Month: January 2025

A $500,000 grant from the KeyBank Foundation will help launch the Key2Employment program at SUNY Cobleskill, empowering individuals with neurodiversity to gain fulfilling, meaningful employment and careers, and helping to bridge the gap between the unique needs of learners and the demands of the job market. The program will provide valuable skills training, work experience, and job placement assistance to young adults, increasing their employability and enhancing their quality of life. It will also serve as a valuable resource for businesses and potential employers seeking to hire individuals with neurodiversity.

Watch the full grant announcement here. 

Dr. Marion Terenzio, President of SUNY Cobleskill, said, “Key2Employment aligns with the College’s mission to call all learners to experience hands-on, transformative education that prepares them for fulfilling careers. The program seeks to build a more inclusive workforce by creating these new pathways to success for gifted learners, and by realizing this goal, entire communities can benefit. We are deeply grateful to the KeyBank Foundation for their support and shared commitment to enabling all learners to flourish.”

Fran O’Rourke, KeyBank Capital Region Market President, said, “The unique opportunities that Key2Employment Program will provide to individuals with neurodiversity represent an innovative approach to education and workforce development. We are proud to fund and support this program, and look forward to seeing results and hearing stories about the lives it will transform and the difference it will make in our community.”

The funding will enable the development of three specialized career tracks, with focus areas identified in Web Design and Coding, Business Management, and Animal Care Assistant.

These career areas are in high demand among employers, growing faster than the average compared to other job sectors, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This leads to viable job placement prospects once a participant completes their enrolled job-ready training program.

Each career track will provide program participants with job-ready technical skills, soft skills, and social skills over 12 months, resulting in participants being strong candidates for employment placement in their respective career track. By year three of the program, the goal is to train, graduate, and secure job placement for 90 program participants (30 from each career track), demonstrating a “proof of concept” and providing evidence that this program model is successful, sustainable, and ready for expansion. The ultimate goal is for this program to become a model that others across the nation will emulate.

Tamika Otis, KeyBank Capital Region Corporate Responsibility Officer, said, “The training and development the Key2Employment Program provides will help participants have fulfilling careers and lives. It is central to our purpose of helping the communities we serve thrive and is a big step forward for inclusive employment in our region.”

Penny Rivenburg, Division Director of Transitions, a program of The Arc Lexington, said, “We are thrilled that KeyBank recognizes the significant challenges young adults with autism face in finding employment and have provided this $500,000 grant to our partner SUNY Cobleskill to help us expand the Transitions career program. Students with learning differences benefit from specialized training programs that can help them acquire the skills and confidence necessary to succeed in the workforce. We are so grateful the Key2Employment program will also us to offer our Transitions curriculum and training to even more students and to SUNY Cobleskill for stepping up to offer the necessary courses and experiences so they can achieve career success. Thank you to KeyBank for this grant and investing in the future of young adults who are neurodivergent.”

Senator Peter Oberacker, 51st District, said, “The Key2Employment Program at SUNY Cobleskill is more than just an investment in education—it’s a powerful step forward in empowering neurodiverse individuals to build successful, fulfilling careers. A heartfelt thank you to KeyBank and SUNY Cobleskill for their continued commitment to our community. Together, we’re creating positive, lasting change and opening new doors for families right here in New York.” 

Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C-Schoharie) says, “I’m overwhelmed with joy at the generosity and partnership that’s taken place here. The KeyBank Foundation, thanks to their donation, has provided SUNY Cobleskill with more tools to ensure greater opportunities for neurodiverse students arriving to the Cobleskill campus, which then helps them prepare those students for the world after. The opportunity for growth and excellence has just increased for students at SUNY Cobleskill, and I’m thrilled for them. Thank you, KeyBank, for your commitment to the community and to future generations!”

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at December 31, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. 

ABOUT SUNY COBLESKILL

The power of hands-on learning and personal development is our guiding principle, empowering our students to grow purpose on their lives and influence the creation of a more sustainable and equitable world. As SUNY’s leading institution of Agriculture and Technology, we explore and innovate at the interchange of these fields, recognizing the roles they play in shaping our future. Our commitment extends globally, achieved through personal, collaborative learning experiences designed for an ideal progression from classroom knowledge to career application. Learn more at www.cobleskill.edu.