Four SUNY Campuses Celebrate Success of Nation-Leading College Completion Programs

Leaders from SUNY Purchase, SUNY New Paltz, Westchester Community College, and Dutchess Community College gathered on Friday, October 30th with students and local elected officials to celebrate the ongoing success of the Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) programs at SUNY campuses. The initiative helps students gain and maintain academic momentum so they can graduate on time. At SUNY Purchase, ACE has served 495 students since it launched in 2024. At SUNY New Paltz, where ACE also launched in 2024, the program is currently serving more than 300 students. Dutchess Community College launched the ASAP program in 2025 and has served 232 students since then. Westchester Community College started a pilot program in 2018 and has served 1,631 students.

SUNY Purchase President Dr. Michael E. Steiper said, “The ACE and ASAP programs provide students who have tremendous potential with all the mentors, advisors, information, and skills that they need from the time they arrive on campus through graduation and beyond. ACE and ASAP are perfect examples of our commitment to providing access and excellence. It has been an honor to watch our students in the ACE program flourish at Purchase and I’m proud that we have been able to expand our program.”

“Since launching in 2024, the ACE program at SUNY New Paltz has grown from 45 to 300 students who receive vital resources to support their academic momentum,” said SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler. “We thank the governor and state legislature for their continued investment in this transformative initiative that has increased student access and collegiate success. This is the essence of our mission at SUNY New Paltz, and we're pleased to collaborate with our community college and four-year partner institutions in support of these goals.”

Westchester Community College President Dr. Belinda Miles said, “Building on the success of Viking ROADS, which helped inform the SUNY-wide ASAP program, we are continuing to reduce the financial constraints and non-academic obstacles that can stand between students and their potential. This continued investment reflects our core mission at SUNY WCC: creating equitable pathways to graduation, upward mobility, and lifelong success.”

Dutchess Community College President Dr. Peter Grant Jordan said, “Just a little over a year ago, we launched the Advancing Success in Associate Pathways initiative at DCC, a program that squarely aligns both with our institutional ethos and strategic plan to support students staying on track toward their goals. Through structured programming, financial assistance and whole student resources dedicated just for them, our ASAP cohorts are showing incredible promise, demonstrating that -- with the right support — hardworking students continue moving forward, and don't stop their trajectory until graduation day.”

Launched at SUNY in 2024, ASAP|ACE programs provide wraparound support to help students overcome barriers that can prevent them from obtaining a degree. Eligible students access an array of resources and support, including funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance, as well as academic assistance, comprehensive personalized advisement, and additional career development activities.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and the continued expansion of the ASAP|ACE programs will help participating students complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility. I am thrilled that through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature these programs will serve 10,000 students across the state and serve as a model for other institutions to follow.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Empowering students and ensuring they have the tools and support they need to succeed is at the core of what we do at SUNY. The expanded ASAP|ACE program will help ensure that 10,000 students across 44 campuses at SUNY are able to thrive in their courses, supported in their academic growth, and better prepared for life after graduation. We thank Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their steadfast support of SUNY and our students.”

ASAP|ACE programs are proven to significantly improve degree completion rates. Across SUNY, ASAP|ACE students attempt and earn more credits, and re-enroll in subsequent semesters at higher rates compared to students not enrolled in ASAP|ACE.

Individualized supports delivered through ASAP and ACE are critical for SUNY students.

Tanoya Nedrick, a senior Psychology major at SUNY Purchase said, “The ACE program has been very helpful in providing with the financial support I needed, ensuring I can focus on my studies without worrying about how I can afford meals and learning materials need for school. This program also helped me stay on the path to graduate on time.”

Patricia Hurtado, president of Dutchess Community College’s Student Government Association, and chair of the SUNY Student Assembly Community College Caucus, said:

“Growing up as a first-generation American, I was always reminded of the importance of education and the doors it could open. However, returning to school as an adult learner and First-Generation college student has come with challenges. Through ASAP, I’ve received the guidance, resources and encouragement I needed to grow personally and academically.

Above all, I appreciate that ASAP’s support goes beyond academics. Their textbook assistance and monthly stipends ease the financial challenges of being a student.”

To learn more about ASAP OR ACE visit the SUNY website.

Through an additional $8 million in allocated funding in the FY2026-27 Enacted State Budget, ASAP|ACE will expand to serve 10,000 students at 44 SUNY campuses by the Fall 2026 semester, bringing the total state investment in this successful program to $20 million annually.

Senator Shelly Mayer said, “I am delighted to join SUNY leadership and students in celebrating the impact of Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE), two outstanding programs that remove barriers to higher education for SUNY students throughout New York State, helping them to remain focused on their academic goals and to graduate on time. Through a system of financial support, personalized advising, career development, and a community of their peers, the ASAP/ACE programs foster students’ academic success and confidence, dramatically improving student retention and graduation rates. I am proud to have advocated for ASAP/ACE funding in the NYS budget, and I will continue to do so. Our students are a constant inspiration to me, and it is a joy to see them succeed.”

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “SUNY is one of the greatest engines of opportunity in the Hudson Valley and across New York, helping students enter rewarding careers and build stable futures. I’m proud to have helped champion a significant investment to expand the ACE and ASAP programs, including at SUNY New Paltz and Dutchess Community College, and I thank all the faculty and administrators who make this program such a success - not only for our students but for our local workforce and regional economy.”

Assemblymember Chris Burdick said, “In New York, we know the value of a strong, accessible public higher education system. ASAP and ACE give students the academic guidance, financial assistance, and support they need to stay in school and earn their degrees. By helping students overcome barriers like the cost of textbooks, transportation and other everyday expenses, these programs are creating opportunity while strengthening our workforce and our economy. I’m proud to be part of a State Legislature that invested an additional $8 million this year to expand these proven programs to 10,000 SUNY students at 44 campuses. This is exactly the kind of investment that helps more New Yorkers succeed and strengthens our state for the future.”

Assemblyman Steve Otis said, “Congratulations to Chancellor John King and the leadership and staff at SUNY campuses for making ASAP and ACE outstanding success stories. With all the challenges of navigating a degree, ASAP and ACE tell students that they are not alone, that the support, guidance and resources are available when needed. These programs have made a pivotal difference for hundreds of students already. This is a new model for supporting students towards successful completion of their academic program.”

Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha said, “Since 2024, the SUNY ASAP and ACE programs have successfully supported economically disadvantaged, academically promising, and first-generation students. As the number of students and demands for resources increases, we must increase funding to ensure the effectiveness of the program. SUNY New Paltz and Dutchess Community College are prized institutions of our district, and I am glad to join my colleagues in the state legislature in advocating for the continued success of the program and our students.”

About SUNY Purchase

A top 10 public school, according to U.S. News & World Report, SUNY Purchase, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, is a dynamic campus that combines conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. SUNY Purchase is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the college, visit www.purchase.edu.

About SUNY New Paltz

Located in the heart of a dynamic college town, 90 minutes from New York City, SUNY New Paltz is a highly selective university of more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

One of the most well-regarded public universities in the nation, New Paltz delivers more than 100 programs in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Fine & Performing Arts and Education.

New Paltz is a community where talented and independent minded people from around the world create close personal links with real scholars and artists who love to teach.

About SUNY Westchester Community College

SUNY Westchester Community College provides over 20,000 full-time and part-time students with an education taught by award-winning faculty at one of the lowest tuition rates in New York State. The college offers over 65 degree and certificate programs, including innovative programs in such high-demand fields as Cybersecurity, Health Information Technology, Respiratory Therapy, and Digital Filmmaking. The college reflects the rich diversity of its region and was the first SUNY campus to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution.

About Dutchess Community College

Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College is a two-year community college that has earned a reputation for providing outstanding, regionally relevant education and training to our community, with one of the lowest tuition rates in New York state. The College offers classes in four locations across Dutchess County, including our main campus and the Family Partnership Center — both in Poughkeepsie; the Center of Excellence for Business, Industry and Innovation (COEBII) in Fishkill; and the Aviation Education Center at the Hudson Valley Regional Airport in Wappingers Falls. To learn more, visit sunydutchess.edu.