No longer a mere pit stop for fundraising trips, New York state has been receiving its fair share of attention from the White House recently.

Since June, administration officials have made several high-profile trips to the Empire State. Vice President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have traveled to different areas of the state, touting the stimulus package, education programs and college affordability.

Most notably, President Obama visited Hudson Valley Community College in Rensselaer County on Sept. 21.

"After being ignored for so long, it's nice that federal representatives value what New York can bring to the nation," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin. "Hopefully this will help turn around the negative attention the state has been getting."

NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi was among a panel of education experts assembled by the Obama administration last month as part of a visit that brought Biden, Duncan and Geithner to Syracuse for a discussion on ways to keep college affordable.

Lubin noted that many trips under past administrations were focused primarily on fundraising.

"Now they're honoring the opening of new businesses and we're getting positive attention for the many great education initiatives going on around the state — such as the Say Yes to Education program in Syracuse," Lubin said.