OCC, AmeriCU announce ‘multi-faceted’ partnership

ONONDAGA — Onondaga Community College (OCC) and AmeriCU Credit Union today announced a “multi-faceted” partnership that includes educational opportunities, scholarships, and an AmeriCU on-campus presence.

AmeriCU has announced the opening of a financial center in the Whitney Applied Technology Center, which is available to students and members of the surrounding community, according to a joint news release from the school and credit union.

AmeriCU is also placing ATMs in the Gordon Student Center, the SRC Arena & Events Center, and other campus locations.

The partnership also includes financial literacy and non-credit education opportunities for students, employees, and the community.

It also includes internship opportunities that can lead to certification as an AmeriCU MSSII (member-service specialist II) while students work toward their degree at OCC.

The partnership also offers scholarships through OCC’s Community Scholars program and support for auxiliary-student programs, such as the college-transit service, student athletics, and health and wellness activities, the organizations said.

AmeriCU’s new financial center on OCC’s campus is a “fully functioning branch” serving the credit union’s members, Joe Anderson, COO of AmeriCU Credit Union, said in a news release.

But Anderson also contends the center serves as a “unique” financial-education lab and teaching center, providing OCC students who are selected for the “AmeriCU Scholars” program a chance to intern with AmeriCU’s managers, Anderson said.

“In this supervised, hands-on environment, students will learn many real-world applications of finance. Through this program, students will earn a degree from Onondaga, certification as a member-service specialist from AmeriCU Credit Union, and will gain valuable employment experience that will be very advantageous as they begin their careers in financial services,” Anderson added.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com