On Friday, October 30, 2026, Farmingdale State College (FSC) President Robert S. Prezant, PhD, was pleased to host a first-ever multicampus celebration highlighting the impact of the Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) and Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) programs across Long Island.  

Attended by State University of New York (SUNY) Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Deputy for Student Success Lisa Castillo Richmond, New York State Assemblymember Kwani O’Pharrow, the office of New York State Senator Monica Martinez, as well as students, faculty, and staff from FSC, SUNY Old Westbury, Suffolk County Community College, and Nassau Community College, the morning event, held in Knapp Hall, was a testament to the incredible success of this ongoing SUNY initiative focused on meaningfully improving student support, retention, and degree completion throughout New York State. 

FSC’s ACE Program, now in its third year, has seen record growth since welcoming its first cohort of 76 students in January 2024--far surpassing SUNY’s initial target of 50. The program has quickly grown to now serve 300 enrolled students. 

Additionally, today FSC announced an exciting new partnership which allows Brightway ASAP students transferring from Nassau Community College or Suffolk County Community College to continue receiving all Brightway financial supports within ACE at the College. Brightway funds may be used to provide direct emergency funds and cash assistance, childcare support, and winter and summer course-taking support after financial aid to participating student parents for urgent or persistence-related needs.  

“ASAP|ACE is among the most important success programs within the SUNY system,” said President Prezant. “It's a program that is thriving and continues to grow very purposefully. And the data representing its success are clear, but ASAP|ACE is more than numbers." 

“At the heart of SUNY's mission is a deep commitment to student success and programs like ASAP|ACE are helping us realize that commitment in truly life-changing ways,” agreed Castillo Richmond. “The ASAP|ACE model, which aligns perfectly with SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.'s vision for student success at SUNY, is a proven, rigorously evaluated model that increases retention and completion due to its comprehensive wraparound support system and critical financial resources that ensure our students gain and maintain academic momentum, feel integrated and supported in pursuit of their degrees, and most importantly, graduate on time with the skills experiences and networks they need to be successful. ASAP|ACE goes well beyond just talking about student success, it really creates the conditions for it, enabling students to release their limitless potential and realize their dreams.” 

“What we are building is bigger than any one program or any one campus. It is a community that says to every student, you belong here, and we are all in this with you,” said FSC’s ACE Director Georgia Kalamidas. “Students succeed when they are surrounded by people who believe in them. Look around this room. That's what we're building. Together.”   

“It's an honor to celebrate our students today who are working very hard to achieve academic excellence and achieve their college degrees,” said Assemblymember O’Pharrow. “I have the esteemed pleasure and honor to sit on the Higher Education Committee up in Albany and I often think about my position and how we as a united body can create opportunities for young people and students for personal growth, career advancement, economic stability and ACE and ASAP are the answers. Students need more than just access to college. They need resources, support, guidance, and mentorship. As your legislator, I recognize that investing in our students is an investment in our workforce, our families, and our communities. Congratulations to all the students being celebrated today and thank you to the faculty and staff for supporting our students and making all their achievements possible.” 

“In New York, we believe student potential shouldn’t be limited by financial circumstances," said Senator Martinez. "That is why SUNY’s ASAP|ACE Program is so important in helping students overcome the barriers that can stand in the way of success, providing financial assistance, dedicated advising and academic guidance to keep students on track to complete their degrees. As we celebrate another successful year, today’s event highlights the impact this program is having at Farmingdale State College and on campuses throughout our state.”

In spring 2024, SUNY first brought ACE, and its community college counterpart program ASAP, to 25 campuses through New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s SUNY Transformation Fund, which was championed by the New York State Legislature. Today, the program serves more than 10,000 students across 44 SUNY campuses. 

At FSC, the ACE Program is open to all majors and provides free holistic services for FSC students who have demonstrated need, including individualized counseling, leadership and career development, peer mentoring, interactive workshops and events, and financial support, including academic scholarships, textbook stipends, help with groceries, and transportation assistance. ACE’s primary goal is to narrow opportunity gaps and increase timely bachelor's degree completion rates for participating students. 

“Personally, ACE has helped me become more confident and has given me guidance as my academic goals have changed. I switched majors and I'm pursuing a dual degree, something I wouldn't have imagined when I first started college,” said Katherine Estrada, ’28, a dual degree student pursing applied mathematics and computer science. “With the guidance I received, I'm still working towards my goal of graduating in four years. I believe that programs like ACE deserve to expand because it gives students more than just academic and financial support. It gives students the opportunity to meet new people, try different experiences, and grow as individuals, all while staying focused on their goals. I am truly grateful to be a part of the ACE program, and I am proud to watch the program grow into what it is today.” 

“At Farmingdale, what makes ACE so very special is that it provides students with a community, and in many ways a home away from home, creating a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for all our ACE students,” said President Prezant. “Every member of the ACE team ensures that students have a safe place to open up about challenges and to stay on track. They make a true difference in the lives of our students.”   

To learn more, please visit FSC’s ACE Program webpage.  

View photos from the ASAP|ACE Program event on our Flickr Gallery.

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