Buffalo State celebrates expansion of ACE, SUNY’s highly successful student retention and graduation support model

At a news conference held at Buffalo State University on October 15, educational leaders and participating students from four of Western New York’s higher education institutions—Buffalo State University, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Erie, and the University at Buffalo—highlighted the Advancing Success in Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE), Advancing Completion through Engagement for Transfer Students (TrACE), and Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) programs that have been proven to significantly improve degree completion rates. 

Through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, and the SUNY Board of Trustees, these programs will serve 10,000 students across 44 SUNY campuses this fall. Eligible students have access to an array of resources and support to help them overcome barriers that can prevent them from obtaining a degree, including funding to cover textbooks, groceries, transportation and other costs of attendance, as well as comprehensive personalized advisement, academic support and career development activities. The Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) supports students pursuing associate degrees, while Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) supports baccalaureate students.

Buffalo State is part of SUNY’s systemwide expansion of ACE and ASAP, made possible through an additional $8 million in allocated funding in the FY2026-27 Enacted State Budget. This brings the total state investment in this successful program to $20 million annually. 

“SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE will help ensure our students can complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “I thank the Buffalo State administration, faculty, and staff for their unwavering commitment to student success.”

At Buffalo State, 458 students will receive important resources to help them gain and maintain academic momentum so they can graduate on time. The ACE program at Buffalo State began in spring 2024 with 51 students; it has grown by 75 students from fall 2025 to fall 2026. More than 55 percent of these students maintain a grade-point-average of 3.0 or higher. The most popular majors are business, computer information systems, criminal justice, education, psychology, and social work.

ACE’s individualized support is critical for students like Darionna Sampson Gilbert, a junior psychology and Africana Studies major who balances a heavy course load while also working part-time as a work study. ACE’s tutoring and time-management coaching have helped her stay on track and feel more confident in class.

“Starting college in a new place with new people can feel overwhelming,” Sampson Gilbert said. “ACE gave me a consistent, welcoming space where I could get real help and actually start to feel like I belonged here.” 

Fellow ACE student Kirill Lukyannikov, a computer information systems major set to graduate in 2029, added, “ACE has helped me stay on track toward my degree through early course registration, internship opportunities, workshops, campus activities, and connections with faculty and campus resources that are helping prepare me for my future career.”

In addition to state investments, SUNY has received a $2 million renewal commitment from Brightway, which will extend its program’s support for student parents who are primary caregivers at seven community colleges. The program assists with childcare costs, access to emergency cash assistance, and support for winter and summer course taking. The renewal commitment, which builds on an initial matched commitment of $1 million made to SUNY in 2023, will also expand personalized career guidance, strengthen connections to internships and employment opportunities, and pilot a new program supporting ASAP student parents transferring to SUNY baccalaureate campuses that offer ACE.   

To learn more about these retention programs, visit the SUNY website.

To learn more about ACE at Buffalo State, visit the Buffalo State website or contact Jude Jayatilleke, ACE Program director at 716-878-6028 or at jayatijm@buffalostate.edu. 

Photo by Mark Mulville.