Alfred University and SUNY Corning on Thursday announced an articulation agreement which strengthens a pathway for SUNY Corning students to complete requirements for earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood/Childhood Education (EC/CE).
The EC/CE bachelor’s degree program at Alfred University prepares students for careers in teaching, leading to New York State Early Childhood/Childhood Education teacher certification.
Thursday’s agreement, signed by Alfred University President Mark Zupan and SUNY Corning President Terence Finley, is run through Alfred University’s AUNY program, hosted at SUNY Corning. It gives students pursuing their associate degree in Education Studies (childhood education concentration) from SUNY Corning the opportunity to pre-plan their college careers and facilitate the transfer process from SUNY Corning to Alfred University’s EC/CE bachelor’s degree program.
The strengthened articulation agreement with SUNY Corning has been in effect since the 2025-26 academic year. Coursework for completion of Alfred University’s bachelor’s degree is taught at the SUNY Corning campus, which is key, as many students who will transfer into the program are non-traditional, adult learners with families and full-time jobs.
Terence Finley (left), president of SUNY Corning, and Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, in front of the King Alfred statue prior to signing an agreement that assists in the transfer of SUNY Corning students into Alfred’s bachelor’s degree program in Early Childhood/Childhood Education.
AUNY Corning, through its partnership with SUNY Corning, offers programs that are presented in a format that accommodates individuals who are working full-time and unable to attend traditionally structured degree programs. Classes meet in the evening, on weekends, or online. The AUNY Corning programs—which include master’s degrees in Literacy, and Inclusive and Special Education, as well as the EC/CE bachelor’s degree completion program—are offered in an accelerated format, with classes occurring year-round.
“It has been truly transformational,” Debbie Beal, dean of Health Sciences at SUNY Corning, said of the agreement. She pointed to a student from the Corning area who had earned his associate degree and wanted to continue work toward his EC/CE bachelor’s degree, but was unable, due to work commitments, to commute to a four-year school like Alfred. “It was his dream (to earn his bachelor's degree and become a teacher), but it wasn’t feasible until we created this opportunity in his back yard.”
Justin Grigg, Alfred University’s associate dean of the School of Graduate Studies/AUNY, noted that the articulation agreement between the university and SUNY Corning, reflects the importance of inclusivity, one of Alfred’s core values. "This program is one way Alfred University lives up to its pillar of inclusivity by designing a pathway for non-traditional undergraduate students unable to take classes on our main campus,” he said.
Alfred University, through its AUNY program hosted at SUNY Corning, also offers graduate degree programs in Literacy, and Inclusive and Special Education. Grigg said the program has produced nearly 150 alumni, with approximately 95 percent of them remaining in region as teachers.
