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High School Students: Experience College Life at Syracuse University this Summer

While snow may be on the ground in Central New York, it’s already time to start thinking about summer! Applications are now open for Syracuse University’s Summer College and we’re excited to announce that we will once again be able to offer our on-campus pre-college program as well as our online program to high school students in the summer of 2022.

Offered through the College of Professional Studies, Summer College provides high school students with “an exceptional, transformative pre-college experience,” according to Dean Michael Frasciello. “For more than 60 years, Syracuse University has introduced high school students to the world of college study and campus life.”

In 2021, the Office of Pre-College Programs welcomed 775 high school students from around the world into more than 70 online pre-college programs. “Seventy-nine international students from 26 countries participated, along with another 696 domestic students from 38 states and Puerto Rico,” says Chris Cofer, executive director of the Office of Pre-College Programs, adding that the diversity of the participants enhanced the overall experience.

Students from across Central New York, including 22 from the Syracuse City School District, participated in the program as well.

In 2022, Summer College will offer two program options: on-campus and online. Students who choose to enroll in a course on campus will navigate daily life much like a traditional college student: they take a college-level course, live in a residence hall, enjoy meals in a dining hall and enjoy social activities in and around the Syracuse University campus.

Students who choose to enroll in an online pre-college course can log on from anywhere in the world. Online students explore potential majors and pursue academic interests through high-level instruction. They have access to virtual campus offerings and are welcomed into an engaging and supportive online community.

The Summer College application process is now open, with two, four and six-week sessions being offered in July and August. Course costs vary based on type and duration; scholarships and discounts are available. To learn more, visit precollege.syr.edu.

The mission of the Office of Pre-College programs is to provide all high school students with an exceptional pre-college experience. If you are interested in supporting the Office of Pre-College Programs to enhance program offerings, test new initiatives and courses, and expand student services please, visit precollege.syr.edu/contact/give.

 

Green Energy Goals

A College of Professional Studies post-traditional student veteran aims to bring more clean power to New York.

A high score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test sparked an interest that would carry Dania Tompkins ’24 throughout her military career and beyond. Tompkins is studying liberal arts through the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University to advance her career in the field of green energy. She qualified for the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program and spent her eight years in the service as an electrician’s mate first class on the USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered supercarrier.

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Syracuse University Extends Tuition Assistance Support for Military Students to On Campus Programs

Syracuse University has extended its military tuition support to on campus programs for active duty, reserve and guard members. The university’s previous support included online undergraduate programs.

Under the new support program, active duty military admitted to Syracuse University through the College of Professional Studies will pay the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) rate for tuition. New York State Army Guard, Air National Guard, and Naval Militia using the state’s Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program (RIRP) to attend college will pay no more than the SUNY tuition rate.

“Extending the tuition assistance support program to our on campus undergraduate degrees effectively opens the university to active military, guard and reserve members who live within commuting distance of the campus,” says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. “In addition to our online undergraduate programs, members of our military now have access to more than 200 Syracuse University on campus undergraduate majors at their tuition assistance rates.”

The expanded tuition program is consistent with Syracuse University’s commitment to open opportunity and enhance affordability for members of the military who aspire to earn a Syracuse University undergraduate degree.

Active duty military, guard and reservists are life-long learners – members of the largest population of students enrolled in higher education today. Making Syracuse University more affordable and accessible is both a natural continuation of the University’s history of supporting non-traditional students and also an appropriate response to the changing needs and expectations of those who could most benefit from a Syracuse University education.

In addition to honoring the TA and RIRP rates, the extended program is also designed to permit military students to persist in their studies after they expend their annual tuition benefit. When a military student’s annual tuition benefit is reached, the university will honor the member’s tuition support rate until the next benefit cycle. This means active duty and reserve students pay no more than $250 per credit (or the current DoD TA rate) after they expend their annual TA allotment. New York State Air National Guard and Naval Militia students pay no more than $278 per credit (or the current SUNY per credit rate) after they expend their annual RIRP allotment.

“We have seen too many military students interrupt and delay their studies each year when they expend their annual tuition benefits,” says Frasciello. “We extend the student’s tuition benefit rate every semester to ensure their persistence from their first course to graduation.”

Syracuse University ranks among the nation’s top schools for veterans, with an enduring and unrivaled commitment to veterans and military students dating back more than 100 years. Expanding the TA and RIRP benefit to all on-campus programs extends this commitment consistent with the University’s mission to provide access to a world-class education for those who cannot study on campus full-time.  

The flexibility of attending Syracuse University part-time on campus while serving also permits military students to complete many of their courses online if they are unable to attend specific courses on campus. Military members living within commuting distance of the campus, such as airmen serving at the 174th TFW in Syracuse, New York, and soldiers stationed at Fort Drum in Watertown are encouraged to explore their options to complete their undergraduate degrees at a world-class private and nationally ranked research university.

Consistent with its mission to be an accessible university, Syracuse University accepts up to 90 applicable transfer credits toward completion of a 120-credit undergraduate degree. The university also has a progressive military credit-equivalency program. On average, military students receive 18-30 credits for their technical training and professional military education, and through prior learning assessment for non-military related experience.

Active military, guard and reserve members interested in more information about enrollment opportunities at Syracuse University may contact the College of Professional Studies admissions team at 315.443.9378 or parttime@syr.edu. Veterans and military-connected students can learn more about tuition benefits at https://professionalstudies.syracuse.edu/info-for/veterans-military/military-tuition-assistance-ta/.

Protecting Our Nation’s Cyber Information

From the front lines to behind the computer, one cybersecurity administration online student works to keep Americans safe.

Brian Mixon spent a total of 20 years in military service between the Marine Corps and Army Reserves.

It’s not every person that would go back to school to earn their bachelor’s degree as a post-traditional student but Brian Mixon ’24 isn’t one to back down from a challenge. Mixon, a U.S. Marine Corps and Army Reserve veteran, is currently pursuing a degree in cybersecurity administration from the College of Professional Studies.

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University Receives National Award for Training Central New York Teachers in Virtual Learning Environment Best Practices

Syracuse University received the 2021 Engagement Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region that was presented by the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) during its recent annual Regions Week National Conference.

The award recognizes the K-12 teacher engagement and development that occurred through an innovative community partnership established pro-actively by the College of Professional Studies to address challenges that ensued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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