News

ERIE 21 - an initiative spearheaded by Le Moyne College in partnership with state, city and county government, the Syracuse City School District, Syracuse Academy of Science and numerous public and private partners, including M&T Bank, JP Morgan Chase and The Equitable - has received additional funding of $7.2 million from New York state.

“ERIE21 is a high impact program that effectively serves hundreds of individuals throughout Syracuse," said Bill Brower P’21, vice president for advancement. “There is no doubt that we work with a special group of students, professionals and partners. The continued support from our New York state partners, especially the Department of Labor, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Onondaga County Executive and Le Moyne alumnus Ryan McMahon, Centerstate CEO and the Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York, ensures that we will continue to equip and empower all those we serve for years to come.” 

Established in 2018, ERIE21 addresses the region’s twin problems of persistently high poverty in Syracuse - particularly among black/African American and Latinx residents - and the challenges employers face in attracting and retaining the skilled workers needed to fill current job openings in technology. Focusing on early intervention (middle school) and providing ongoing support to students in high school and college, ERIE21 is strengthening the region’s capacity to develop pathways that generate local talent to feed the growing demand for computational, software and engineering professionals

“Educational, community and industry partnerships have been instrumental in our success,” said ERIE21 Director Amanda Miles ’10. “We are thrilled to be able to continue to nurture these important relationships and advance our meaningful work empowering members of our community to make inroads against poverty, while also diversifying and expanding our local tech workforce.”