Purchase College Applauds Gov. Hochul for Support of Students

Purchase College

Originally published in Patch.com on .

Governor's Support for SUNY Programs Will Empower Students with Financial, Academic & Other Support to Boost Graduation Rates, Close Gaps

Purchase College President Milagros "Milly" Peña, Assemblyman Steve Otis, Assembly member Chris Burdick, NY State Senator Shelley Mayer surrounded by SUNY and Purchase officials and students who have benefited from the ACE program.

Purchase College President Milagros "Milly" Peña, Assemblyman Steve Otis, Assembly member Chris Burdick, NY State Senator Shelley Mayer surrounded by SUNY and Purchase officials and students who have benefited from the ACE program. (Courtesy of Purchase College)

 

President Milagros “Milly” Peña today applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul for pledging in her 2025 State of the State agenda to deliver ongoing state funding to sustain and expand the proven Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) programs, transformative models that have been widely demonstrated to increase student completion rates and narrow opportunity gaps, including at Purchase College, SUNY.

“The ACE program has enabled us to offer personal, tailored support and resources that are truly benefiting our students and bolstering their ability to succeed in college. We’re grateful to Governor Hochul for championing higher education and the ACE program, and to the Robin Hood Foundation for additional support,” President Peña said.

ASAP (for students pursuing an associate degree) and ACE (for students in Bachelor’s degree program) expanded to the SUNY system in Spring 2024 through the SUNY Transformation Fund. As of Fall 2024, more than 4,200 students now participate in ASAP|ACE across 25 SUNY campuses, including 195 students in the ACE program at Purchase College, SUNY.

 

Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State agenda will make it possible to sustain ASAP|ACE and expand it statewide to reach 10,000 SUNY students.

Since launching ACE on campus, Purchase students have felt immediate tangible benefits, with positive impacts on academic momentum, including higher credit-completion and retention rates and high levels of student engagement.

“SUNY is committed to success for every student, and ASAP|ACE programs are the nation’s leading, evidence-based model for helping students stay on track to graduation,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her commitment to ASAP|ACE in the 2025 State of the State agenda and look forward to working with the governor and our champions in the legislature to continue to scale this proven investment in student success.”

ASAP|ACE programs provide wraparound support to ensure student academic success, retention, and on-time graduation. An array of resources and supports — including academic assistance, personalized advisement, career development activities, and funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance — help Pell-eligible students overcome barriers that can prevent them from achieving their goals and obtaining a degree.

Across SUNY, ASAP students’ credit completion rates for the Spring 2024 semester were 20% higher than similar non-participants, and ACE students saw 9% higher credit completion rates compared to similar non-ACE students. ASAP|ACE-student retention rates from spring to fall 2024 also outpaced those of non-participants.

Tanoya Nedrick, who is a sophomore studying for a BA in Psychology, said, "The ACE program has been very helpful in providing me with the financial support I need, 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.”

Chelsea Asemota, a senior studying Biology, pointed to other ways in which the program is essential to her success. She said, "ACE isn’t just a program—it’s a family. They’ve given me a safe space where I’m truly seen and supported, whether it’s through mentorship, emotional guidance, or financial help to keep me moving forward. ACE has been the foundation of my success, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them."

For more information on ASAP and ACE programs statewide, visit www.suny.edu/asap-ace.

About Purchase College, SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined 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. Today, Purchase College, SUNY 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.

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