Pictured are representatives of JCC and SUNY Fredonia at a recent agreement signing ceremony. In front are Dr. Daniel DeMarte, President of Jamestown Community College and Dr. Stephen H. Kolison, President of SUNY Fredonia. In back are Dr. Jessica Kubiak, JCC Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. David Starrett, SUNY Fredonia Executive Vice President and Provost.
SUNY Fredonia and Jamestown Community College (JCC) have entered into a significant strategic partnership to support the educational journey of students.
The Preferred Partnership Agreement solidifies a favored relationship between the two campuses that’s committed to facilitating smooth degree completion for area students. The presidents of both schools signed the agreement on October 2.
“I am excited about the Preferred Partnership Agreement that we are entering into between our two institutions,” said SUNY Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison, Jr. “The agreement creates an efficient pathway for students who complete their studies at JCC to transfer seamlessly to SUNY Fredonia, an outstanding university, to complete the requirements for a baccalaureate degree in an affordable manner,” he explained.
“It is an excellent example of our commitment to serving and assisting students in this region to obtain baccalaureate degrees,” Dr. Kolison said.
JCC President Daniel T. DeMarte indicated the partnership with SUNY Fredonia reflects a shared commitment to creating accessible and transformational opportunities for JCC students.
“By establishing a seamless pathway for JCC graduates to transfer and succeed at Fredonia, we are empowering our learners to achieve their academic and professional goals,” Dr. DeMarte said. “Together, we are building a stronger future for our communities, ensuring that students receive the support and resources they need to thrive from the moment they enter JCC to the day they graduate from Fredonia.”
SUNY Fredonia pledges that JCC graduates who transfer to Fredonia will receive preferred benefits relative to the admissions process, transfer credit considerations, course registration and engagement experiences, explained Assistant Vice President for Retention and Academic Success Erin Mroczka.
As part of the overall partnership agreement, the two institutions will look for new opportunities for curricular alignment so that students who are interested in earning a bachelor’s degree at SUNY Fredonia will have a clearer pathway from their associates degree at JCC that is timely, efficient, and cost effective.
“This new partnership with JCC will open the doors to a college degree to more students throughout surrounding communities,” said SUNY Fredonia Provost and Executive Vice President David Starrett. “It will be especially valuable and attractive to students living in
the region who can begin their college education close to home and then transfer to SUNY Fredonia to earn a four-year degree,” Dr. Starrett added.
“We look forward to making a college education accessible to more students in our home base,” he said.
Providing students with the best possible start to their educational and professional journeys has always been the mission of JCC, said JCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Jessica Kubiak.
“This partnership with SUNY Fredonia expands the horizons for our students, offering them more pathways and opportunities than ever before. By streamlining the transfer process and ensuring access to shared resources, we’re making it easier for our students to pursue their goals,” Dr. Kubiak said.
“Our goal is to give JCC students access to every opportunity that will empower them to succeed. This collaboration reflects our commitment to ensuring that no door is closed to them, and every possibility is within reach,” Kubiak noted.
This preferred status underscores the shared recognition by both institutions of unique partnership opportunities that promise mutual benefits. Possible areas of collaboration and benefits may include co-branded and/or co-located academic programs, collaboration on targeted high school and international recruitment activities, student access to services, discounts, and activities on the partner campus, and special scholarship opportunities, among others.