Medgar Evers College, Onondaga Community College strike unique pathway

Onondaga Community College (OCC) and Medgar Evers College (MEC) have announced a transfer agreement which will give OCC students who meet specific requirements a guaranteed pathway to a bachelor’s degree program and financial support at MEC.

OCC is a two-year school in Syracuse which is part of the State University of New York system.

OCC students who express an interest in eventually transferring to MEC will receive continuous guidance while enrolled at OCC through periodic reviews with advisors. To be eligible for the Direct Admission Program, OCC students must:

• Maintain a 2.25 grade point average (equivalent of a C+/B-).
• Remain in good standing.
• Complete their associate degree.

Successful OCC graduates who are NY residents will be eligible for the Medgar Evers CHAMPSS Program which includes financial support of up to $3,500 per semester, book vouchers, and Metro cards. The CHAMPSS Program is available to MEC full-time students for up to two years. CHAMPSS is an acronym for Cultivating Holistic Academic Mindsets to Promote Student Success.

“Strategic relationships with institutions such as Onondaga Community College are critical to the long-term health and vitality of Medgar Evers College,” said Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President of Medgar Evers College.

“Our commitment to improving the lives of our students and their communities is mission critical, and we have found a fellow college with similar DNA. Working with Onondaga will allow us to not only welcome students back home to complete their bachelor’s degree, but also expose those from elsewhere in the state of New York to our little slice of heaven here in Brooklyn. We can’t wait to welcome students through this partnership and look forward to the ongoing innovative work we will do with Onondaga to continue to find unique opportunities for students in the years to come,”

OCC President Dr. Warren M. Hilton sees the tremendous value of the partnership, as well as attaining a degree at Medgar Evers College.

“This Direct Admission Program provides our students with a guaranteed, predictable pathway to a bachelor’s degree at an outstanding institution,” said OCC President Dr. Warren M. Hilton.

“As we welcome students to our campus from the New York City area, this provides them with the option to pursue their bachelor’s degree closer to home. And, it provides Upstate NY residents with an affordable option to obtain their bachelor’s degree in New York City. We thank the leadership at Medgar Evers College for their tireless work on this agreement which will benefit students and improve their lives in future years. This agreement will no doubt produce for New York State future nurses, accountants, computer programmers, teachers, social workers, and more.”