For Immediate Release
October 16, 2024

Suffolk County Community College Showcases Impact of New SUNY Student Success Program

Photo Caption: (top row left-to-right) Dr. Edward Bonahue, SUNY Suffolk President; Dr. Gerome Bell, ASAP Program Director; ASAP Student Jacqueline Pinez; ASAP Student Ashley Virgile; ASAP Student Rosangel Peralta Plasencia; Donna Linderman, Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at SUNY; ASAP Student Vanessa Fernandez; ASAP Student Rudean Smith; Sonya Lorrain, ASAP Advisor; (bottom row left-to-right) ASAP Student Ilsa Anatra; ASAP Student Yanci Castro; ASAP Student Omowunmi Adebajo. For a hi-res image, visit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kGNbcAyJr6cKy1167

Suffolk County Community College recently hosted a press conference to announce the successful implementation of SUNY’s Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) program on its three Suffolk County campuses. Suffolk’s program launch is part of a broader initiative involving introduction of this program at 25 SUNY-affiliated institutions across the State. This innovative program is modeled after the City University of New York's (CUNY) ASAP.   Since its inception in 2007, CUNY's ASAP program has served over 90,000 students and has been replicated across seven states due to its proven effectiveness in increasing student completion rates and narrowing opportunity gaps.

In spring 2024, SUNY’s ASAP programs welcomed approximately 4,200 students. The program includes wrap-around support services to cover expenses such as textbooks, transportation, and other costs of attendance that can be financial barriers to full-time study. These service supports have a proven, positive and sizeable impact on student retention and continuity. 

Suffolk County Community College currently supports 160 ASAP students in its program. Early metrics from the college’s spring 2024 ASAP cohort reveal promising indicators of success, including a remarkable retention rate of 91% for the fall 2024 semester. The cohort boasts an average GPA of 3.11 and earned an average of 13.67 credits during the spring 2024 semester.

Dr. Edward Bonahue, President of Suffolk County Community College, opened the event by discussing the college’s commitment to student success and added, “ASAP removes financial barriers, provides structured pathways to help students gain and maintain academic momentum, and creates connected communities through integrated supports and engagement activities - all in service of dramatically increasing timely completion rates for participating students.”

"At the heart of SUNY's mission is a deep commitment to student success, and programs like ASAP and ACE are helping us realize that commitment in life-changing ways," said SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success Donna Linderman. "I want to give a special thanks to our students - the ones here with us in the program today, and the ones who we hope to serve tomorrow as the program expands. We're so proud to serve you and so committed to your limitless potential. You're the reason we come to work every day."

During the press conference, two students shared their personal stories, illustrating how ASAP’s comprehensive offerings - including financial assistance, personalized academic advising, career development, and community-building initiatives--are empowering them to reach their educational goals. 

ASAP program student Ashley Virgile, a first-semester student at Suffolk’s Michael J. Grant Campus majoring in General Studies, was born in Haiti and came to the United States in 2015 when he was 9. “From the moment school started, the ASAP program has been a tremendous support system for me. My advisor, Sonya Lorraine, in particular, has been instrumental to my success. She went above and beyond to help me navigate different programs and find the best fit for my goals. I am incredibly grateful for the ASAP program. This program has made a significant difference in my college experience.”                                        

Student speaker Vanessa Fernandez, also a first-semester student at the Michael J. Grant Campus majoring in General Studies, is originally from El Salvador. “A major benefit of the program for me, was being able to enroll my two-year-old son in campus childcare, thanks to financial support from the ASAP program and the Brightway Education Foundation. If it wasn’t for the ASAP program, I wouldn’t have known where to look for help. The ASAP program has helped me feel heard and seen both as student-parent and as an individual.”

For more information about the ASAP program at Suffolk County Community College, please visit: https://www.sunysuffolk.edu/current-students/asap.jsp

About Suffolk County Community College

Suffolk County Community College is the largest, most comprehensive community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 21,000 students in over 100 degree and certificate programs. With over 145,000 alumni, Suffolk County Community College is dedicated to meeting the demands of regional employers. The college has built an extensive track record of successfully training and educating its students through pathways from high school, to college, and into careers.

 

About SUNY

The State University of New York (SUNY) is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 campuses serving nearly 1.4 million students. SUNY is dedicated to promoting student success, enhancing access to education, and fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community.

 

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