New York State’s Education Department today approved St. Bonaventure University’s Physician Assistant Studies program.

Coupled with the recent accreditation from ARC-PA, the program is now on track to welcome its first cohort of students in January 2021.

In addition, the university has received an exemption from the Empire State Development Corp. to continue construction on Francis Hall since the building is being renovated to house health-related programs.

This news is critically important at a time when only essential construction has been approved to continue in New York, said Dr. Dennis DePerro, university president.

“I can’t thank enough Dr. Doug Pisano, our School of Health Professions dean, Dr. Keith Young, who developed the PA program, and everyone across campus who played a key role in building the program for their efforts to push this important academic initiative across the finish line,” DePerro said.

“The development of graduate programs in our School of Health Professions is a linchpin in our academic expansion to remain vital in an increasingly competitive higher education market.”

The university's School of Health Professions began program development in the fall of 2016 and started offering undergraduate classes in Health Science in the fall of 2017; the program became the fourth-largest major at St.Bonaventure within two years.

The school has since added a bachelor's degree program in Public Health and an RN to B.S. in Nursing program. A graduate program in Occupational Therapy is in development.

About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2019, St. Bonaventure was named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.