Shining brighter together: Buffalo State’s partnership with Ferguson Electric opens doors for students and community

Buffalo State University’s ongoing partnership with Ferguson Electric, which has been providing electrical design, engineering and construction services to all of New York for more than 85 years, exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and industry. Through courses available to both Buffalo State students and Ferguson Electric employees; academic advisement from Ferguson engineers; and financial support through scholarships and contributions to maintaining state-of-the-art facilities on campus, the relationship provides students with real-world experiences that enhance their learning and prepare them for successful careers. 

“Over the years, many of our students have completed internships with Ferguson Electric—opportunities that frequently lead to full-time employment upon graduation, showcasing the mutual value of this partnership,” said Ilya Grinberg, chair and professor of the Engineering Technology Department.

Paul Perry, manager of Ferguson Electric’s Engineering Division, plays a significant role in shaping Buffalo State’s academic programs by serving on the Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) Industrial Advisory Committee.

In 2025, Perry further strengthened the collaboration by advising a senior design project within the EET program, directly contributing to student learning and innovation. Perry visited campus to supervise and offer input, an experience he said was mutually beneficial. 

“Working with the students was great,” Perry said. “They are eager to learn and take initiative to figure out what needs to be done. It benefits both Ferguson Electric and students because the more they learn about what they will need to know for a future job, the quicker they will be able perform at a higher level and be more productive for an employer. It is good to invest time into those who are the future workforce and leaders, and I enjoy doing it.”

During the 2024 fall semester, Buffalo State students in ENT 350: Electrical Codes and Standards, had the opportunity to study alongside Ferguson Electric employees and clients. The course, which was co-taught by Buffalo State lecturers Brian Murphy and Leonard Fiume and took place at Ferguson itself, arose from mutual need.

“We had students that needed the course and Ferguson had staff and clients that were interested in the content,” said Kristin Fields, director of Buffalo State’s Continuing Professional Studies Office. “It came together serendipitously.”

“Electrical engineering graduates are often tasked with designing systems to the various codes and standards with little background on what they are,” said Fiume. “This class introduced them to the standards for power system design and gives them practical examples of how to apply them.”

Perhaps just as important as the course content, Murphy said, was the opportunity for students to learn alongside active electrical and electrical engineers. 

“The class enables networking,” he said, “and hearing about work in the field during the sessions.”

“Ferguson used it as a value add for their clients, so it was not only Ferguson staff, but staff from Roswell Park and University at Buffalo,” Fields added. “The professionals are getting to know our students so when it comes time for internships, there is familiarity.”

The model was repeated in spring 2025, this time with ENT 340: Building Information Modeling Using Revit MEP. The first four weeks consisted of an intense introduction to the software Revit for Buffalo State students taught by professor Elizabeth O’Neill; the last 10 weeks were made up of Friday classes at Ferguson for both the students and Ferguson employees, led by Jonathan Metzger of WENDEL Companies.

“The fact that students are walking into Ferguson Electric once a week to take their class, the experience of being in the real word environment is a huge benefit,” Fields said. “It’s also valuable because they were learning from someone in the field who uses this software every day. He’s bringing in real life examples from his work, so they’re seeing true life scenarios of how the software is being used.”

The benefits are also significant for Ferguson employees, Fields pointed out, because in addition to learning the content, they are earning college credit.

“If they wanted to continue their education at Buffalo State, they have already completed the application and have a transcript on file,” Fields said. “It also provides us the opportunity to go back and build more credit bearing programs for them.” 

Together, Buffalo State University and Ferguson Electric demonstrate how strategic collaboration can drive innovation, enhance student outcomes, and strengthen the engineering workforce.

“Ferguson Electric’s investment reflects a shared commitment,” Grinberg said, “to developing the next generation of engineering professionals.”

Top image: Paul Perry with Zachary Ziskowski (left) and Jarel Julien, both of whom were enrolled in ENT 340.

Photos by Jesse Steffan-Colucci, Buffalo State photographer.