BY MIKE PETRO

Feb. 26, 2025

A rendering of the small animal check-in area at Trocaire College's new Veterinary Sciences Department, which is scheduled to open this fall in its Transit Road building. Provided

Former hospitality program building becomes space for upgraded vet sciences department

Veterinary sciences students at Trocaire College can now take part in both academic and practical experiences at the same location with the opening of a transformed building on Transit Road.

Trocaire invested $5 million in revamping its 1,500 square feet of classrooms and a kitchen area at its former hospitality school in Lancaster, and added 3,290 square feet of dedicated veterinary sciences space to the first floor.

The private college celebrated the building’s opening last week. The veterinary assistant and veterinary technician courses will help fill a gap created when Medaille University closed a few years ago.

Additionally, the growth rate in this field should produce about 20,700 new openings nationwide from 2022 to 2032, according to the college.

The department features animal wards, a surgery suite and prep room, dental procedures lab, radiology, several teaching laboratories and amenities needed for the veterinary sciences department. It allows for working hands-on with a variety of animal species.

Rendering of examination and treatment space in the new Veterinary Sciences Department being built by Trocaire College at its Transit Road extension. Provided

As part of a partnership with the SPCA Serving Erie County, the surgery suite will be used for services such as spays and neuters for shelter pets. Trocaire students, under faculty direction, will learn and perform procedures in the operating room, while helping lessen the surgical population at the SPCA’s Gacioch Teaching Hospital and Infirmary.

“Graduates of this program will have knowledge in the care and handling of animals, routine lab and clinical procedures, veterinary medical and surgical nursing, anesthesiology and diagnostic imaging,” said Katherine Fitzgerald, dean of veterinary sciences at Trocaire College. “We are setting students up for success by providing them instruction by experienced faculty and staff in a state-of-the-art facility that has the most up-to-date veterinary equipment.”

Niagara lauded for cyber defense program

Niagara University has been designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.

The designation recognizes the university’s commitment to cybersecurity education and research and its role in preparing the next generation of highly skilled professionals for the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

It also positions the university to influence national cybersecurity standards and strengthens its partnerships with government, industry and academia to address critical cybersecurity issues and to expand resources to support cybersecurity education.

Tim Byrd, executive vice president and chief information security officer of M&T Bank and a member of the New York University Cyber Fellows Advisory Council, said that only 250 programs nationwide meet this criteria, and even fewer offer master’s level programs. Niagara’s program is offered completely online, allowing flexibility to complete studies in one year.

“Our students will graduate with a commitment to excellence, cultivated through top-of-the-line instruction, with real-world experience, and with the benefit of engaging partners in law enforcement, in business, in education and in the nonprofit sector,” said the Rev. James Maher, president of Niagara University.

UB launches master’s degree in supply chain management

A master’s degree in supply chain management is now being offered by the University at Buffalo School of Management for students seeking to gain the knowledge and skills needed to optimize logistics, procurement and operations in today’s global markets.

The 11-month, 30-credit program will prepare participants with the tools and expertise to tackle the challenges of modern supply chains and develop the advanced skills needed to accelerate their careers. 

It will include hands-on learning through action-based opportunities, individualized career planning, professional networking and community engagement activities.

In the fall, applications will open for an online version of the program.

Canisius introduces graduate literacy certification for educators

A new certificate program is now open at Canisius University that will provide graduate program training for educators to become literacy specialists across all grade levels.

The six-course, 18-credit program aligns with New York state and national Science of Reading initiatives, and enables teachers to enhance their professional qualifications through a flexible online format. 

It will include curriculum in research-backed literacy instruction, practical learning opportunities near educators’ workplaces, expert faculty with extensive literacy education experience and a flexible online format for working professionals.

UB’s online nursing program ranks No. 1

For a second straight year, the University at Buffalo School of Nursing’s RN to BS remote learning program ranked No. 1 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.

It was evaluated among 350 online bachelor’s degree programs, regardless of discipline. U.S. News considers four categories in its evaluation: engagement, services and technologies, faculty credentials and training and peer assessment.

Meanwhile, the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ engineering management online program ranked No. 9 among 109 programs in U.S. News’ best online master’s in engineering programs’ overall category.

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com.

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The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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