Power of SUNY

SUNY & Lumina Foundation Partner for Degree Completion

In Sept. 2010, the Lumina Foundation for Education awarded SUNY an $800,000 grant and the opportunity to participate in a nationwide Adult Degree Completion network dedicated to helping adult students with some college credits earn their degrees. 

With support from Lumina Foundation, SUNY will partner with business and industry leaders and economic development organizations to launch SUNY WORKS - a unique new cooperative education initiative featured in SUNY's new strategic plan. Students participating in SUNY WORKS will engage in salaried, credit-worthy 21^st century career experiences while they complete their degrees, expanding job opportunities upon graduation.  

Through SUNY WORKS, SUNY and Lumina expect an additional 2,000 adult students to complete degrees by 2014 and will ultimately produce more than 5,000 work-savvy graduates upon full scale-up across SUNY's 64 campus system.

"SUNY has unmatched capacity to significantly increase the proportion of working age adults across New York State who earn college degrees and are prepared for 21^st century job opportunities," said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. "The generous support of Lumina Foundation will help to position SUNY as an engine for New York's economic revitalization."