SUNY Delhi Celebrates Successful Launch of ASAP|ACE Student Success Programs

10/02/2025 — SUNY Delhi celebrated the successful launch of SUNY ASAP|ACE, a transformative student retention and degree completion program, at a campus event with special guest Dr. Casey O’Brien, SUNY Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Transformational Initiatives. Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) for students enrolled in associate programs and Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) for students enrolled in baccalaureate programs provide financial resources and wraparound supports to remove barriers to full-time study, help students gain and maintain academic momentum, and create a connected community among students.

SUNY Delhi is one of only a handful of campuses offering both ASAP and ACE. The campus welcomed an initial cohort of 150 students this fall to participate in the programs.

“We are thrilled to be part of the ASAP|ACE SUNY family and appreciate the support from the state and SUNY to help it reach its full potential,” said Dr. Mary Bonderoff, SUNY Delhi President. “This powerful initiative allows us to remove many of the obstacles that can stand in the way of degree completion, and it is already proving to be a positive opportunity for our students.”

“SUNY is committed to the success of every student, and our expansion of the proven ASAP and ACE programs across our system ensures our students are on track to complete their degree on time and pursue their aspirations,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. previously stated. “I applaud Governor Hochul and state leaders for their continued support of SUNY, and I thank the SUNY Delhi administration, faculty, and staff for their unwavering commitment to student success.”

“The evidence is clear: with these programs, students complete more credits and are retained at higher rates,” Dr. O’Brien noted. “Behind the numbers are real families and students’ lives being transformed. We recognize SUNY Delhi’s leadership and Delhi’s ASAP|ACE team in making this campus a model for what’s possible when students are given the resources and encouragement they deserve.”

Dr. David Brower, SUNY Delhi Provost, said, “We appreciate SUNY’s commitment to provide access and opportunity for students of all backgrounds and all levels of preparation. We look forward to the future and the growth of this program.”

“We’ve hit the ground running, and in five weeks, we’ve already received great feedback from students,” said SUNY Delhi ASAP|ACE Director Laura Pehrsson. “All 150 students in our initial cohort are engaging in meetings and workshops – we’re truly building a community and are so excited to see the program grow as more students participate in it. We are thankful to SUNY and our campus leadership for the support in launching this amazing initiative.”

Indianna Fox, a junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, shared her experience with ACE: “I've had the privilege of working closely with Director Laura Pehrsson and Advisor Ayhan Ozyesil. I can talk to them about anything and always feel supported. ACE has also helped me financially to purchase textbooks and school supplies. As a commuter, the stipend makes it possible for me to buy snacks if I haven’t packed a lunch.”

“ACE has been super helpful for me,” said Taniya Macklin, a junior. “I’ve built great relationships with the staff and am really glad to be part of this program. I hope it continues to grow and help other students like myself.”

ASAP|ACE is made possible through recurring state funding supported by Governor Kathy Hochul, the state legislature, and SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., allowing SUNY to expand the programs to 34 campuses to serve over 7,000 students across the state. Preliminary outcomes data across current ASAP|ACE partner campuses demonstrate that participating students have higher credit completion and persistence rates than similar non-ASAP|ACE students.