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AMHERST, N.Y. – ˿����Ƶ College and SUNY Erie Community College (SUNY Erie) have formed a new educational partnership designed to provide student veterans and military aligned students a seamless transition from earning a SUNY Erie associate’s degree to completing a bachelor’s degree at ˿����Ƶ.

The memorandum of agreement for the dual admission program was officially signed on March 26 by ˿����Ƶ President Gary Olson; SUNY Erie President Dan Hocoy; Dr. Michael Brogan, ˿����Ƶ vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college; and Richard Washousky, SUNY Erie provost and executive vice president.

“This unique private-public collaboration will provide a clear path for student veterans and military aligned students to further their SUNY Erie education by pursuing a bachelor’s degree at ˿����Ƶ,” said Olson. “We are excited to partner with our colleagues at SUNY Erie to promote academic and student success, and we welcome the opportunity for their student veterans to join our campus community, where they will greatly benefit from the depth and breadth of our academic offerings and highly supportive learning environment.”

Hocoy noted, “We are delighted to establish this agreement with ˿����Ƶ and to create a smooth transition for student veterans from completing a SUNY Erie associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree at ˿����Ƶ. This is a valuable option that will help our student veterans further their college education toward a successful career.”

Under the new agreement, student veterans and military aligned students may apply to the dual admission program at the time of submitting their SUNY Erie application or prior to completing 30 credits. Students will be eligible for transfer admission into parallel degree programs at ˿����Ƶ upon completion of a SUNY Erie associate’s degree and have also met the required minimum grade point average for admission to the college.       

Students may transfer to a number of degree programs at ˿����Ƶ, including accounting, biology, business administration, health promotion, nursing, and social work, among others.

“The ˿����Ƶ and SUNY Erie partnership draws on the strengths of both institutions to provide an outstanding educational opportunity for student veterans and military aligned students that supports their continued studies in a range of exceptional academic programs at our college,” said Brogan. “With this collaboration, we are encouraging students to be persistent in their college pursuits through an additional avenue for bachelor degree completion.”

The agreement calls for ˿����Ƶ to train SUNY Erie faculty and staff who will be involved in advising students enrolled in the dual admission program, with regular communication to continue between the two institutions as students advance through their SUNY Erie studies. ˿����Ƶ’s veteran services will also work with SUNY Erie to ensure a smooth transition for transferring students, including arranging for services or adaptive technologies as needed.

Consistently recognized as a top military friendly and veteran supportive institution, ˿����Ƶ’s veteran services are coordinated through the college’s Nancy Haberman Gacioch Center for Veterans, which offers a place on campus where veterans, active duty service members, and military aligned students may study or connect with other students with military service. In addition to the center, the ˿����Ƶ Student Veteran Alliance is an active advocacy organization for student veterans, and hosts several activities and events throughout the academic year.

SUNY Erie’s veterans services helps students transfer military credits, apply for veterans benefits or military tuition assistance, connect with specialized tutoring, offer adaptive technologies, and more. SUNY Erie is an institutional member of Service Members Opportunity Colleges and is a participating institution in the Concurrent Admissions Program, which offers individuals entering military service a preliminary acceptance to the college and a guaranteed a space upon their discharge from active duty.

“Increased access to a college education is a shared goal of our two colleges,” said Washousky. “We look forward to working with our colleagues at ˿����Ƶ to provide new opportunities to veterans.”