A newly announced SUNY system will create an expert team of high school counselors to help students in preparation for college applications.
The SUNY College Access Ambassadors program will draw on counselors’ knowledge and expertise to ensure students are planning for their college career well before admission deadlines begin. The program will focus on selecting counselors who demonstrate excellence in FAFSA completion efforts and other college-going initiatives to form an inaugural cohort of SUNY College Access Ambassadors.
Three more initiatives, announced on June 3, serve as part of a system-wide push to improve SUNY’s academic advising programs. The programs will serve to advance the previously announced Academic Momentum Campaign, which seeks to improve student retention and graduation rates throughout the SUNY system.
SUNY announces four new academic advising initiatives
In February, SUNY announced additional resources would be allocated to support the Academic Momentum Campaign, including the creation of an inaugural Academic Momentum Fellows cohort. The 24-person group included Yaseen Al-Wesabi, a business intelligence analyst working at the Office of Institutional Research, who will serve as Binghamton University’s fellow.
By starting from the moment students enter college, the newly announced First-Year Experience Success Initiative will focus on ensuring students are comfortable on campus. The program will help establish connections in the academic, social and emotional fields, aspects SUNY says are paramount to making sure students feel at ease when taking their first steps into the university world.
Another initiative will aim to support first-generation college students by selecting returning first-generation students to serve as liaisons for newer ones. Ambassadors will receive a stipend and work to expand overall offerings for first-generation students on their campuses.
As part of the position, ambassadors will have the opportunity to participate in student government, first-year experience seminars, orientations and open house events.
SUNY will also be expanding the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Scholars Program to various STEM fields like computer science and artificial intelligence. The program gives students financial, academic and mentoring support throughout their time in college.
By expanding the EOP program, SUNY hopes to increase retention and completion rates for participating students while providing opportunities for future success.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: New SUNY program taps counselors to guide college prep
Reporting by Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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