For Release: Immediate – August 9, 2022
             Contact: Steve Ference, SUNY Poly Director of University Communications | (518) 429-7742 | sference@sunypoly.edu
                             Betsy DeMars, HFM BOCES Communications Specialist | (518) 736-4315 |bdemars@hfmboces.org 

Initiative provides efficient degree pathways for students participating in PTECH program

Utica and Johnstown, N.Y.—The Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES Pathways in Technology Early College High School (HFM BOCES PTECH) program with SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) announced a new articulation agreement. The agreement enables PTECH graduates to continue their education at SUNY Poly to earn a bachelor’s degree in a seamless manner that builds on their past learning experiences through Fulton-Montgomery Community College’s associate degree programs and eliminates unnecessary duplication of instruction.

"This partnership with HFM BOCES PTECH will provide clear and streamlined academic pathways for students to pursue bachelor’s degrees at SUNY Poly in seven critical, in-demand degree programs," said Dr. Zora Thomova, Interim Provost at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “We are proud that this new agreement will facilitate the ability of even more students to easily take part in our highly affordable, immersive learning environment.”

“This transfer agreement with SUNY Polytechnic Institute amplifies the opportunity and impact of the PTECH program,” HFM BOCES Superintendent Dr. David Ziskin said. “Our students now have a direct, economical pathway to high-demand bachelor degree programs that will further advance them on their paths to meaningful careers.”

This agreement guarantees transferability of credits earned via the PTECH program’s degree pathway to corresponding SUNY Poly bachelor's degrees, as listed below:

• A.S. Business Administration or A.A.S. Business Management to B.S. Business Administration
• A.A.S. Computer Information Systems to B.S. Computer Information Systems
• A.S. Computer Networking & Cybersecurity to B.S. Network + Computer Security
• A.S. Computer Science to B.S. Computer + Information Science
• A.A.S. Electrical Technology to B.S. Electrical Engineering Technology
• A.A.S. Health Information Records Management to B.P.S. Health Information Management
• A.S. Health Science, A.S. Human Services, A.A.S. Human Services, or A.A.S. Health Studies to B.S. Community + Behavioral Health

As part of the articulation agreement, high-achieving first-year applicants will also be considered for various scholarship awards, including the SUNY Poly Merit Scholarship, which is renewable for up to four years for students who earn them based on their academic merit, rigor of high school curriculum, and involvement in activities outside of the classroom.

Articulation agreements are formal partnerships between two or more colleges, universities or schools, documenting the transfer policies for a specific academic program or degree. These partnerships ensure students maximize the use of their time, money, and/or credits, helping them to avoid repeating a course at the four-year institution.

This latest agreement is the latest way in which SUNY Poly continues to provide an affordable, high-value education, with continually strong rankings:

• U.S. News & World Report listed SUNY Poly in the top 50 Best Value Schools in the Regional Universities North category.
• SUNY Poly ranked #31 in the nation for "Best Value Colleges & Universities for 2022" by College Consensus.
• Yahoo! Finance and GoBankingRates selected SUNY Poly as the “Most Affordable College in New York State 2020-2021.”
• Phi Theta Kappa recognized 171 colleges including SUNY Poly for exemplary transfer pathways. This “Transfer Honor Roll” is determined by 40 key metrics related to the support and success of transfer students.

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)
SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, game design, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.

About HFM PTECH:
HFM PTECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School), a program of the Hamilton Fulton Montgomery BOCES, incorporates project based learning and professional skills training as students work toward their associate degree from Fulton Montgomery Community College or SUNY Cobleskill at no cost to their families. HFM PTECH collaborates with regional businesses to prepare students for the workforce, including providing workplace tours, mentoring, internships, job shadows and more. HFM PTECH students enter the program as ninth-graders and simultaneously work toward their Regents High School Diploma and one of 20 associate degrees in five career clusters: Business, IT/Gaming Arts, Health/Medical, Advanced Manufacturing, and Agriculture. Students can remain in the program for up to 6 years and can work toward their degree at their own pace. Since HFM PTECH opened for the 2014-15 school year, 131 students have completed the program, earning both their high school diplomas and their associate degrees.