Partnerships

With our focus on working adults, many of our students enroll through one of our partnership programs. The university has formal partnerships with military and veteran organizations, labor unions, other colleges, associations and corporations.

Military and Veteran Educational Partnerships

  • Air Force – As an approved school in the United States Air Force Academic Institution (AI) portal, Empire State University offers Air University-Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) programs, Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) and non-AFSC-related associate and bachelor’s degree programs designed to meet the educational needs of airmen based on their military training and their educational goals. The university also participates in the Air Force General Education Mobile (GEM) program. For more information, go to the university's Air Force Distance Learning Program web page. 
     
  • Army – SUNY Empire is an active member of the United States Army’s GoArmyEd program offering undergraduate and graduate degrees to active-duty, reserve and National Guard soldiers. Visit the Army Ignited web site.
  • Coast Guard – SUNY Empire offers cutting-edge degree concentrations to meet the needs of Coast Guard members across the globe. For more information, go to the university's United States Coast Guard web page.
  • Navy – SUNY Empire offers a wide range of degrees designed to meet the educational needs of sailors based on their military training. For more information, go to the university's Navy College Program web page. 
  • U.S. Marine Corp – Marines can earn a degree with the flexibility they need to meet other family, work and community commitments in their lives. For more information, go to the university's Marine Corps web page.

In addition, Empire State University is a DOD MOU signatory and affirms and supports the principles and guidelines of the MOU.

For information about military and veteran education partnerships, please contact:

Desiree Drindak
Director of Veteran Military Education
518-587-2100, ext. 2543
Desiree.Drindak@sunyempire.edu

Labor Union Partnerships

  • American Federation of Government Employees
  • Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties
  • Communications Workers of America, District 1
  • Independent Drivers Guild (IAMAW)
  • International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 3
  • International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
  • Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, NYC Chapter
  • Local 338
  • NYC District Council of Carpenters
  • Restaurant Opportunities Center United (ROC)
  • SMART Local 28 Sheet Metal Workers Union of Metropolitan New York and Long Island
  • The Laundry Workers Center
  • Union Plus
  • United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters
  • United Federation of Teachers Paraprofessional Program
  • United Steelworkers - Institute for Career Development, Inc.
  • Worker's Justice Project

Unions that are interested in developing partnerships, please contact:

Maria Figueroa, MPA, LPD
Dean
Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School for Labor Studies
917-612-9133
maria.figueroa@sunyempire.edu

Community College Partnerships

The Pathways Transfer Program is for community college students who have completed, or will complete, an associate degree (A.A., A.S. or A.A.S.) prior to enrolling at Empire State University. The program is designed to support student success by easing the transition from classroom-based learning at the community college to a flexible mix of independent study and online courses found at SUNY Empire. During the first year at SUNY Empire and with advisement from their faculty mentor, students can take additional courses back at their community college, beyond the associate degree, for a total of 79 transferable lower division credits.

At Empire State University, all new students are assigned a faculty mentor who will advise and work with them through completion of their degree program. With the guidance of a mentor, students develop a degree program that builds upon their associate degree while connecting their educational, career and personal goals.

Current Partners

State University of New York (SUNY):

  • Adirondack Community College.
  • Broome Community College.
  • Cayuga Community College.
  • Clinton Community College.
  • Columbia-Greene Community College.
  • Corning Community College.
  • Dutchess Community College.
  • Erie Community College.
  • Finger Lakes Community College.
  • Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
  • Genesee Community College.
  • Herkimer County Community College.
  • Hudson Valley Community College.
  • Jamestown Community College.
  • Jefferson Community College.
  • Mohawk Valley Community College.
  • Monroe Community College.
  • Nassau Community College.
  • Niagara County Community College.
  • North Country Community College.
  • Onondaga Community College.
  • Orange County Community College.
  • Rockland Community College.
  • Schenectady County Community College.
  • Suffolk County Community College.
  • Sullivan County Community College.
  • Tompkins Cortland Community College.
  • Ulster County Community College.
  • Westchester Community College.

City University of New York (CUNY):

  • Borough of Manhattan Community College.
  • Bronx Community College.
  • Guttman Community College.
  • Hostos Community College.
  • Kingsborough Community College.
  • LaGuardia Community College.
  • Queensborough Community College.

Other College Partners:

  • Belanger School of Nursing of Ellis Medicine (NY)
  • Bergen CC (NJ)
  • Brookdale CC (NJ)
  • Central Texas College
  • College of New Rochelle (Teach Out Program, NY)
  • Community College of Vermont
  • Cornell University (NY)
  • CUNY School of Professional Studies (NYC)
  • Hillsborough CC (FL)
  • Hunter Business School (NY)
  • Ivy Tech Community College (IN)
  • Long Island Business Institute (NY)
  • Maria College (NY)
  • Maricopa County Community College District (AZ, all campuses)
    • Rio Salado College and Rio National
  • Ozarks Technical Community College (MO)
  • Pikes Peak Community College (CO)
  • Sinclair College (OH)
  • SUNY Alfred (NY)
  • SUNY Canton (NY)
  • SUNY Cobleskill (NY)
  • SUNY College of Optometry (NY)
  • SUNY Morrisville (NY)
  • Tidewater Community College (VA)

For more information, please contact Dr. Brian Goodale, Director of Academic Partnerships at Brian.Goodale@sunyempire.edu.

Corporate and Community Partnerships

SUNY Empire has partnered with many corporations, businesses, community organizations and associations to provide high-quality, affordable education to working adults. Please visit our Partnership Programs web page to learn about corporate and community partner benefits.

As a single-source solution for educational and work force development needs, the university offers its partners:

  • High-quality academic programs
  • Affordable tuition
  • Flexible, convenient online study options
  • Faculty mentors with in-depth expertise in key industries

For more information about Empire State University partnerships, please visit the university's Partnership Programs web page or contact:

Kelly Mollica
Director of Partnerships
518-580-2968
Kelly.Mollica@sunyempire.edu