By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart
Recent SUNY Broome graduate Riley Tomasovitch has always been proud of her father’s U.S. Navy service, but her gratitude was brought to a new level when she became a college student. Thanks to her dad’s commitment to his country, Tomasovitch was able to become the beneficiary of his GI Bill benefits. As a result, the Pennsylvanian crossed the border into SUNY territory to earn her degree. The surprise bonus? GI Bill benefits extend in-state tuition rates to out-of-state residents.
Tomasovitch hails from Old Forge, Pennsylvania, the “Pizza Capital of the World.” (Look it up; it’s a real thing!) The baby of a lovingly blended family, she was born into a long legacy of military service, dating back to her grandfather, a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War.
During her senior year at Old Forge High School, Tomasovitch narrowed her college search criteria to three essentials: She wanted to study a healthcare-related program affordably and away from home. At just an hour and 10 minutes north on Interstate-81, and officially across state lines, SUNY Broome was the perfect fit.
Tomasovitch enrolled in SUNY Broome’s Health Studies: A.A.S. program to complete her core courses and explore her options within the world of healthcare.
Though her drive to campus was technically commutable, she opted to reserve a suite in the Student Village. Tomasovitch registered for classes, accepted a work-study position in the Office of Academic Advising, and set up an appointment with the Office of Veterans & Military Affairs to navigate her college financing. It was only then that she discovered the most valuable benefit of accessing the GI Bill: the proud Pennsylvanian would be granted New York in-state tuition status, at exactly half the cost she initially projected.
“I truly had no idea about the in-state tuition benefit until I met with the Veterans & Military Affairs staff,” Tomasovitch explained. “Going to school affordably was my top priority, so this news was such a pleasant surprise.”
Tomasovitch didn’t waste any time acclimating to life as a student at SUNY Broome. She found a core group of friends (including some fellow NEPA residents), excelled in her classes, and was hired as Resident Advisor (RA) during her second semester. After a brief stint in the Though once interested in the College’s competitive allied health programs like Radiologic Technology: A.A.S. and Dental Hygiene: A.A.S. program, Tomasovitch ultimately decided to remain a health studies student, being drawn to the behind-the-scenes logistics of healthcare.
“Being an RA in the Student Village ended up making a big impact on my decision to go into healthcare management,” Tomasovitch explained. “Residence Life teaches practical leadership skills, which are critical in healthcare management. It was the best preparation for my future career.”
Next to serving as an RA, the next most transformative SUNY Broome experience for Tomasovitch was taking HST 105: Global Health in Ireland. Through this global service-learning course, she traveled to rural Ireland to study international healthcare practices first-hand. Together with her fellow health sciences division classmates, she compared healthcare delivery systems and was able to support local medical efforts in response to the country’s growing population of Ukrainian refugees.
Tomasovitch graduated from SUNY Broome in Spring 2024. Bitten by the SUNY bug, she transferred directly to SUNY Delhi, where she’s on track to complete her bachelor’s degree in healthcare management in Spring 2026.Tomasovitch is genuinely excited for what’s to come: she’s already applying to hospitals throughout the northeast and researching graduate programs.
Riley’s Advice for Veterans and Dependents Accessing the GI Bill: “Check in with the Veterans & Military Affairs Office every semester to make sure all of your documents are on track and all of your questions are answered. Once that’s in order, study hard and get involved. I loved going to all of the student activities on campus. I still miss the bingo sessions.”
While Tomasovitch has no plans to personally join the military, she is committed to always do her part to thank the individuals who accept the call to serve their country. Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers
Tags: Health Sciences Division, Health Studies AAS and AS, Housing, Veterans & Military Affairs Office
