(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – January 29, 2020) SUNY Empire State College and Hudson Valley Community College today announced a new academic partnership that will not only simplify the transfer process, but will allow Hudson Valley students to continue their studies on campus while enrolled at SUNY Empire.

The program-to-program-specific transfer agreement was developed to encourage Hudson Valley students with an associate degree in computer information systems to continue working toward a bachelor of science in science, mathematics, and technology with a concentration in information systems. The new agreement allows students to transfer as many as 79 credits to SUNY Empire, more than half of the 124 total credits required to earn a bachelor’s degree. Under the partnership, SUNY Empire will guarantee admission to the program for associate degree graduates, eliminate the orientation fee and provide a small scholarship to all Hudson Valley transfer students.

In the last 15 years, SUNY Empire has welcomed nearly 2,400 transfer students from Hudson Valley, notably to its business management and economics, community and human services, and science math and technology programs. Hudson Valley, which boasts more than 250 transfer agreements with colleges and universities throughout the country, and SUNY Empire continue to establish new transfer agreements to ensure students’ continued success and to deliver education in a way that works best for them.

Through this new agreement, SUNY Empire faculty will teach some upper-level courses on the Hudson Valley campus. This first-of-its-kind partnership will allow students to continue their studies at the institution, to utilize its resources, and provides SUNY Empire faculty with the opportunity to teach in a more traditional environment and to experience in-person interaction on campus.

“This collaboration is another example of our shared mission to increase access to education and to create as many pathways as possible for students to continue their academic pursuits while staying close to home,” said SUNY Empire State College Officer in Charge Nathan Gonyea. “SUNY Empire has been providing students with a blend of online and in-person instruction since 1995. This year, as we reflect on our five decades as a leader in distance learning, we continue to look ahead – to find creative ways to educate our students and put their needs first. Thank you to Hudson Valley Community College President Ramsammy for your collaboration and the tremendous job you and your faculty and staff do in serving students and our community.”

“For decades, Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Empire have built a great partnership with the shared goal of providing accessible, affordable higher education,” said Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy. “This new agreement is another step along that path, and I encourage our students to take advantage of the opportunity it presents. Information technology is so vital to moving our country and our economy forward.”

The agreement was made official during a virtual ceremony. Today’s pathway is one of many in a series of transfer agreements, including addiction studies, allied health, and nursing.

About Hudson Valley Community College

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 80 associate degree and certificate programs in three schools: Business and Liberal Arts; Health Sciences; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; as well as an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 10,500 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has 80,000 alumni.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College educates 16,000 students per year in person, online, and through a blend of both, at locations in every region of New York and at eight international sites worldwide. Together with one of SUNY Empire’s 800 faculty mentors, each student designs their own individualized pathway to a college degree that accommodates their schedule and awards credit for prior college-level learning. SUNY Empire awards more than 3,000 degrees annually and 94 percent of graduates stay in New York state. Today, more than 89,000 SUNY Empire alumni are entrepreneurs, veterans, and active members of the military, professional athletes, teachers, medical professionals, and leaders in their field, as well as in their communities. To learn more, visit www.esc.edu and follow the college on social media @SUNYEmpire.