Governor’s Support for SUNY ASAP|ACE Programs Will Empower Students with Financial, Academic & Other Support to Boost Graduation Rates, Close Opportunity Gaps
UTICA, NY— SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) President Dr. Winston Soboyejo applauds 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 SUNY Poly.
“We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her visionary leadership and steadfast support for programs like ASAP and ACE, which have already begun transforming the lives of students at SUNY Poly and across the SUNY system,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “These initiatives are more than just a pathway to graduation—they are a critical investment in New York’s future workforce and a testament to our commitment to closing opportunity gaps and empowering students to succeed.”
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 150 students at SUNY Poly.
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, SUNY Poly 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 percent higher than similar non-participants, and ACE students saw nine percent 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.
“Being part of the ACE program has helped me significantly in my college journey,” said Hender Hernandez Caba, a sophomore computer science major at SUNY Poly. “The personalized guidance and financial support have eased many challenges I faced. It’s given me the confidence to stay on track, overcome obstacles, and keep pushing towards my academic goals.”
For more information on ASAP and ACE programs statewide, visit http://www.suny.edu/asap-ace. To learn more about the ACE program at SUNY Poly, visit https://sunypoly.edu/ace.html.
