Transfer students find success, community with UB TrACE

A program designed to help transfer students succeed at UB is doing just that.

Launched in the spring of 2024, UB TrACE — Advancing Completion through Engagement for Transfer Students — is state-funded and provides student support services that include personalized advising, career development and financial help for textbooks and personal expenses.

Of the 148 students involved in the program last year, half earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher, while nearly 80% had a GPA of 3.0 or higher, says Krista Hanypsiak Krause, associate vice provost for undergraduate education and interim director of UB TrACE.

Ten of those students had a GPA of 4.0, she says.

“We’re proud to see our students finding real connection and guidance through TrACE,” Krause says.

“Continued investment from SUNY reflects what we see every day — when transfer students have access to personalized advising and feel part of a strong, committed community, they are more likely to engage, persist and succeed,” Krause says. “That kind of environment makes a meaningful difference.”

Ann Bisantz, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, and UB senior Sarah Vincton joined colleagues from SUNY Buffalo State University and SUNY Erie for a press conference on Oct. 8 to highlight the success of the program and help announce its expansion.

UB TrACE is part of the larger SUNY initiative, Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE), now on 34 SUNY campuses this fall. That’s up from 25 last year, thanks to $12 million allocated in the state budget by Gov. Kathy Hochul. More than 7,000 students systemwide are now enrolled, with the goal of reaching 10,000 students by the fall 2026.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. called it a “proven, evidence-based strategy to improve retention and completion.”

“I am thrilled that through Gov. Hochul’s leadership and the support of the legislature, SUNY is expanding this vital program to even more students and campuses across the SUNY system,” King said in a statement.

At UB, students in the program meet at least once a month 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. They also are required to attend three UB-sponsored events.

To qualify for the program, transfers to UB with an associate’s degree must meet the financial qualifications outlined under the federal Pell grant program.

Students in UB TrACE 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.

Vincton, who has an associate’s degree from SUNY Alfred, was unsure how she would like a large university when she started at UB last fall. Vincton had not been to college in more than 10 years, and in addition to going to school and working, she is also a wife and mother.

But her transition was easy once she got to know the North Campus, and she’s enjoyed the flexibility of being in the classroom or online.

“The TrACE program got me out of my bubble,” says Vincton, a health and human services major. “It was nice to attend the events to take a break from schoolwork.

“The touchpoint with my academic adviser also helped me get some of the stress off my shoulders, allowing me to chat about how my classes are going and how life is going,” she says.

SUNY Erie will bring a group of its students to UB’s day-long fall open house on Oct. 18, where they will learn more about transfer admissions and UB TrACE, says Christina Annesi, director of SUNY Erie’s Advancing Success in Associate Pathways, the college’s counterpart to UB TrACE. SUNY Erie brought students to the open house at UB last year and found the experience beneficial, Annesi says.

UB TrACE reflects the strong commitment by the university and SUNY to ensure that every student feels supported and set up for success from day one, Bisantz says.

“Transfer students bring valuable perspectives and experiences that enrich our campus community,” Bisantz says.

“Whether it’s through proactive advising, peer connections or financial support, TrACE helps students navigate their transition with confidence and clarity.”