Department of Financial Aid
Story by Jennifer Kierecki, Enrollment Marketing Content Coordinator
Marcus Lewis ’26 didn’t know if college would be possible. Today, he’s thriving at SUNY Geneseo and earning statewide recognition.
A student-athlete and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) peer mentor, Lewis was recently named a recipient of the 2026 Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for EOP Excellence, one of 49 SUNY students recognized statewide. But his path to that moment began with uncertainty about whether he could afford college at all.
Lewis grew up in Rochester and attended Rochester City School District schools. With no family members who had attended college and many peers entering the workforce or trades, higher education felt out of reach. Still, he saw something more for himself and started looking for a way to make it happen.
“I wanted to be the first in my family to do something different and to get out of the current situation and the neighborhood I was in,” Lewis said. “I wanted to surround myself with like-minded people.”
He found direction in Geneseo’s data analytics major. A longtime fan of sports statistics, Lewis was drawn to the combination of math, coding and real-world applications of statistics. “When I saw the careers I could go into, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.” Lewis began to see a path forward and enrolled at Geneseo through the Access Opportunities Program (AOP).
Even after enrolling, questions about affordability followed him to campus. “I was concerned about paying for certain things and how to keep myself afloat. “ Lewis said. “Those questions started to overwhelm me.”
That changed when he walked into the Office of Financial Aid.
Lewis expected the staff might be difficult to work with. “I was wrong,” he said. Instead, he found a team that was approachable, responsive, and invested in his success. “They are the nicest people, and they always have candy,” he added.
Beyond processing paperwork, staff helped connect him with resources including emergency funding options, the food pantry, and ongoing guidance to help him stay on track. The office also played a key role in helping him navigate FAFSA challenges, including working through a complicated process with his parents, who had never attended college and were hesitant about the process. With the help of the staff, Lewis was able to declare financial independence. “You think their job is just FAFSA and your bill,” Lewis said, “but they work with you.”
Now, the office that once felt intimidating is a place he visits often. “My friends will say, ‘Marcus you’ve been there four times this week!’ I talk to them about life, I go there like it’s a hangout spot.”
He encourages others to take advantage of the same support systems that helped him succeed.
For Lewis, financial aid support was the turning point – one that made his Geneseo experience possible and kept his future within reach.