St. Bonaventure University will partner with Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES on its New Vision – Health Professions program beginning this fall, creating expanded dual-enrollment opportunities for high school seniors interested in exploring careers in the healthcare field.

The partnership will allow students enrolled in the CABOCES New Vision program to take St. Bonaventure courses through its Bona Bridge dual-enrollment program, providing them an opportunity to receive SBU credits while still in high school and creating streamlined pathways to four-year degrees.

Chris Gagliardo, assistant superintendent for Career and Technical Education at CABOCES, said the collaboration significantly enhances opportunities for students across the region.

“This new partnership will allow students in the CA BOCES New Vision – Health Professions program to earn around 30 college credits from SBU,” Gagliardo said. “The overall goal is to create streamlined pathways to a bachelor degree for our students, and this is a powerful step toward that goal.”

The New Vision – Health Professions program is a one-year, senior-level, highly academic program designed for students who want to explore the healthcare field while earning both high school and college credits. Students learn foundational concepts on human health, gain exposure to a wide range of health professions, and complete clinical hours in local hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Through the Bona Bridge partnership, students will take 18 credits of core SBU courses, including Human Anatomy and Physiology and Laboratory, Medical Terminology, Introduction to Health Science, Health-related Fitness and Wellness and Infectious Disease. Students can also broaden their learning by choosing courses from a list of six electives.

If students take four of the electives to get to 30 credits, they have the option to earn Professional Development Recognition in Human Health Foundation by taking one additional three-credit mathematics course from these three options: Introduction to Statistics, Pre-Calculus or Calculus I through SBU’s Giant Step program, or by taking in high school a college-level mathematics course equivalent to one of these three courses.

St. Bonaventure faculty will work closely with CABOCES instructors to support the delivery of SBU courses within the New Vision – Health Professions curriculum.

Dr. Xiao-Ning Zhang, coordinator of St. Bonaventure’s Bona Bridge dual-enrollment program, director of SBU’s Biochemistry program and a professor of Biology, said that the program provides highly motivated high school students in both Allegany and Cattaraugus counties a rare opportunity to explore careers in the healthcare field early.

“We look forward to working with our BOCES colleagues to introduce both the foundational knowledge and the practical reality of the healthcare field to high school seniors who are inspired to become a healthcare professional one day,” Zhang said. “This is a great opportunity for these students to grow a mindset of success and get a head start toward their dream careers with strong academic support from faculty at both SBU and CABOCES.”

The coursework is designed to provide the foundation for students to pursue a range of postsecondary pathways, from associate, bachelor’s and graduate degrees to professional degrees in fields such as biology, biochemistry, nursing, health science, public health, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, and medicine.

By completing the amount of SBU course credits in the program before college matriculation, students have an opportunity to balance and enrich their overall college experience by adding additional minors or majors, getting involved in authentic research, or studying abroad for a semester — all of which can boost the competitiveness and marketability of students when pursuing their future careers where competencies in more than one discipline are desired, Zhang said.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).

About CA BOCES: As the regional leader in education services, CA BOCES offers state-of-the-art programs for learners of all ages and abilities as well as cost-effective shared services for 22 component school districts. CA BOCES empowers students to achieve their maximum potential by offering a wide variety of innovative programs and support that include special education, career and technical education, adult and continuing education, technology support, and instructional support services.