Freshmen attending SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam will soon have access to what SUNY officials are calling "enhanced academic success programs."

State University of New York is one of four recipients nationally to receive a $2.1 million “Strong Start to Finish” (SSTF) grant to "scale-up first year student success strategies across New York state campuses to help more students earn a college degree," SUNY officials said.

The SSTF grant is designed to "address the college attainment gaps for historically-underserved populations including students from low income households, under-represented minorities, and returning adults," the SUNY press release said.

"The grant will build on SUNY’s comprehensive framework to help students succeed and graduate that includes Guided Pathways; Math Pathways (Quantway/Statway); Developmental English; multi-year collaborations and pathways; structured scheduling; bridge programs; first-year experience programs; coaching/concierge/advising services; early alert systems; and additional support for technical degree pathways and Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECHs)," the release says.

These successful evidence-based practices are being scaled up across the State through New York’s Student Success Center.

Funding for SSTF has been provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates, and The Kresge Foundation. Education Commission of the States (ECS), a national education policy organization, oversees SSTF.