Cazenovia native earns bachelor’s degree in two years

By kATE Hill Staff writer

This spring, Cazenovia High School (CHS) graduate Olivia Buyea, 18, earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany after just two years of college.

Buyea graduated from CHS a year early in 2021 at the age of 16. She earned a regents with advanced designation - mastery in science endorsement and was accepted to SUNY Albany’s 3+3 law program, a joint degree program with Albany Law School that combines a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in a six-year program.

“It has always been important to me to make the most of my time,” said Buyea. “In high school, I had free time that I realized could be better used by taking additional classes at a community college or online.

I also spent a lot of time on the internet trying to figure out what opportunities were available to me. At the time, I didn’t realize it would enable me to graduate early; I originally enrolled because I just really enjoyed learning and improving myself. It eventually worked out that I was able to graduate early.”

The summer before college, Buyea interned as a scientific researcher for Ichor Therapeutics in the department of in vitro pharmacology.

Last summer, she worked as an undergraduate student researcher at Albany Medical College in the department of molecular and cellular physiology, and this past school year, she was an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. Ewan McNay in SUNY Albany’s psychology department.

At SUNY Albany, Buyea was awarded the Dr. Seth Spellman Jr. Academic Achievement Award, was placed on the

Dean’s List of Distinguished Students, and was the fall 2021 Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement Funding recipient.

According to the SUNY Albany website, students in the 3+3 Law program typically start at Albany Law School after their junior year and receive a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany after their first year of study at Albany Law School.

Rather than adhere to the plan set forth by her 3+3 program advisor, Buyea followed her own plan to complete her graduation