SUNY Geneseo Highlights Student Experiences in ACE Program at College Council Luncheon 

Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, members of the Geneseo College Council, and campus and SUNY leaders celebrated Geneseo’s ACE Program (SUNY Geneseo/Mat Johnson)

Last week, SUNY Geneseo students shared their experiences in the college’s new Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program during a luncheon with Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, members of the Geneseo College Council, and campus and SUNY leaders. 

The gathering in Milne Library highlighted how ACE combines personalized advising, financial assistance, and career preparation to help students maintain academic momentum and graduate on time. Geneseo’s inaugural cohort includes 150 students across 31 academic majors, more than 90% of whom are first-generation college students. 

Bailey joined the gathering to discuss the importance of ACE and the state’s investment in student success. Her participation connected the legislative support behind the program with the Geneseo students benefiting from it. 

“Investing in public higher education means helping students get to graduation,” said Bailey. “ACE provides practical support that can make a real difference, from help with everyday expenses to personalized advising. Hearing directly from Geneseo students today reinforces why the state’s investment in this program matters.” 

Council members also heard from SUNY Geneseo President Melinda D. Treadwell; Casey O’Brien, SUNY associate vice chancellor for student success and transformational initiatives; and Cori Quinn, acting ACE program director at Geneseo, who provided an overview of ACE at Geneseo. Over lunch, council members spent time with participating students, hearing directly about their experiences with the program and their goals for college and beyond. 

“At New York’s public honors college, access and excellence belong together. Our responsibility to students begins when they arrive and continues through graduation,” said Treadwell. “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Bailey, her legislative colleagues, SUNY leadership, and Governor Hochul for investing in that responsibility. ACE gives students practical support and a consistent connection to people who know them and their goals.” 

ACE helps eligible students address financial and academic challenges that can interrupt progress toward a degree. Supports include funding for textbooks, groceries, transportation, and other costs of attendance, alongside academic assistance, comprehensive personalized advising, and career development activities. 

The luncheon recognized the partnership among SUNY, state leaders, and campus staff that makes this support possible. Treadwell also thanked the Geneseo staff and colleagues for bringing the program to life and emphasized the importance of listening to students as the College develops its inaugural program. 

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. has said that SUNY is committed to the success of every student and “the continued expansion of ASAP|ACE program will help participating students complete their degree on time, achieve their dreams, and move forward on a path to upward mobility. I am thrilled that through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature these programs will serve 10,000 students across the state and serve as a model for other institutions to follow.” 

Launched at SUNY in 2024, Advancing Success in Associate Pathways (ASAP) and ACE provide coordinated support for students pursuing associate and bachelor’s degrees, respectively. An additional $8 million allocated in the FY2026–27 state budget brings annual state investment in the programs to $20 million, supporting students across 44 SUNY campuses. 

Early SUNY results show that participating students attempt and earn more credits and return for subsequent semesters at higher rates than comparable students who are not enrolled in the programs. At Geneseo, ACE strengthens the college’s commitment to helping students turn access to a rigorous public honors education into degree completion and opportunities beyond graduation. 

About SUNY Geneseo 

Founded in 1871, SUNY Geneseo is New York’s Public Honors College. Geneseo provides a distinctive, equity-centered honors experience that equips students with the knowledge and skills to build a better world, guided by the values of learning, creativity, belonging, civic engagement, and sustainability.