Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz today issued the following statement pursuant to the appointment of Dr. Adiam Tsegai as SUNY Erie’s new president. Selected following a national search, Tsegai becomes the first ECC graduate to lead the college.

“I congratulate Dr. Tsegai on her appointment as SUNY Erie President and look forward to continuing to work with her to move the institution forward. The role of SUNY Erie is critical to workforce development in Erie County, with numerous programs designed to help local students at all stages of life gain knowledge and skills to help them advance in good-paying careers, and as an alum Dr. Tsegai understands how important SUNY Erie is to the community,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “She is already a knowledgeable and experienced member of the SUNY Erie family and will be a tremendous asset in building the school’s future legacy.”