ACE Helps Students Gain and Maintain Academic Momentum so They Can Graduate on Time
Alysia Eason ’29 speaks during a roundtable discussion about the expansion of the Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program at SUNY Potsdam on Oct. 19.
SUNY Potsdam leaders today announced the expansion of the campus’s Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program. The initiative helps students gain and maintain academic momentum so they can graduate on time. Building on the launch of ACE locally in 2024, SUNY Potsdam plans to grow enrollment by 50 students this fall to a total of 300 students.
“The results speak for themselves: ACE students consistently achieve higher retention rates, stronger GPAs, and more earned credits than their non-ACE peers. In fact, more than half of our ACE students were named to the Dean’s or President’s List for Spring 2026,” said SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith. “At SUNY Potsdam, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of background or circumstance. The expansion of our ACE program reflects our deep commitment to student success — not just in the classroom, but in life.”
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE program 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."
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 supports, 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.
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. A total of $550,000 in new state funding will allow SUNY Potsdam to capitalize on this highly successful model that is proven to increase student completion rates and narrow opportunity gaps.
“I am a strong supporter of the ASAP and ACE initiatives, because I believe that getting students here is only half the job. Making sure that they are comfortable once they get here, get acclimated to campus life and become more independent is just as important… ASAP and ACE are what I call high-touch, high-outcome programs. There’s a lot of financial benefits to it, but more importantly, it’s the engagement, one on one, that students receive here that makes all the difference, and I think that is a testament to the staff of the ACE program. Just as importantly, this advances what our mission is—to make New York State a good place to live, to work and to get an education as well,” said State Assemblyman Scott Gray.
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. Locally, Potsdam has seen retention rates 15% higher than the 5-year average. The persistence rate for the program overall is 82%, and 72% of the initial Spring 2024 cohort are set to graduate this year.
“ACE is about connection — and the key to the program has been engagement. From the moment students join the program, they’re supported by a network that sees them, hears them, and walks with them every step of the way. When students know someone is in their corner, they’re more likely to persist, succeed and graduate,” said SUNY Potsdam ACE Director Sean Partridge.
Individualized supports delivered through ACE are critical for Potsdam students like music education and flute performance major Stephen Buff ’28 of Center Moriches, N.Y., who said that the combination of direct support from his ACE advisor plus financial support have helped him concentrate on his studies.
“ACE has been extremely helpful to my collegiate career, not only through academics, but also through inclusion on campus. Having a personal academic advisor with a four-year plan spreadsheet has been crucial to my success in managing my classes, making sure I graduate on time (with much less stress!),” Buff said. “Not having to worry about purchasing the essential books I need to study is very useful. Also, the stipends have been a great support on my grocery shopping budget.”
“Not only is ACE incredibly helpful for advising, but it is also another family within SUNY Potsdam. They offer workshops for all students to get together, learn, make friends, and ACE has created an amazing environment to foster the learning and continued education of SUNY Potsdam students,” said Kenna O’Brien ’27, a biomedical sciences major from Norfolk, N.Y. “Because of ACE, I am successful in my classes, and I am on track to graduate early. I have met many of my closest friends through this program, and I am beyond thankful.”
“College was not a question in my house. I come from a family of educators. But the financial piece wasn’t all the way there—so having ACE there to soften the blow with stipends and also the book credit is a really big help to make college manageable,” said Alysia Eason ’29, an early childhood/childhood major from Uniondale, N.Y. “Freshman year is an adjustment, and I definitely took my time adjusting. So with my advisor, it was nice to have someone in my corner who could also hold me accountable, because we are adults now. It is on you to show up for yourself now. You are paying to be here. If you are going into a career that demands a degree, you should probably work to get it, so that you can work the job you want.”
To learn more about ACE at SUNY Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/ace or contact ACE Director Sean Partridge at ace@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2520.
About The State University of New York:
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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