New SUNY program aims to help transfer students to UB be successful

Students who transfer to UB from community college may be eligible for additional services and support under a new program initiated by SUNY to help more students achieve academic success and graduate on time.

UB TrACE — Advancing Completion through Engagement for Transfer Students — provides an array of wraparound services, including an academic service adviser, career development, consolidated course schedules and even financial assistance to help cover the cost of textbooks and personal expenses.

The program originated at CUNY and was expanded to SUNY last spring thanks to the $75 million SUNY Transformation Fund championed by Gov. Kathy Hochul that allowed SUNY to scale up a model that has proven to increase student success and significantly improve degree completion.

This fall, some 4,200 students across the SUNY system are taking part in the program, which is known as “Advancing Completion through Engagement,” or simply, ACE. UB will use the acronym TrACE due to its focus on transfer students.

“Student success drives everything we do at SUNY and we are committed to meeting students and their families where they are to ensure they thrive,” says SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.

UB is one of the 25 SUNY institutions — and the only university center — that opted into the program.

“We are pleased that a significant number of students choose to transfer to UB to complete their degree,” says A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “As a university, we are committed to welcoming these students, ensuring their transition to UB is successful, enabling them to finish their degree on time, and providing them with learning and career development opportunities that prepare them for future success.”

UB welcomed the program’s first cohort of 29 students in the spring. A total of 161 students are taking part in the program at UB this fall, including Abby Ammerman and Laura Schaefer, who transferred to UB from SUNY Erie.

For Ammerman and Schaefer, TrACE has provided a sense of community among the other transfer students, and their regular engagement with TrACE adviser Shannon Myers has been extremely helpful. It provides them individualized attention to address whatever questions or concerns they may have while continuing their education at a large university.

“She has helped me with everything from general questions, to finding info sessions on grad school programs, to help on where to go to find funding for that,” says Ammerman, a senior criminology major.

“There are so many great things I can say about TrACE,” says Ammerman. “I truly enjoy being in this program.”

At UB, the aim of the program is to build a pipeline of community college transfers, assist them in overcoming barriers and increase student persistence to obtain a degree in a timely fashion.

“There are many reasons why a student may choose to transfer to a new university. UB is committed to making that transition as welcoming and positive as possible,” says Ann Bisantz, dean of undergraduate education. “By offering these additional services as part of our TrACE program, we are providing our newest students with the support, guidance and encouragement they may need to be successful.” 

To be eligible for the program, accepted community college transfer students to UB must meet the financial qualifications outlined under the federal Pell grant program.

At least once a month, students meet with a TrACE adviser. Once a semester the students are required to meet with their academic adviser and the Career Design Center, which helps connect them with potential employers and internship opportunities. The program produced more than 250 “touch points” with the first cohort of TrACE students last spring.

Students in the program also receive $150 a semester toward textbooks, $275 a semester as a non-tuition stipend and a pre-paid debit card of $50 a month during the academic year to be used toward college expenses. In total, students meeting program requirements receive $2,500 over the course of two years.

“This initiative goes beyond merely transferring credits,” says Samantha Jo Smith, director of UB TrACE. “It’s supporting the transfer of people — embracing their diverse experiences, aspirations and potential.”

More information on next year’s program can be found on the TrACE webpage.

Schaefer, a junior majoring in health and human services, acknowledged she was a little anxious about transferring to a large university, but so far, the work has been manageable and, with the help of TrACE, her experience at UB has been a good one.

She particularly appreciates the personal guidance the program provides and the little push it gives students to get involved in the university. Students in the program are required to attend three UB-sponsored events.

“It wasn’t really the financial assistance that got me interested in the program; it was more so the support and getting involved at UB,” says Schaefer. “The money is just a nice, little added bonus.”