BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — “It’s all empty. It was honestly kind of like really upsetting,” described Andriana Sandoval, former student, Medaille University.
Former Medaille University students and teachers are saying goodbye to their school this week.
“It’s been horrible. It's been horrible for the students,” noted Lou Pozantides, former professor, Medaille.
In May Medaille’s board of directors announced, without warning, the school would close at the end of August after Trocaire College decided not to purchase the school as initially planned.
“When went to clean up my office, and turned around, and looked at it for the last time, it was as though I was losing my second home,” reflected Pozantides.
Former Communications Professor Lou Pozantides has a deep love for the Medaille community and its students after spending 22 years at the school.
Despite losing his job, he tells me he worked all summer helping 92 students get into other colleges.
“Canisius College, many of them over 300 graduate education students went to Niagara, which is a wonderful thing. Alfred University. Trocaire, some went to Trocaire, Villa,” listed Pozantides.
But the transition hasn't been a smooth process for everyone.
I also spoke with former Medaille student Andriana Sandoval. She is now enrolled at D'Youville and says it's been a struggle.
“And I haven't even found a way to finish out my vet tech. I’ve been trying all summer, and I might have found a way like just now but it's still up in the air and not 100%,” explained Sandoval.
Meantime, former Medaille student Eric Kay is now enrolled at Daemen University. He too is leaving vet tech behind.
“There's nowhere to do vet tech and I’ve always tried to be a veterinarian ever since like middle school, like kindergarten, so it's kind of just like, got to find something else,” replied Kay.
Medaille has certainly left its imprint on the Buffalo community, educating students for 148 years, but now it's being shuttered for good.
“It’s very sad. For almost 150 years, at that campus, in one way or another, we have been training teachers, going all the way to the Sisters of Saint Joseph,” remarked Dr. Jeff Faunce, former professor, Medaille.
Dr. Faunce also lost his job. He was chair of Medaille’s education department.
“It's the end of an era. For me personally, as someone who had been there for so long, for our students, for the alumni — Medaille was a special place and it was about people and community,” commented Faunce.
But Faunce says more than 200 education students are now enrolled at Niagara University and both Faunce and Pozantides are now working at Niagara.
As for Medaille students tell me the campus is now being dismantled.
“So it was just really weird going into the Sullivan Center, where I used to have dinner every night, and it'd be completely empty,” Sandoval said.
“It's literally just like a skeleton of its former self,” Kay responded. “All the classrooms have like all their supplies, like all littered over them. I saw the chemistry room and it's just covered in test tubes.”
Dozens of former Medaille students have transferred to other schools. 7 News reached out to area colleges and here is what we found:
- Niagara University has accepted a total of 320 Medaille students, more than 200 are education students
- Daemen has enrolled 75 former Medaille students
- Canisius University has transferred over 73 Medaille students
- Hilbert College has transferred roughly 40 former Medaille students
WKBWMedaille drawing.
“The legacy will never die, but one of the most important things to remember and I say this from my heart, because I know as a former student and as a former employee, that Medaille has helped me throughout my life, become a better person,” Pozantides remembered.
—
Is there something we should know about or that you want us to look into in the City of Buffalo? We want to hear from you! Email news@wkbw.com.
