Will Provide Additional Resources and Supports to Assist Students in Gaining and Maintaining Academic Momentum

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is proud to have recently launched an Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program on its campus. Funded by the State University of New York (SUNY) Transformation Fund, ACE is a replication of the City University of New York’s (CUNY) successful equivalent. Moreover, it helps students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to gain and maintain the academic momentum needed to stay enrolled and complete a degree in four years.

“SUNY Poly takes great pride in being a leader in economic and social mobility in the Mohawk Valley and beyond,” said Provost Dr. Andrew Russell. “This program will help to eliminate the financial barriers faced by eligible students and provide comprehensive support as they pursue their degree, making it easier for them to achieve their dreams.”

Students eligible for the program must reside in New York State; Be a U.S. or eligible noncitizen; Be an accepted first-year student or transfer with an associate’s degree; Be eligible for Pell or TAP grants; and cannot be a participant in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Benefits of the program include tuition support, textbook assistance, a transportation stipend, personalized advising, career coaching and priority course registration.

“Navigating college and the resources available can be intimidating, especially when a student is the first in their family to attend college and/or lacks the financial means to stay on track in pursuit of their degree,” said ACE Program Director Dawn Burns. “This is an incredibly important program, and myself and ACE Advisor Mya Kyaw are excited to work with our students, not only providing them with much-needed resources, but also the coaching and personal advising necessary to level the playing field, and elevate the lives of those we are able to impact.”

Burns joined SUNY Poly on April 11 as the ACE Program Director, bringing over 15 years of experience working in education as a teacher and administrator to the role. As the inaugural program director, her role focuses on developing protocol for the program, participant recruitment, and engagement programming. She will collaborate with Career Services to support career planning for ACE participants and work with other cross-campus partners to ensure student success. In addition to managing the daily operations of the program, she oversees and supports ACE advisement efforts.

Kyaw joined SUNY Poly in January as the ACE Advisor. In this role, she reviews student progress, tracks the use of academic support services, and provides advisement support and referrals for ACE participants. She also works closely with other campus offices to support ACE participants and supports recruitment efforts and engagement activities. Prior to her arrival at SUNY Poly, Mya served as an academic advisor for the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and most recently, as program advisor to the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) at Mohawk Valley Community College.

SUNY Poly’s ACE Program is accepting students for the Fall 2024 cohort. For more information, visit sunypoly.edu/ace or email ace@sunypoly.edu.