HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College announced a record-breaking increase in dual enrollment courses in January and that increase has resulted in Buffalo Public School students saving nearly $3 million in tuition costs. The savings for BPS students were calculated based on Hilbert’s part time tuition rate of $700 per credit hour and Buffalo Public School students were eligible for this program at no cost to them. 

“We are grateful to our partners at Hilbert College for recognizing the talent and potential of Buffalo Public School students,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Tonja M. Williams said.  “This year alone, over 1,000 students were able to earn college credit because of this forward-thinking partnership. Hilbert College has increased access by removing barriers for our students.”

“We are so pleased and fortunate for our partnership with the Buffalo Public Schools and Dr. Williams,” Hilbert President Dr. Michael Brophy said. “This collaboration is important to us because it supports our mission and vision to increase access to higher education for more deserving students.”

Terrance Heard ’94, Hilbert College alumnus and member of the College’s Board of Trustees, is a member of the Buffalo Public School Board and said, “There is a new bond between Buffalo and Hamburg, N.Y. Hilbert has opened its doors to the youth in the City of Buffalo. This dedication to the students in the City of Buffalo by Dr. Brophy and the Hilbert Board of Trustees gives me great pride in my alma mater.”

For the 2021-2022 academic year, 17 Buffalo Public Schools participated in the program and 1,065 BPS students participated in the program.  Currently, the 17 high schools offering dual enrollment courses through Hilbert, include: Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts #192, Burgard #301, City Honors at Fosdick Masten Park #195, East Community High School #309, Emerson School of Hospitality #302, Frederick Law Olmsted #156, Hutchinson Central Technical #304, International Preparatory School #198, Leonardo daVinci #212, Lewis J. Bennett High School of Innovative Technology #363, Math, Science & Tech. Preparatory #197, McKinley #305, Middle College at Bennett #335, Research Laboratory High School for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences at Bennett #366, Riverside Academy #208, South Park #206, and The New Buffalo School of Culinary Art & Hospitality Management #355. As part of this relationship, students from Buffalo Public Schools could take college-level courses through Hilbert College Global – the online division of Hilbert College.

Hilbert’s dual enrollment program provides area high school students with the opportunity to enroll in Hilbert courses and the students earn credit towards their high school diploma in addition to Hilbert College course credit that can be used towards a Hilbert degree or could be transferred to any college or university degree program.

Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With over 800 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs in criminal justice administration and public administration, including a track in health administration.