Career Services receives $25,000 grant

Karen Constabile – Vice President Commercial Lending / Senior Relationship Manager, First Niagara Bank and Dr. Robert Geer – Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

First Niagara is supporting the ongoing mentoring work of SUNY Poly’s Career Services Center with a grant of $25,000 from the bank’s Mentoring Matters program.

“We are honored to have been selected as a recipient of this wonderful grant from First Niagara and applaud their commitment to developing young minds,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “This funding will enable the SUNY Poly Career Services Department to continue providing the exemplary mentoring programs that help launch careers and leave an indelible mark on our students.”

“The relationship between a mentor and a mentee can have a lasting, positive effect on a child both academically and personally,” said David Kavney, First Niagara Central New York Market Executive. “Through our strategic partnerships with organizations like SUNY Poly, we are able to cast a wide net of support to programs and initiatives in the communities where our customers and employees live, work and do business.”

Since launching Mentoring Matters in 2007, First Niagara has provided a total of $850,000 in grants to Central New York mentoring organizations and $7.25 million across the company. The program was created with the goal of supporting organizations that help children improve their grades and school attendance, enhance their self-esteem, avoid the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and have a better opportunity for a brighter future.

The grant funds will go to support the SUNY Polytechnic Institute Career Services Mentoring Program, which helps students gain access to the professional workplace via site visits, informational interviews, and job shadowing.  This grant will also enable opportunities for workshops, panels, career services presentations and assistance with other career services events.

“On behalf of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute Foundation, I’d like to extend our genuine appreciation for First Niagara’s support of the student mentoring programs here at SUNY Poly,” said Nick Grimmer, Assistant Vice President of Development for SUNY Poly. “Their tremendous investment will have a significant impact on the resources that we are able to provide to the students who work with our Career Services Office. I am very proud to say that First Niagara Bank is a true philanthropic partner of SUNY Poly and our Foundation.”

“We are extremely excited about this opportunity for students to obtain mentoring and leadership development through collaboration with employers as well as alumni,” said Sim Covington, Director of Career Services.

On Tuesday, March 15, as part of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute Career and Graduate School Fair, First Niagara was presented with a plaque to commemorate their generosity and commitment to student development.