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A Farmingdale State College program that provides students with financial, academic and personal support to increase graduation rates and close opportunity gaps is growing.

The Accelerate, Complete and Engage (ACE) program welcomed 76 students for the first time in January. This program, an initiative of the State University of New York, now in its second semester, has 215 students enrolled. The college held a celebration last week to recognize the impact of the program.

“ACE provides students with the financial support and material resources they need to achieve their academic goals,” Farmingdale State President Robert Prezant said in a news release about the program. “But what makes ACE special here at Farmingdale is that it has provided students with a community and a home away from home, which has contributed to the cultural and intellectual life of the college.” This is what we do so well at Farmingdale, creating a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment.

Farmingdale is one of 12 SUNY campuses to participate in ACE, the SUNY initiative that also includes an Accelerated Associate Study Program (ASAP) on select campuses.

“Student success drives everything we do at SUNY, and we are committed to meeting students and their families where they are to ensure they thrive,” SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. said. , in the press release. “SUNY is proud to evolve ASAP and ACE as proven models for student success on our campuses and we look forward to continuing to invest in the next generation of SUNY graduates at (Farmingdale State) and across the system.

At Farmingdale, ACE is open to all majors. The program provides free holistic services to first-generation Farmingdale State students and those who have demonstrated need, including individualized advising, leadership and career development, peer mentoring, workshops and interactive events, as well as financial support including scholarships, textbook stipends and transportation. assistance. The primary goal of ACE is to close opportunity gaps and increase timely baccalaureate completion rates for participating students.

“ACE is built on a simple belief: Income should never limit a person’s potential or dreams,” New York State Senator Monica Martinez said in the press release. “Higher education is not just for those who can afford it; it’s for anyone who has the passion and determination to succeed. The ACE program, and other programs like it, exist because of this principle. They help level the playing field and ensure that financial constraints do not prevent anyone from succeeding in their studies.

Students gave the program high marks.

“I joined the ACE program looking for a supportive community to navigate my academic journey and prioritize my well-being,” said science, technology and society major Matthews Pyroll, in the press release. “The program exceeded my expectations, providing consistent guidance through monthly meetings that became the cornerstone of my mental and financial stability. These sessions provide a safe space to discuss challenges, receive coaching and access additional support when needed. I am grateful for the transformative support of the ACE program, which allows me to grow academically and personally.

“ACE provides me with a lot of resources, allowing me to have a space to come throughout my day to do my work or to have someone to talk to about how school is going,” Malik Mattison, student in Aeronautical Science: Professional Pilot Program, said in the press release. “Being part of ACE allowed me to make friends, being new here and not knowing anyone on campus. My ACE Success Coach has also been a huge help to me here during my first semester, helping me develop action plans academically and personally, directing me to needed resources on campus, helping me set long term and short term goals and stick to them. goals.”