Niagara University offering place for Medaille students

Rob Creenan, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 20—With the news that Medaille University in Buffalo will close this summer, area colleges are working to attract students that will be left without a school.

One of them is Niagara University which started a teach-out agreement with Medaille, allowing them to remain on track to graduate when transferring. It set up a website at www.niagara.edu/medaille providing information to any interested students.

"Understanding the sudden challenge faced by these students, Niagara's partnership with Medaille will allow its undergraduate and graduate students to stay on track with their academic trajectory, graduate from Niagara University, and begin their career as they had planned," said Niagara President Rev. James Maher.

Medaille announced Monday it would close after operating in Buffalo in its present form since 1937, with the Sisters of St. Joseph tracing its heritage back to 1875 and the Institute of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. There were plans for it to merge with Trocaire College this summer, but that school announced it would not go through the deal.

VP of Academic Affairs Timothy Ireland said similar programs between the two schools include education, business, criminal justice, and psychology among others.

All credits earned at Medaille will be accepted at Niagara, with the university working with them on a case-by-case basis so the students will still graduate on time. Financial aid packages received at Medaille will also carry over to Niagara. Medaille graduate students currently enrolled in summer courses are encouraged to finish those first before applying to Niagara.

For any Canadian students enrolled in graduate education certification programs, Niagara University has the same kind of partnership where Canadian students can earn their teaching certification.

Students will be accepted up until the first day of classes for the fall 2023 semester. There is currently no cap on how many of the 1,500+ Medialle students Niagara would be willing to accept.

"It would be a good problem to have if we got more than we could handle," Ireland said. "We feel we can handle the students that come out way."

Other colleges that announced similar teach-out agreements are Villa Maria College, Alfred University, Canisius College, Daemen University, D'Youville University, Hilbert College and Buffalo State.

An open house for any interested Medaille students will take place on Wednesday, with registration available online.