(PEEKSKILL, N.Y. – Jan. 30, 2013) Westchester Community College and SUNY Empire State College have agreed to expand access to Westchester Community College’s Center for the ‌Digital Arts for Empire State College’s Hudson Valley Center students and faculty.

The agreement also calls for the two colleges to continue to promote and strengthen cooperation between the Hudson Valley Center and CFDA regarding cross-registration and student transfer and to provide a clear bridge for students seeking to move from a Westchester Community College associate degrees to an Empire State College bachelor’s program in the digital arts and other areas of study.

“We welcome this opportunity to pool our resources,” says Dr. Joseph Hankin, president of Westchester Community College. “This new partnership will give our students the ability to move on to a four-year institution at a sister SUNY college, and will allow Empire State College students to use our cutting-edge digital arts labs in Peekskill. It’s a win-win.”

“Partnering with Westchester Community College is another example of “systemness” among SUNY institutions of higher education for the benefit of our students,” said Empire State College Acting President Meg Benke. “Students from both Empire State College and Westchester Community College will be more aware of the many local opportunities for offerings at the partner college, which strengthens the education pipeline in the Hudson Valley. I am grateful for the cooperation of President Hankin and his staff and I look forward to expanding our work together in the near future.”

Agreement highlights include:

• Empire State College students will have access to the audio and video labs and classrooms at CFDA through individual or group study
• Empire State College students would be made more aware of the opportunities for digital arts education available through cross-registration at Westchester Community College CFDA
• Westchester Community College CFDA students would be made more aware of the availability of bachelor’s-level education and bachelor’s degrees at Empire State College
• digital arts resources, events and expertise would be encouraged to be shared by both institutions as deemed appropriate by both institutions.

“We welcome the opportunity to build on and expand opportunities for both Westchester and Empire State students as both enter the workplace,” said Gary Lacy, dean of the Empire State College Hudson Valley Center. “This cooperative agreement will promote expanded academic opportunities, which will increase the marketability of our students.”

About Westchester Community College

Westchester Community College was founded in 1946 as the New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in White Plains. In 1957,  Westchester County bought the 360-acre John Hartford estate in Valhalla and designated 218 acres for the community college.

There are approximately 12,000 full- and part-time college credit students. Continuing education students bring the total number served by the college each semester to more than 24,000. Precise statistics about the college's enrollment history can be found in the Institutional Research & Planning pages.

Westchester Community College is accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York.

In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work onsite, online or a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.

The college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in New York state and online. Its 66,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more. More information about the college is available here.

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Media Contact: David Henahan, director of communications

SUNY Empire State College

518-587-2100, ext. 2918

David.Henahan@esc.edu

Patrick Hennessey, director of college-community relations

Westchester Community College

Phone: 914-606-6638

Fax: 914-606-6515