Agreement Signed to Create New Pathway for Military Personnel at SUNY Empire State to Enter SUNY Cobleskills Canine Training and Management Bachelors Program

COBLESKILL, N.Y. – SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Empire State today announce an agreement to create a new pathway for military personnel from SUNY Empire State’s general studies program to SUNY Cobleskill’s Canine Training and Management program. Under this agreement, students with a military background graduating with an associate degree from SUNY Empire State can seamlessly progress to a junior-year status in the Canine Training and Management program at SUNY Cobleskill.

SUNY Empire State’s Associate in Arts and Associate in Science in General Studies is a 64-credit program designed for students who have completed a variety of college credits and life experiences but have not yet earned a degree, as well as those who are just beginning their college careers. The programs  develop strong foundational learning that can be transferred to a bachelor’s degree track. The format of the degree is accelerated in that students may transfer up to 52 credits from previously earned college credits and prior learning assessment.

SUNY Cobleskill launched its Bachelor of Technology degree program in 2019 as one of only a handful of higher education programs in the country providing a comprehensive, canine-focused curriculum of its type. Canine Training and Management is designed to prepare students for a wide range of professional opportunities in areas including canine-assisted therapy, nutrition, and security. SUNY Cobleskill’s campus is home to two canine-specific training facilities and the college supports a student-run canine club.

SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio said, “Our two institutions share a commitment to creating accessible pathways focused on a learner’s progression from college to advanced studies or their career field of choice. Together, in partnership with SUNY Empire State, we are amplifying our complementary institutional strengths to provide the best student service to our military members seeking to enter canine-related fields.”

SUNY Empire State President Lisa Vollendorf said, “This collaboration between SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Empire State will expand access to high-quality education for military students in New York. I am proud to have the opportunity to leverage the power of SUNY to help students, their families, and their communities through this program.”

SUNY Empire State Director of Veteran & Military Education Desiree Drindak said, “I’m thrilled that this collaborative partnership was created to provide the best service to our military students, allowing them to maximize the knowledge and expertise they gained through their military experience.”

This latest agreement represents a continuation of the close relationship SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Empire State have developed in recent years as the two institutions work together to create new learning pathways for students. In 2017, an agreement was signed to allow qualified Bachelor of Business Administration students at SUNY Cobleskill to transfer smoothly into the Master of Business Administration in Business Management program at SUNY Empire State. The two schools created additional pathways in 2019, lowering barriers for SUNY Cobleskill students to earn a graduate degree through SUNY Empire State in business administration, applied psychology, and information technology.