“After having various discussions with local Catholic education stakeholders, it became clear that Catholic schools, particularly at the elementary level, are facing a pressing challenge to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population and their families,” said Dr. Bassam Deeb, president, Ģ����ý. “As an opportunity college, we understand that sometimes our students need wrap around and support services to help them thrive along their academic pathway. This collaborative initiative will bring that support to the elementary level, to ensure students and families have earlier access to needed resources.”

Ģ����ý will lead this pilot program with the goal of supporting a thriving, cohesive, and enduring Catholic education system in the region. The initiative will provide services that align with the cultural, linguistic, and economic realities of individual communities and offer support in crisis response, grief, housing instability, mental health navigation, and more. In addition, the project will look to connect students and families with appropriate resources and seek the input of existing, successful family support centers in the local public-school sectors.

“This partnership strengthens our ability to meet students and families where they are,” said Joleen Dimitroff, superintendent of Catholic elementary schools. “We are deeply grateful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for its investment and to Ģ����ý for its leadership in expanding access to critical supports that help every child flourish academically, emotionally, and spiritually within our Catholic schools.”

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, one of the largest foundations in the United States and the largest foundation focused exclusively on healthcare across New York State, provides grants to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of diverse communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services.

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“Institutions of higher education across the region and nationally have been significantly impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic and in Western New York, this has been exacerbated by declining birth rates and demographics in which there are simply fewer people attending college,” said Dr. Bassam Deeb, President, Ģ����ý.  “As a result, the Ģ����ý Board of Trustees in 2019 directed me to explore potential collaborations and strategic alliances with other institutions of higher education and we have engaged in a number of conversations and meetings about potential collaborations leading to today’s announcement with Medaille University.”

“There is complementary non-overlapping academic offerings between both institutions providing a full range of higher education credentials, including certificate, associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral level,” said Dr. Lori Quigley, Medaille University Interim President.  “This combination of professional programs in health care along with experiential learning, and professional training in education, business, and social sciences is a tremendous foundation and synergy for success allowing both institutions to serve their student populations.”

Discussions between the two institutions of higher education began in October 2021.  Committees comprised of Trustees from Trocaire and Medaille were formed as part of the process to negotiate and review respective operations, financial information, campus infrastructure and other considerations. 

While Trocaire and Medaille have signed a cooperative agreement, there are a number of steps that will take place in the anticipated timeframe of approximately 12-18 months for the agreement to be finalized, including approvals from various accreditors and regulators.

“The real work begins now as we start the process of transparently engaging stakeholders from Trocaire and Medaille as we work towards fulfilling this mission,” Dr. Quigley continued.

Dr. Deeb said “There is a lot of information we need to assess in order to answer questions that invariably are going to be asked and in particular from students at both institutions.”

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To improve career pathways for students in the health sciences, and have partnered to launch the Roswell Scholars program.

Beginning Fall 2022, 10 Trocaire students will be accepted into the program annually to work onsite at the Buffalo-based cancer center with Roswell Park staff to learn about potential career paths with the goal of being hired upon completion of their degree. Roswell Park will provide mentors and shadow days, as well as professional development seminars to these students on an annual basis.

“Education has, and always will be, a central tenet of Roswell Park’s mission,” said Candace S. Johnson, Ph.D., President, CEO and M&T Bank Presidential Chair in Leadership, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The program with Trocaire is our chance to share our knowledge and expertise about the latest innovations in cancer care and research to best equip students to enter the healthcare workforce, and we hope that many of these nurses in training will one day join our team at the cancer center.”

Trocaire will provide annual $1,000 scholarships to program participants and facilitate educational programming that will complement and connect the students’ Roswell Park experience to their curriculum or training. In addition, Roswell Park will also provide the opportunity for students and graduates of the Roswell Scholars program to apply and interview for open positions that they are qualified for.

“With the demand for a well-trained healthcare workforce continuing to increase, the Roswell Scholars program is an opportunity for our students to go beyond the clinical experience and understand firsthand the variety of career opportunities available for them at one of the top cancer centers in the country, right in our own backyard,” said Ģ����ý President Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D. “Our partnership with Roswell Park seeks to create a career pipeline, exposing students to different aspects of healthcare throughout their college years and preparing Roswell Park’s potential future workforce in the process.”

The Roswell Scholars program is the first of its kind program for both Trocaire and Roswell Park. Over the past year, Trocaire and Roswell Park have been working toward this partnership, by first offering professional development training for Roswell Park staff through Trocaire’s workforce development programs. Clinical affiliations were also signed, and Trocaire students are currently participating in clinical experiences at Roswell Park.

Interested Trocaire students will be applying for the Roswell Scholar program later this summer.

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For the first time, and are partnering to offer courses geared towards future career opportunities in healthcare. Beginning this summer, programs in phlebotomy, sterile processing and pharmacy technician will be held at Gerard Place located at 2535 Bailey Ave., Buffalo. Each of these three certificate programs can be completed in as little as three months.

“Gerard Place is very pleased to be partnering with Ģ����ý to offer our community wonderful opportunities for careers in the health care field,” said David Zapfel, president and CEO, Gerard Place. “We look forward to expanding our collaboration so that everyone can participate and move forward with good paying jobs in healthcare.”

Beginning July 12, and running Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sept. 13, the phlebotomy program includes in-person lectures, a three-week clinical placement, and soft-skills work readiness training with one-on-one mentoring and job coaching provided by Gerard Place.

The sterile processing program prepares students to develop skills necessary to properly disinfect, prepare, process, store, and issue both sterile and non-sterile medical/surgical supplies and equipment for direct patient care and clinical use. This course begins Aug. 30 and runs Mondays and Wednesdays through Nov. 21.

The pharmacy technician program begins Sept. 27 and is held Tuesdays and Thursdays through Dec. 15. The 12-week program prepares pharmacy techs in working under the direction of a pharmacist to measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications based on the prescription orders as well as provide customer service.

“Partnering with Gerard Place is part of Trocaire’s workforce development strategy to help connect people with the resources and training needed for a new career pathway,” said Dr. Gary Smith, vice president, innovation and advancement, Ģ����ý. “The needed training for entry-level positions in phlebotomy, sterile processing, and pharmacy tech each take just a few months to complete. In addition, while each of these are rewarding career fields on their own, each can also be a steppingstone to more opportunities within the growing healthcare industry.”

Gerard Place strengthens the community as it empowers individuals and families toward self-sufficiency by providing housing, supportive services, community education and outreach. By taking a human-centered approach, Gerard Place empowers those in need by providing the tools, support and safe haven needed on a journey to achieve life goals. For more information, visit .

Applications for these three programs are free and being accepted now. For more information or to apply for Trocaire’s phlebotomy, sterile processing, or pharmacy tech programs held at Gerard Place, visit .

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“Our DMS program is at full enrollment and with the pandemic causing changes in healthcare settings, more of our students were using our on-campus equipment to meet their required scan time,” said Jaime White, director of imaging programs, Ģ����ý. “It’s important that we offer our students the latest equipment that they will be exposed to in the clinical setting. Thanks to the generous support of Cummings Foundation, we can meet this increased student demand, providing them with more hands-on experience for clinicals and future career opportunities.”

James H. Cummings Foundation recognizes the technology and equipment needs of quality healthcare training and education for those entering medical professions and has been a strong supporter of Trocaire and its students for five decades. Most recently, Cummings Foundation funded Trocaire to purchase and implement the SonoSim Ultrasound Training Solution in late 2019, which enabled students to successfully complete their course of study virtually amidst the pandemic.

“The educational programs at Ģ����ý are instrumental in ensuring Western New York has a well-trained quality healthcare force. This new ultrasound equipment along with other our recent grants enable students to learn on high quality equipment and experience the sort of situations they will encounter when they enter healthcare settings” said Mary Jo Hunt, executive director and secretary, James H. Cummings Foundation.

For more information on Trocaire’s DMS program or any of its medical imaging programs, visit, .

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“Our customer service program marks the start of a new collaboration with Buffalo City Mission, Our Lady of Victory and Cazenovia Recovery to provide opportunities for those who are looking for additional training to begin a new career or change career paths,” said Gary Smith, Ed.D., vice president, innovation and workforce development at Ģ����ý. “Qualified customer service professionals continue to be in high demand, and we are working with local companies to help train potential employees with the skill set employers are looking for to fill both in-person and remote positions.”

As part of the program, students will receive live, instructor led classes, certification exams, eight sessions of work readiness through Trocaire’s ongoing partnership with 716 Ministries, career coaching and mentoring, and employer networking. Program funding is available for qualified applicants through generous support from the Garman Family Foundation.

“The Buffalo City Mission has been ‘restoring lives since 1917.’ We are honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue this tradition by partnering with our colleagues from Ģ����ý, Our Lady of Victory, Cazenovia Recovery and 716 Ministries,” said John Ingersoll, manager, vocational & adult education, Buffalo City Mission. “We look forward to working together to provide this opportunity of personal and professional growth for those participating in the program from Erie and Niagara Counties.”

Classes start Jan. 18 and will be held Mondays thru Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. It will be a hybrid model with classes offered at Buffalo City Mission, Our Lady of Victory and Cazenovia Recovery.  

For more information on the program or to enroll, visit .

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The goal of this partnership is to create a pipeline of students who successfully achieve their Health Sciences diploma and Trocaire certificate or degree to help fill a need for skilled and diverse healthcare workers in Western New York.

There’s a natural synergy between Ģ����ý and Health Sciences Charter School, as both our institutions are committed to education as a path to success, career training and providing qualified graduates to Western New York’s workforce,” said Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D., president, Ģ����ý. “This partnership will help us to reach these goals, while providing a transformative experience for the students on their path towards healthcare careers of achievement and lives of purpose.

As part of the partnership, initial plans include providing Trocaire credit for approved Health Sciences classes, offering select Trocaire classes at the school, and enabling qualified Health Sciences students to take classes at Trocaire in their junior and senior years. For example, this semester Health Sciences students are taking a health disparities class featuring guest Trocaire lecturers. Additional opportunities to expand on the partnership will be explored in the coming months.

I am confident the learning of our Health Sciences students will broaden thanks to the opportunities this partnership with Trocaire will provide, and it will continue to be a priority for all involved,” said Jaime Venning, head of school, Health Sciences Charter School. “Students will embrace their current skill sets and receive college readiness and course credit, all while progressing towards their future aspirations.  I look forward to seeing what this collaboration brings to our students.

The impetus for founding Health Sciences in 2010 was to address the critical shortage of skilled workers for the many health-related positions that remain unfilled in Western New York. With hands-on commitment from local healthcare industry partners, Health Sciences exposes students to healthcare career opportunities through specialized classroom curriculum, laboratory-based researching, mentoring programs and real-world internships.

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For individuals looking for new career opportunities in the healthcare industry, Ģ����ý announced it is now enrolling for its next offerings of phlebotomy and sterile processing and distribution technician certificate programs.

“Both programs prepare students for entry-level careers in these fast-growing fields while enabling them to gain the theoretical and practical expertise for success,” said Dr. Gary Smith, vice president, innovation and workforce development, Ģ����ý. “While each are a rewarding field on their own, they also provide a stepping stone to other healthcare career opportunities.”

Phlebotomy

Beginning Jan. 12, the 14-week phlebotomy program is offered in three sections: remote and in person lectures, three-week clinical placement, and soft skills work-readiness training with one-on-one mentoring and coaching provided by 716 Ministries. The cost of the course is $1,600. Full funding is available for qualified applicants. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will receive a certificate of completion from Trocaire and will be eligible to sit for the national examination for additional credentialing. Students will have an opportunity to network with professionals and employers in phlebotomy during the course of the program.

Sterile Processing and Distribution

Trocaire’s sterile processing and distribution program prepares students to develop skills necessary to properly disinfect, prepare, process, store, and issue both sterile and non-sterile medical/surgical supplies and equipment for direct patient care. The 10-week program, which begins Jan. 25, is a hybrid of remote lectures and a 20-hour clinical experience. Graduates of the program will be eligible to apply to take the certification exam through the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution. The cost of the course is $1,600. Full funding is available for qualified applicants. Students will have an opportunity to network with professionals and employers in sterile processing during the course of the program.

For more information on either program or to enroll, visit trocaire.edu/wd.

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To further level up your brewing game, enroll now for Trocaire’s brewing certificate program beginning Feb. 1

As a holiday treat for craft beverage enthusiasts and brewing professionals, Ģ����ý is offering two free virtual brewing workshops this December and January.

“With more people staying at home, this winter is the perfect time to learn more about the art and science of craft beverage making,” said Erik Coleman, Brewing, Distilling, and Fermentation Science program director, Ģ����ý. “It also serves as a nice introduction for people who may be interested in enrolling in our brewing certificate program.”

Trocaire’s free brewing workshops include:

Cicerone Level 1 Seminar (certified beer server), Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 10 a.m. – 1p.m. – Great beer service starts with fundamentals: beer, clean glassware, a proper pour and beer that hasn’t been ruined by incorrect handling. It also involves dialog between server and guest with talk of beer styles and flavors. This seminar assesses these skills to recognize those individuals who are prepared to serve today’s wide range of beers and includes a Cicerone Certified Beer server exam.

Introduction to Homebrewing Workshop, Jan. 9, 6 – 7:30 p.m. – Led by local brewing and distilling experts Andrew Harding, Thin Man Brewing Co. and Kevin Ford, Buffalo Distilling Company, this workshop is designed for the novice brewer to learn the basics of home brewing. In addition, beer enthusiasts looking to develop a deeper understanding of beer, its ingredients and the process by which it is made will also appreciate this workshop. Find out about extract brewing, malts, grains, yeasts and how to avoid or troubleshoot the most common problems.

Due to continuing interest, Ģ����ý’s Brewing, Distilling and Fermentation Science certificate program will now be offered starting Feb. 1. Offered via videoconference, the instructor-led program runs Mondays from 6 – 9 p.m. beginning Feb. 1 through Aug. 23, 2021. Owners and head brewers from regional breweries and distillers will provide guest lectures, virtual tours, and demonstrations. The 100 hours of live online classes, which include modules covering Sensory Evaluation, Introduction to Brewing, the Science of Brewing and certifications in TIPS, ServeSafe and Level 1 Cicerone, is capped by a 100-hour internship at the end of the program. This program is designed to prepare individuals for entry-level positions in the craft beverage industry or upskill the home brewer.

For more information on the upcoming free brewing programs, program requirements for the certificate program and to enroll, visit staging.trocaire.edu/brewing.

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The SonoSim software simulates a broad range of life-like clinical ultrasound scenarios with both normal and abnormal pathologies for students in the college’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) and Echocardiography (Echo) certificate programs. The experience also includes gel pads and “sonosimulator” wands, which replicate the experience of using an actual ultrasound probe on real patients.

The Foundation funded the initial purchase of the program in 2019. The cutting-edge software includes content lectures, hands-on assignments to obtain images and measurements and a concluding test. This sort of simulation provides a training environment where students can practice essential competencies until they are proficient.

“We are indebted to the Cummings Foundation for its support for year two of our SonoSim technology, which provides new and continuing DMS and ECHO students an unparalleled opportunity to develop real-world ultrasonography clinical skills,” said Trocaire President Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D. “This technology proved invaluable this spring amidst the new COVID-19 reality as students were able to complete their clinical requirements using SonoSim, allowing Trocaire to continue meeting Western New York’s critical need for skilled healthcare professionals.”

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