, ‘We Work.’”

About Ken Knelly

Ken Knelly currently serves as Acting President of Clinton Community College, where he has led the institution through a period of significant transition and renewal. Knelly began his career at SUNY Plattsburgh in 2014, leading an integrated university marketing and communications team. He moved to the Office of the President in 2017, adding administrative responsibilities and later as chief of staff under President Alexander Enyedi. He began serving as Special Advisor to SUNY for the Clinton Community College Transition in February 2024, followed by his appointments as Administrator in Charge and then as Acting President.

During his time at SUNY Plattsburgh, Knelly led the university's external relations, served as a member of the president's leadership team and co-chaired the university's self-study committee for its reaffirmation of accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2020-2022. His experience includes more than a dozen years as a print journalist, reporter, editor, and newsroom leader. Locally, he is a past president of the Rotary Club of Plattsburgh and led a grassroots effort to bring high school girls lacrosse to Clinton County.

Knelly earned an Associate of Arts in Business from Essex Community College in Rossville, Maryland, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and a Master of Arts in Public Policy from West Virginia University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership at Iowa State University. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.