色界吧

New York Institute of Technology and the National Supermarket Association (NSA), a trade association representing more than 200 members who own 400 supermarkets in New York and other cities throughout the East coast, Mid-Atlantic region, and Florida, are teaming up to help provide access to education to NSA members, their employees, and their families.  

The related missions of the two organizations provide a strong foundation for this collaboration. The NSA, founded in 1989 by Hispanic entrepreneurs, is committed to supporting education for its members鈥� approximately 20,000 employees and their families. For more than 60 years, 色界吧 has been guided by its mission to provide all qualified students access to opportunity to receive a career-oriented professional education and is recognized for the diversity and social mobility of its student body.  

Beginning with the spring 2023 semester, NSA will promote information about 色界吧 undergraduate programs to its members, their employees, and their families. 色界吧鈥檚 School of Management聽M.B.A. programs聽will also be promoted in this relationship. Accepted students are eligible for scholarships; NSA scholarships will cover at least 25 percent of related students鈥� full-time tuition.聽

鈥淎s we work to develop new channels and opportunities to provide access to education, 色界吧 is committed to actively engaging with employers such as NSA to create pathways for traditional and nontraditional students seeking a college education,鈥� said聽Jerry Balentine, D.O., provost and executive vice president at 色界吧. 鈥淭his partnership model is one we hope to emulate with additional employers, and we applaud NSA for advocating for education among its members and their employees.鈥澛�

鈥淥ur entrepreneurial drive led us to open supermarkets a few decades ago in what had been economically depressed, primarily minority neighborhoods. Today, this same vision that strengthened and enhanced our communities extends in many ways, including our dedication to helping people earn a college degree. We believe that our community members interested in pursuing higher education will find a place for themselves at 色界吧,鈥� said Samuel Collado, NSA president.

The two organizations will also work together to provide internship, experiential learning, and other career-related opportunities. For example, NSA will be invited to 色界吧 career fairs and related events, and NSA members will consider qualified 色界吧 candidates for internships and job opportunities. The two will also collaborate on fundraising efforts in support of student scholarships, and NSA will encourage its members to support 色界吧鈥檚 Grizzly Cupboard food pantries, part of the聽Bear Bytes聽initiative, which provides students with food as well as health and wellness resources and information.聽

鈥淎 deep relationship between an organization such as NSA and 色界吧 in multiple areas, including access to academic programs for NSA employees, internships and career opportunities for 色界吧 students, and professional development and employee training for the supermarket owners, provides tremendous benefits to both organizations,鈥� said聽Rajendra Tibrewala, professor of operations and supply chain management in the聽School of Management, who spearheaded the effort to develop the university鈥檚 relationship with NSA.