Stony Brook University has been awarded a $500,000 Innovation Driven by Evidence and Advanced Strategies (IDEAS) grant from the American Talent Initiative College Excellence Program and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The funding is intended to enhance opportunities for transfer students from lower-income communities, focusing on high-impact experiences, research opportunities, and workforce-ready skills.
The university will collaborate with Suffolk County Community College to implement the "Seawolves at Suffolk" program. This initiative aims to provide an early pathway for academic and social engagement for students transferring to Stony Brook University. It includes an accelerated on-ramp to a paid summer research or internship opportunity before students transfer.
Through this partnership, Stony Brook plans to increase enrollment of lower-income transfer students while addressing disparities in graduation rates. The initiative also seeks to promote long-term economic benefits and social mobility for these students.
Stony Brook was recognized as an American Talent Initiative "High Flier" University in 2023. The university joined ATI as part of its commitment to increasing lower-income student enrollment nationwide. Interim Stony Brook President Richard L. McCormick stated that the grant allows the university "to expand our commitment to social mobility while providing transfer students with paid experiential learning, academic advising, and career counseling opportunities."
Dr. Edward T. Bonahue, president of Suffolk Community College, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “With support from the American Talent Initiative grant, we will provide Suffolk students with an accelerated pathway to engagement at SBU.”
The American Talent Initiative is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in collaboration with the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R.
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