Niagara University, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center partner to provide career pathway program

Submitted by Niagara University

Niagara University has partnered with Niagara Memorial Medical Center to strategically elevate workforce opportunities through the establishment of paid work opportunities at the hospital.

“We have had a long-standing relationship with the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, and it is great to build on that legacy with this working agreement,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University. “Niagara Falls Memorial provides a critical resource in our community, and the opportunity to leverage the resources of the university, the currency of our curriculum, and our commitment to Niagara Falls, is central to this partnership. Niagara students benefit from real-world experiences that enhance their overall education and, in doing so, they will potentially begin their careers at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center – and strengthen the workforce for the hospital and our community.”

NU students have already begun working at the hospital this semester, with six nursing students currently working part time at NFMMC.

In addition to these nursing positions, the partnership will provide work opportunities for students from a number of fields of study, including accounting, human resources and marketing, to name just a few. These experiences allow students to gain work experiences, and establish a career pathway for them after graduation. Students in these roles will have access to personal and professional development, career exploration, and important networking opportunities at NFMMC.

Each semester, more than a dozen students will be able to work at the hospital, gain real-world experience, and provide support in critical areas of need in the workforce at NFMMC.

"This program marks yet another important initiative in our long-standing relationship with Niagara University,” said Joe Ruffolo, CEO of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. “It is a win-win for Memorial and, as importantly, for university student participants. As is the case at many medical centers, university interns play an invaluable role at Memorial, supplementing our staffing needs with bright young talent, and providing a recruitment pipeline of potential candidates for employment post-graduation. Receiving a stipend gives students an incentive to select Memorial over other offers for their internship experience.

“We are indebted to Father Maher and his team for once again partnering with Memorial.”

Maher said, “I would like to recognize Joe Ruffolo and his team for their leadership in our region. In partnership with Niagara’s College of Nursing and the Holzschuh College of Business Administration, these innovative agreements extend our mutual commitment to the revitalization of Niagara Falls and the engagement of the community. These experiences for Niagara students are distinctive and provide a robust career pathway that accelerates academic and career success – a hallmark of Niagara’s academic programs and of our reciprocal cutting-edge partnerships with industry.”

This partnership builds on the university’s continuing commitment to build partnerships to advance the revitalization of Niagara Falls.

The agreement is funded in part by a grant Niagara University received from The John R. Oishei Foundation for its work in the Bridge District at the university’s Academic Innovation Hub. The grant includes funding for workforce development and paid internship opportunities to help build a competitive workforce and entice innovation and entrepreneurship in the Niagara Falls region.