Houghton College Buffalo Seeing Success with New Associate Degree Program

HOUGHTON, NY – Houghton College’s new and innovative associate degree program, Houghton College Buffalo, located in the city of Buffalo, NY, is targeted at new immigrants and refuges and seeing great success as the graduation rates look to be far surpassing the national average.

Houghton College Buffalo has just begun the program’s second fall semester, and enrollment numbers are growing. The One Symphony Circle location is currently enrolling 33 students, and, while the student body expands, class sizes still retain their small structure, providing a close-knit community of learners.

This two-year associate of arts degree program is aimed at local city students, most of whom are new immigrants, and intends to prepare them for local jobs, community involvement and/or continued education at a four-year college or university. The educational opportunity that this program provides is proving to meet the needs of many new Americans on Buffalo’s West Side. Houghton is providing basic educational opportunities for these people in a hands-on way that enhances their chances of success.

As this program expands, it is seeing success with those traditionally viewed as at-risk or high-risk students.

“We focus on economically and culturally disadvantaged students and we are committed to a high-quality, focused education delivered within the means of our funding sources, which do not include student debt,” commented Cameron Airhart, dean of Houghton College Buffalo.

With a national average of a dismal three percent graduation rate for two-year associate’s degree-seeking students, Houghton College Buffalo is paced to far surpass that with an 81 percent graduation rate.

Over the course of this school year, the program will launch internships for its students. Beginning in the spring, 12 of the second-year students will have the opportunity to participate in an off-campus internship. Through generous grants, the school is also quickly moving towards a major renovation set to be completed in early October. The school will also undergo a second renovation this spring to improve signage and renovate the kitchen and bathroom facilities.

“I am grateful for generous donors who believe in what we are doing and are behind the financing,” commented Airhart.

Houghton College Buffalo provides a diverse core of general education courses in writing, history, philosophy, social science, literature, communications, Bible, theology, mathematics and fine arts. Through these programs, a student can obtain an associate of arts degree in two years. For information about the associate’s degree programs, please visit www.houghton.edu/buffalo.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Announces Winners of 2025 Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2025 Product Awards! The award program recognizes innovation and excellence in products that enhance learning environments in K–12 schools and institutions of higher education.

  • Ryan Companies Completes Construction on Three U.S. Charter Schools

    Ryan Companies US, Inc., recently partnered with Red Apple Development (RAD) and Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) to build three new charter schools in South Carolina and Louisiana, according to a news release. Ryan served as general contractor with RAD as the developer of record.

  • Zurn Releases New Ductile Iron Frame Trench Drain System

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently released the newest addition to its Train Drench portfolio, the Ductile Iron Frame Trench Drain System, according to a news release. The product is designed for heavy-duty applications like airports, military, universities, and more.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

Digital Edition