HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College will receive a $150,000 grant from The John R. Oishei Foundation. The grant is payable over two years and will support the addition of Hilbert’s new Business Management degree through Hilbert’s Center for Adult and Graduate Studies, which was also established with Oishei support in 2010.
The John R. Oishei Foundation strives to be a catalyst for change to enhance economic vitality and the quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region. The Foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Products Corporation.
“The John R. Oishei Foundation’s past support was essential to Hilbert’s success in the creation of the Center for Adult and Graduate Studies,” Cynthia Zane, Ed.D., president of Hilbert College said. “This grant builds on the previous investment and provides opportunities to further prepare our non-traditional students for their careers. This would not be possible without the unparalleled commitment and generosity of The John R. Oishei Foundation.”
The Directors of the Foundation were impressed with the potential of Hilbert’s new Business Management degree to benefit the unique needs of the adult learner, who requires a college experience that is flexible and directly related to employment opportunities.
Hilbert’s Center for Adult and Graduate Studies has seen the development and implementation of graduate programs in Public Administration and Criminal Justice Administration since 2010. Hilbert College conferred master’s degrees for the first time in its history during the 2013 commencement this past May. Other new initiatives to the Center for Adult and Graduate Studies include: a one week graduate student study away program in Budapest, Hungary, a collaboration with Baker Victory Services known as the Residential Administrative Mentoring Program (RAMP), and a partnership with the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce - Better Your Business Speaker Series hosted at Hilbert College.