The post IT Update: New Log in Process appeared first on About.

“Looking for funding opportunities like the Foster Youth College Success Initiative is just another way that we work on behalf of our students, many of whom are also raising a family and working to make ends meet, to help them mitigate tuition costs and other related college expenses,” said Kathleen Saunders, vice president of enrollment and student affairs, Ģ����ý. “By lessening the financial burden, students are able to focus more on their academics to successfully complete their chosen program and begin on their new career path.”

The FYCSI program was established to provide college-related funding such as tuition and housing, specifically for students who have spent time in foster care at any time after their 13^th birthday or who are eligible orphans. Recipients must meet all eligibility requirements, which include enrollment in a New York State college or university that also has a Higher Education Opportunities Program (HEOP) and meet the federal Higher Education Act definition of a foster youth or orphan.

In August 2022, Trocaire students who indicated on their financial aid forms that they might have been in foster care were notified and asked to submit a consent form to determine eligibility for the FYCSI grant. Ten Trocaire students were determined to be eligible for the grant with the average age of the recipients being 34. These students are pursuing degrees in nursing and certificates in practical nursing, with three graduating during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Rachel Rose ’24, is currently enrolled in Trocaire’s registered nursing program. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse and have dedicated myself to pursuing that career, but not working a full-time job to allow time for classes and studying has an impact,” she said. “I never thought anything positive would come from being in foster care, but receiving this funding has helped in both taking care of my daughter and her schooling and paying for my own studies.”

Trocaire’s HEOP office is reaching out to potential recipients for the 2023-24 academic year to submit a consent form for review by September 2023.

The post Ģ����ý receives $88,000 from New York State Foster Youth College Success Initiative appeared first on About.

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.

The post Ģ����ý and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center partner to launch Roswell Scholars program appeared first on About.

This decision was made with the best interest of our Ģ����ý community in mind and was not made lightly. Our status as a major educator of healthcare professionals in the Buffalo-Niagara region means it is our duty to prioritize the health, safety and well-being of our students, employees, and the community at large,” said Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D., president of Ģ����ý. “Requiring a COVID-19 vaccine, which has been proven safe and highly effective, is the best way to ensure a safe educational environment for all.

Trocaire is planning to bring back as many on-campus, seated classes as reasonable for the Fall 2021 semester. Requiring vaccinations will allow Trocaire to revise the safety precautions that have been followed throughout the pandemic, including ending requirements to wear masks and socially distance on college property, except for those who are unvaccinated; removing capacity restrictions and social gathering limits; and ending daily health screenings.

The post Trocaire to Require COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Students, Faculty and Staff appeared first on About.

Ģ����ý will host its 65th Commencement exercises in the form of a virtual celebration on Sunday, May 16 at 1 p.m., on YouTube Premiere. This celebration will honor more than 280 spring and summer graduates  for their achievement in earning their degrees and certificates.

Graduates for this celebration are invited to participate in Celebrating Our Graduates activities, such as sharing how they are celebrating, sending in images of themselves in their caps and gowns, and decorating their caps.

Over the past few weeks, our graduates received their graduation boxes in the mail, containing their caps and gowns, diploma covers, alumni swag bag and pin, and other items based on their involvement and achievements over their time at Trocaire.

While this semester’s festivities are virtual to ensure the safety of all graduates and individuals involved in the celebration, we look forward to seeing the creative ways our graduates and their loved ones celebrate!

The link for the virtual graduation celebration will premiere at 1 p.m. EDT via YouTube Premiere link, which is located on the Celebrating Our Graduates page.

Best wishes and congratulations to our graduates!

The post Celebrating Trocaire’s Spring and Summer 2021 Graduates appeared first on About.

Spring 2021 Efforts Result in $1,740 Impact in Local Community

April is National Volunteer Month, and Trocaire is marking the occasion by highlighting some of the recent good work by the college’s Mercy Action Project (MAP).

What is MAP?

Service is in Trocaire’s very DNA as a college founded by the Sisters of Mercy. As part of Trocaire’s commitment to its Mercy heritage and the impact service makes in the community, every student must participate in MAP before graduation.

This co-curricular learning experience provides local service opportunities that integrate Trocaire’s mission while connecting that service to a student’s career path. The purpose of MAP is to promote a campus culture committed to personal enrichment and service in the spirit of the Sisters.

Spring 2021 MAP students had the opportunity to serve in a group project supporting (JFS).

Immigrant and Refugee Resettlement Project

One of the ways JFS assists the local refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeking population is by welcoming them to their new homes and providing household necessities to get them started. This spring, MAP students—with help from the generosity of the Trocaire community—collected 20 baskets of household goods to help that effort, which will be placed in houses awaiting their new refugee and immigrant residents.

MAP students raised more than $1,000 worth of basket items, in addition to $500 in gift cards that will allow JFS Resettlement Project families to purchase items needed to settle into their homes themselves.

Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, would be proud as our students committed to working in the name of one of the Sisters’ Critical Concerns, Immigration,” said Colleen Steffen, coordinator of community-based learning at Trocaire. “These baskets give dignity to those needing it most by helping them to set up their home with blankets, comfort items, cleaning supplies and emergency items as they begin new lives.

COVID-19 Relief Fund

MAP students also supported JFS’ COVID-19 relief fund by selling 48 succulents in one week, resulting in $240. These funds will go to benefit the three groups JFS has identified as suffering most as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: children, families and senior citizens.

COVID-19 has definitely shifted the way service and volunteering looks in our world,” said Steffen. “Despite this adjustment, our Spring 2021 MAP students have stepped up and made a difference. We each have the power to carry the Mercy legacy forward, and I am proud to see our students make this impact in our community.

The post National Volunteer Month Spotlight: Mercy Action Project (MAP) appeared first on About.

Commencement is a milestone in every student’s life, but 2020 posed a new challenge for those who graduated amidst a global pandemic.

In addition to navigating remote learning, many of our Trocaire students also worked on the frontlines and supported their families throughout this stressful period. In the words of our distinguished graduation speaker, Dr. Karen Schneider, RSM, MD, “you cannot have all the pomp in these circumstances.” Despite that, our campus family worked to ensure a one-of-a-kind, completely virtual celebration for our 2020 graduates.

The honored both the 203 December graduates and the 216 May graduates. It premiered live on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Our graduates participated in the celebration as they streamed the video or participated in a live Zoom watch party. More than 1,000 people—graduates, loved ones and Ģ����ý faculty, staff and administrators—tuned in to watch and cheered on the graduates. A  was made available to all.

Graduates who participated in the celebration received a graduation box containing the students’ caps and gowns as well as a diploma frame, alumni swag bag and recognition cords if they were part of Phi Theta Kappa or Alum from Day One, or a military veteran. Programs like Nursing and Surgical technology also sent out their pins to students along with other celebratory items.

The Virtual Program

The virtual celebration mirrored a traditional Trocaire graduation and began with the playing of Pomp & Circumstance and Surgical Technology faculty member Jaclyn Bianci bringing in the mace. Spring graduate and current BSN student Jasmaine West sang the National Anthem, while fall graduate Tiffany Eagle shared the Invocation.

Trocaire President Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D, presided over the virtual celebration, and Board Chair Thomas Waring shared a greeting on behalf of the Board of Trustees and emphasized the impact our Trocaire graduates have in the community. Sister Marian Mullen, RSM ’67 shared a greeting on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy, noting the importance of a Mercy education and how our students should strive to be good today and better tomorrow.

Spring graduate Lisa Messina was selected as the graduation student speaker based on her compelling journey at Trocaire, where she navigated academic success and worked toward her ultimate goal of becoming a medical surgical nurse. We were joined by Dr. Karen Schneider, RSM, MD, a physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a Sister of Mercy, who shared an inspirational message with our students as they closed this chapter and go on to serve a variety of populations.

Dr. Deeb presented our graduates, a portion of the program where students were recognized based on their academic programs, merit achievements and affiliations at Trocaire. Graduates who tuned in were able to move their tassels from the left side of their caps to the right, signifying a close to their time at Trocaire. To conclude the celebration, fall graduate Kathleen Krawczyk led us in prayer with the Benediction.

Other Ways of Celebrating

Our graduates were able to participate in a “How Are You Celebrating” contest, where 43 graduates shared how they plan to celebrate their graduation for a chance to win a meal service for their family or friends. Five students were selected by the graduation committee to win based on their stories. Ashley Ryann Beutel, Destiny Goff, Sandra Andujar, Michael Patterson, and Kristi Swiderski won the contest and each received a $100 GrubHub credit.

In addition, we continued our tradition of the “Bling Your Cap” contest: Staci Hatch, Esteli Araujo and Madison Dressler had the most votes on their caps, based on votes submitted from their peers. We also gathered congratulatory greetings from our  and , and our featured December graduates who shared thank you messages to those who supported them on their Trocaire journey.

We are so proud of our Ģ����ý graduates and the journeys they took to earn their degrees. Congratulations again to all of our 2020 graduates. We look forward to celebrating our Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 graduates in May!

The post A Time to Celebrate: Looking Back on Our December 2020 Graduation  appeared first on About.

Just in time for the first week of the spring semester, Jasmaine West, a Ģ����ý nursing student, has received a refurbished car thanks to the generosity of Travelers and the National Auto Body Council’s . Through this collaboration, businesses representing all facets of the collision industry – insurers, auto repair shops, paint suppliers, parts vendors and others – partner to refurbish and donate vehicles to individuals and service organizations in need.

On Wednesday, West received the keys to her 2014 Buick Verano, newly restored by Gerber Collision located in Tonawanda.

Receiving this vehicle will mean stability with traveling back and forth to school and work, in addition to being able to provide for my family,” said West. “It’s good to know that working hard and being able to beat the odds can be noticed, and I am extremely grateful!

Derrick Gunter, coordinator of Trocaire’s Pathways to Nursing Success program, was made aware of Recycled Rides last year. He soon nominated West, who graduated from Trocaire in 2020 with her associate’s degree in nursing and is now earning her bachelor’s degree while working as an LPN at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital.

A mother of three and caregiver for her own mother, West commutes from her home in Niagara Falls to Trocaire’s South Buffalo campus several times a week for her classes, program requirements and to serve as a mentor for other nursing students. In addition, she is a leading member of the Infinity Club, a student club that strives to increase diversity in the healthcare field, and volunteers in the community when she can, such as her time at Schiller Park Senior Citizen Center.

Jasmaine has been part of the Trocaire family since 2017 and is a motivated and honorable scholar who seeks to have an impact on the healthcare field,” said Gunter. “Like so many of our students, she is doing an excellent job with continually balancing her academic, professional and family obligations – which will now be a little easier to manage thanks to the generosity of Travelers and the Recycled Rides program.

Through Recycled Rides, more than 2,500 vehicles valued at $36 million have been donated in communities across the country since 2007.

For more than a decade, our team has participated in the Recycled Rides program and worked with the National Auto Body Council and local auto body shops to help people in need,” said Nick Seminara, executive vice president and chief claim officer at Travelers. “We’re dedicated to supporting our communities, and we’re pleased to be able to provide Jasmaine and her family with a safe and reliable vehicle.

For more information on Recycled Rides, visit its .

The post Trocaire Nursing Student Receives Refurbished Car Through Recycled Rides® Program appeared first on About.

This month, they are coordinating an art supply drive for the .

The Seneca Street CDC’s mission reads: “The SSCDC partners with our neighbors in the Seneca Babcock community to provide a supportive environment to overcome educational, social and economic barriers. We provide opportunities for the entire community to acquire skills that build resiliency and self-reliance, enhancing the quality of life and potential for current and future generations in neighborhood.”

Interested in contributing? Drop off items in the boxes around the Choate campus, or donate using the project’s . The drive will continue through Oct. 30.

The post Trocaire Students Hold Art Supply Drive for Local After-School Program appeared first on About.

Through a workforce development in long term care grant from New York State, The McGuire Group, 1199SEIU Upstate healthcare union and Ģ����ý are collaborating on an apprenticeship program to help close skills gaps within the nursing workforce.

Currently, 10 union-certified nursing assistants (CNA) working at McGuire have enrolled in the Practical Nursing program at Trocaire to pursue an advanced nursing degree.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeships: Closing the Skills Gaps funding opportunity is also supporting the collaboration. The purpose of the two-year program is to promote apprenticeships as a significant workforce solution in filling current middle- and high-skilled job vacancies and closing the skills gap between employer workforce needs and the skills of the current workforce.

“The students’ range of experience varies from one year to greater than 18 years, and all have been tremendously engaged in the program,” stated Dana Mata, RN, AAS, BS, nurse manager for The McGuire Group. “The apprenticeship curriculum includes coursework in a wide range of topics from regulatory, quality management and leadership training to application of clinical skills taught in their nursing program. The program also includes integrating McGuire policies and process already in place and continuing with the McGuire mission of providing quality care in all of our facilities.”

In order to be eligible to participate in the apprenticeship program, the students had to have worked for at least one year at McGuire in addition to meeting academic thresholds.

As part of the collaboration, Trocaire provides the Practical Nursing curriculum and support services. 1199SEIU facilitates testing used for screening, tutoring and processes all the tuition payments. In addition to employment, McGuire also provides the on-the job training (OJT). The students’ school hours and OJT substitute for their work hours. The students are also working at least one shift per week at their facility.

“The students in the program had been away from school for a long time and were scared and overwhelmed. With classes going remote due to the pandemic, many also needed to learn new technologies,” said Jennifer Blickwedehl, Ph.D., associate dean for curriculum and instruction and program director, general studies, Ģ����ý. “With all that, in addition to the stress COVID-19 added to their workload, they are all doing amazingly well and have been a wonderful addition to the classroom.”

The students started classes spring 2020. Some started with prerequisites, and others were admitted directly into the Practical Nursing program. The students recently started summer school and anticipate earning their degrees at the end of the spring 2021 semester. Following completion of the program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the students will be promoted to practical nurses with McGuire.

###

About The McGuire Group:
The McGuire Group’s five WNY facilities provide subacute and outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing care, memory care, palliative care and respite/short-term care. They are consistently rated with five stars out of five by the federal government, which rates every nursing home in the country. In addition, the Department of Health’s Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) has ranked all of The McGuire Group’s facilities in the top 20% for 6 consecutive years. The McGuire Group is the only multi-facility provider in the state to have achieved this milestone. For more information visit www.McGuireGroup.com, www.medicare.gov or www.getstarpro.com.

About 199SEIU:
1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East, is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in the nation. We represent over 14,500 healthcare workers in Western, NY and over 400,000 total members throughout New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

About Ģ����ý:
Founded in 1958 in Buffalo, NY by the Sisters of Mercy, Ģ����ý is a private, career-oriented Catholic college that strives to empower students toward personal enrichment, dignity and self-worth through education. Trocaire offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificates and workforce development programs in healthcare, business, hospitality and technology. Recognizing the individual needs of a diverse student body, Ģ����ý provides life learning and development within a community-based environment, preparing students for service in the universal community. 

What The McGuire Group/1199SEIU employees and Ģ����ý students are saying about the program:

“It was a blessing to have my union and my employer come together to offer this opportunity. I can go to school without missing work, and I have strong support system to help me every step of the way. This has been a great experience for me.”

Patricia Jackson, CNA at The McGuire Group, Northgate Health Care Facility, North Tonawanda

“My dream has always been to be in the medical field to help people live out their lives as best as possible and this LPN apprenticeship program is an amazing opportunity for me to be able to get an education to further my career while still being able to help care for my family financially. Without this program, many people, including myself, could never do this program alone. With The McGuire Group, 1199SEIU and Trocaire, we have all the support we will ever need.”

Deina Neff, CNA at The McGuire Group, Northgate Health Care Facility, North Tonawanda

“Being in the apprenticeship program has given me the financial and academic support I needed to go back to school. Trocaire’s professors have been a great help during this uncertain time and have helped us succeed and learn to the best of our abilities. With the help of the tutors from 1199, I have been successful in the program so far and am excited to continue. Without the McGuire Group, Trocaire, and 1199 I would not be where I am today, and I am so grateful for them for giving me this opportunity.”

Kaitlyn Delmont, CNA at The McGuire Group, Autumn View Health Care Facility, Hamburg

The post The McGuire Group, 1199SEIU and Ģ����ý Join Forces on Apprenticeship Program appeared first on About.