CANTON -- SUNY Canton will begin a new support program that seeks to break down barriers to student success and assist with timely degree completion.

A cohort of online and on-campus students have been selected for the spring pilot phase of the Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) Program, with the goal of serving 150 learners in fall 2024. ACE provides personalized advising, targeted engagement activities, and financial support for tuition gaps, books and other academic expenses.

"ACE is another tool in advancing our mission as a college of access by providing academic, personal and financial support to increase students' sense of belonging and remove economic barriers to degree completion," said SUNY Canton Provost Peggy A. De Cooke.

Participants are required to be a New York State resident, a full-time student and Pell Grant-eligible, among other criteria.

The college will allocate approximately $780,000 to the program over a three-year period. Funding is made possible through Gov. Kathy Hochul's Transformation Fund included in the FY 2024 state budget, as well as grants from the Robin Hood Foundation and Brightway Education Foundation.

"We are grateful to Gov. Hochul, our legislative representatives, SUNY, the Robin Hood Foundation and Brightway Education Foundation for bringing this program to fruition," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran.

SUNY Canton was one of 25 state campuses awarded funding for this initiative. The ACE model is based upon the success of the City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Program and the Accelerate, Complete and Engage Program, which increased retention and graduation rates among its lower-income students.

For more information about ACE, contact SUNY Canton ACE Director Kelsey Guerard at ace@canton.edu or by phone at (315) 386-7961.