Welcome to the NYSACAC Newsletter! Please feel free to send any feedback or suggestions to [email protected]. We hope you enjoy the Newsletter!

                                                                                              - NYSACAC Newsletter Committee

It has been a busy few months for the association with professional development forums, college fairs, webinars, elections, and our 10th year of Middle Management Institute!  I hope you had the opportunity to engage with the association and our members. The forums this year centered around “cultivating resilience”.  It couldn’t come at a better time as meeting deadlines and managing conflicting priorities were top of mind for the last few months.  It was a great reminder to pause and remember how much has been accomplished in a short amount of time.

The association is hopeful for the seasons ahead.  For the first time we submitted a proposal for NACAC’s Gain Grant since the college fair revenue share has officially ended.  NACAC has granted NYSACAC the full amount of $8,000.  This money comes at an important time as it will help offset costs and fund important programming and initiatives for our association and our members.

As we look toward final decisions and closing out classes, a recharge is needed. I hope you take a moment and enjoy the longer days, blooming flowers, and a renewed sense of energy.  I hope these simple things spark growth, transformation, and new beginnings for you and the students you serve.

 
I look forward to connecting with you at The NYSACAC Coming Together and Annual Conference at Nazareth University, June 2-5.  

Lauren Sangimino, NYSACAC President

It’s almost time to head to Rochester for the Coming Together and Annual Conferences. It’s always energizing to see a mix of familiar faces and first-time attendees already on the registration list.

Our conference keynotes will bring a great deal of knowledge and expertise to the conferences. The CTC Panel brings together distinguished

professionals to explore advocacy efforts across New York State and examine how we can collectively drive meaningful, lasting change. This year’s Annual Keynote welcomes Nazareth alumnus Nick Cicero back to campus, where he will share a compelling story of courage, adaptability, and the pursuit of passion.

This year’s conference brings some exciting additions. Our newly reimagined “Executive Session” will give Deans and Directors the opportunity for a focused, small-group conversation with SUNY Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, Bart Grachan.

If you are looking to stay active, Pickleball players are encouraged to bring their paddle. Courts will be available Thursday morning for some friendly competition.

We’ve also created intentional opportunities for regional connection. During the vendor happy hour and again on Friday morning, you’ll be able to gather with colleagues from your region to share insights, make introductions, and discuss the issues shaping your region.

Of course, conference favorites are back. Bocce and Wingo are filling quickly, as are our popular college tours. Local campuses are hosting guided visits, complete with transportation. These are an excellent way to expand your professional development if you’re able to arrive early.

This event wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Customized sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor tables are still available.

And don’t forget—Early Bird registration ends May 15. Be sure to check the conference website for updates and additional details.

                                                                                                 Haniya Mee, NYSACAC President-Elect

consideration by the full membership at our general meeting at Nazareth University.

Additionally, I have been collaborating with the Nominating Committee to finalize the slate of new officers and to recognize the outstanding members who will be honored at the June conference.

As I enter the final months of my presidential cycle, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of NYSACAC for the opportunity to represent the many voices within our association. It has been a privilege to serve and I look forward to the months ahead.

Dave Follick, Immediate Past President

Here's something to think about...

Students spend 12 years preparing for college. So when that time finally comes, why are so many students and their families unprepared to pay for it?

No matter what the reasons, the results usually involve borrowing – and sometimes borrowing too much.

And if you – or someone you know – is about to make a decision about college and how
to pay for it, it’s important to know there’s a FREE webinar coming soon that could be

very helpful.

You can learn all about it at this link:

“Don’t Sleepwalk Your Way into a Student Loan”
A FREE webinar presented by College Money Matters

College Money Matters is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide free and
easy-to-understand information about paying for college to students and their families. As its Executive Director, I can assure you nothing will be sold at this presentation. We do not take advertisements or sell user information, and we have no affiliation with any financial businesses or academic institutions.

We’ve designed this webinar to provide the kind of information that can help many
people avoid excessive debt from payments that can last a lifetime. So, if you know someone who could benefit from knowing more about student loans before deciding on one, please forward them the link above and encourage them to register. And if you are a coach, financial advisor or a mentor,
you may find it useful as well.

The webinar will be held on April 16, 2026 at 8 pm EST. Spaces are limited,

so we encourage registering early.

Thank you very much, and if you have any questions, please feel free

to email me directly at [email protected]

Nancy Goodman
Executive Director, College Money Matters

“Is college worth it?” This question shows up regularly in newspaper headlines and, increasingly, it also fills young people’s social media feeds. Yet, despite how common the question is, the answers given rarely include the perspectives of young people themselves. To center these voices, College Access: Research & Action (CARA) created a Youth Research Council and interviewed 65 young first-generation and low-income New Yorkers. The result is two new reports. The first: Is college worth it – for me? details how first-generation young people understand the value of college and how their perspectives differ from common narratives of the news media and policymakers. The second, Scrolling Towards the Future, describes the growing role social media is playing in how young people make postsecondary decisions, with both positive and negative implications for equitable postsecondary access. Both reports include the voices of young people and resources for educators at the end.

Ashley Barry

Nazareth University in Rochester is hosting the 2026 NYSACAC Annual Conference this June. Centered on the theme “Uniting Education and Action,” the conference will bring together 1,000+ college admission and school counseling professionals from across New York State.

As the premier professional development event for college access professionals, the NYSACAC Annual Conference offers sponsors a meaningful opportunity to support equitable pathways to higher education while gaining high-visibility exposure to key decision makers in admissions and counseling.

Sponsorship levels range from Community Partner ($2,500) to Presenting Sponsor ($30,000), with benefits that include: prominent branding, speaking opportunities, exhibit space, digital and social media recognition, and sponsored event options. Additional add-on and in-kind sponsorships are also available.

Questions? Interested in partnering with us? Contact us at [email protected].

CBO Application Highlight!

Bottom Line’s NY Application is open for the high school class 26-27! Link below!
https://www.bottomline.org/apply-now/ 

“Don’t Fear the FAFSA/TAP” Webinar:

This January, we were excited to bring back our FAFSA and TAP info session! Offered for students and families across the state, to provide clarity and guidance around Federal and State financial aid! Huge shout out to our presenters: Kim Nauer, Director, Higher Education Affordability Project Center for New York City Affairs, and Maria Rodriguez, Financial Aid Outreach Specialist, New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (TAP)

“Spring Forward with Us” Virtual Networking:

We had a wonderful event where we discussed our success, challenges and trends pre-decision day! Kudos to those who attend! And as always we ended with Kahoot! This time's kahoot was March Madness, College Admissions, and the Weather (As we know the 2026 Winter has been a journey.)

This Committee Corner entry is for anyone who is supporting students who are pursuing college admission through (and considering committing to) NYS opportunity programs (SEEK/CD, EOP, HEOP). We’re sharing some of the common questions we get asked, with our answers, in the hopes that they help you to support your students as they navigate OP admission and deposit decisions.

→ Why all the extra work? Aren’t OPs supposed to support students who already face major barriers to higher education?

Yes! That is exactly who we support. However, we are held accountable for meeting the requirements set by the state of New York and our institutions. Failure to do so can threaten our programs. In addition, for HEOP, if a student is found to be ineligible after beginning the program, they must be removed from the program, losing all program benefits. We do not want to put a student in that position.

→ My student got into college through an opportunity program. Will they be singled out or treated differently on campus?

Opportunity Program students earn their seats in college just like every other student. Their admission does not mean they are less valued or are treated differently, and they are held to the same standards as everyone else. Instead, think of opportunity programs as a system designed to increase equity in a space that has historically operated with inequity. Opportunity programs recognize that economic circumstances can have a significant impact on students’ capacity to grow and develop academically both in high school and in college, and that there is commonly a correlation between family economic circumstances and access to academic opportunities that help make a student competitive in the higher education admission cycle. In this sense, our programs are designed to empower students to restore that capacity for their growth and excellence, not only by offering opportunities where before there weren’t, but also by offering critical support and community throughout their collegiate experience.

OP students, once fully admitted after completing their summer programs, have the honor of joining the tens of thousands of other NYS OP students who have attended and graduated from our programs since the 1960s. Admission to our programs is a privilege that they can add to the distinction of being a student at their institution of higher education.

→ I’m trying to help my student get through the process but they seem to be sitting in “Processing Purgatory.” Their student portal says everything is checked off but they haven’t gotten an OP interview or decision. Should we keep waiting or do something?

Make sure they haven’t missed an email. Online student portals are helpful to a point, but it’s not uncommon to have questions or additional documentation requests that we can’t communicate through the portal. Since we don’t want to risk admitting a student to later learn they are ineligible for our program, nonresponsiveness to our emails can unfortunately result in a high-need student losing the opportunity to join our programs. An easy tip: have them search their inbox with the program name + institution (for example HEOP + Ithaca).

Contact the program directly (phone, email, both). We process hundreds of applications each year, while still maintaining ongoing student support and juggling a myriad of other responsibilities in the course of running our programs, so counselor communication can be very helpful for us!

→ My student is financially eligible for HEOP. Why were they admitted through regular admission?

It’s possible that in financial review, information came to light that disqualified them economically. In addition, students must meet both academic and economic criteria, so even a clearly income-eligible student can be admitted regularly if they meet admission standards determined by that institution.

→ I thought HEOP was a full ride - why are there loans in my student’s aid package?

HEOP is neither a scholarship nor a full ride. Our funds are grants, not a reward for exceptional performance (which would be a scholarship). At some institutions, the HEOP aid package doesn’t include loans. At far more, it does. However, we are required by our grant to impose loan limits, and we generally work with our students to ensure that they are not graduating with burdensome debt. Consider reframing this conversation: taking a small student loan not only helps the institution to be able to continue our funding, but it also presents the student with an opportunity to begin building credit much more safely than they would with a credit card.

→ My student is from NYC and is considering attending an OP at an upstate college. What should I tell them to consider in preparation if I’ve never been there myself?

For most born-and-raised New Yorkers, upstate can feel significantly different. It can help to set realistic expectations and allow the student to decide whether the things that are different are things they can live with. Some students come upstate and are surprised to find how much they love the peace and quiet, so it becomes more than simply what they can live with - it’s actually what they miss when they go home for breaks.

Some things to consider:

• Yes, it’s colder. The weather will vary depending on where you go - New York is big and the geography really affects the weather. Potsdam and Syracuse are both upstate but winter weather can be very different. Best advice? Talk to someone who lives there to get realistic expectations, then consider it an adventure. And get waterproof boots and a good coat before fall semester.
• Figure out transportation options. NYC students find their way to every Opportunity Program in the state, so as big as we are, there is always a way. It’s just committing to finding it, and usually the opportunity program staff are the first people to ask. We’re used to this conversation.
• There is no place like NYC, so don’t expect any other place to be like it. That’s just a setup. You won’t see bodegas/corner stores everywhere, and there’ll be less diversity in every sense of the word and fewer services that may seem pretty basic to you. Missing the food, community, and basic services (such as hair care) that are foundational to life and part of living in the city can be challenging. Your OP community will be there to help you find your new resources on and off-campus.

Know that OPs are more than admission programs and additional financial resources. We are a community, and students will find others who have come before them (and with them) and faced the same fears, challenges, and push to grow and explore. The experience will stretch them, and sometimes they will need to make sacrifices and get creative. Along the way they will grow and strengthen, and that will support their success as they pursue their goals.

→ What advice should I give my student before going to their OP summer program?

1. Summer programs are generally strict, and it’s for a reason. The point is for the student to grow in preparation for the academic year; how would that happen if we weren’t strict? They are not the “freedom” of going to college - not yet. Things go more smoothly and they get more out of it if they come with this mindset.
2. Encourage them to challenge their expectations and build awareness of habits that they might have “gotten away with” in high school but that won’t serve them in college. Our expertise is in helping students grow past those habits to build more effective ones, but we can only lead a horse to water. They have to choose to drink the water.
3. Summer programs frequently include components designed to build community. Encourage them to take advantage of that! Many of our students see their OP community as their college family. The OP summer program is their opportunity to build those bonds to help to support them once the academic year starts; students who enter the fall having established healthy relationships over the summer usually find that the adjustment goes more smoothly.

Help Us Serve You Better!

Our committee’s mission is to serve NYS CBOs and Opportunity Programs, so let us know what else we can do. We invite you to complete our brief needs assessment survey. Your feedback will guide future programming and resources. Please submit by June 1, 2026 to allow us time to plan for next year.

We were both stunned into silence. Then we reflected on every scenario of what could have

happened. This quickly evolved into brainstorming what to do and what comes next. What can

be done to help students find a supportive campus and how can campuses highlight how

friendly we are?

For those not familiar, the Campus Pride Index was a guide for students and their support

systems to gauge how welcoming, supportive, and safe campuses were for LGBTQIA+

students. While not perfect or exhaustive, it was a useful tool. Any questionnaire rarely

encapsulates all of the necessary points to create an accurate feeling of campus climate and

culture. For many students, however, this was the only tool at their disposal, especially if their

environment lacked supportive adults.

On the institutional front, the questionnaire used by the Index to rate campuses provided a

launchpad for getting efforts off the ground and, for those with strong resources in place, a

barometer for continual improvement. For many institutions, like the University of Rochester, the

expansive nature of the questionnaire was a validating tool that brought campus partners to the

table with a common goal of better supporting LGBTQ community members.

This leads us to a fundamental question- now what?

We have reached out to Angel Pérez, CEO of NACAC, and have engaged with the NACAC

LGBTQIA+ SIG to begin discussions at the national level. We have also reached out to the

NYSACAC Presidents. Everyone has been very empathetic and wants to be supportive. What

comes next is a call to action.

We are reaching out to you, our colleagues, to join us now in brainstorming with a willing spirit to

work. We want your ideas, we need your time, and hope you will engage. Please reach out to us if you are interested.

At the NYSACAC conference, the LGBTQIA+ SIG will have a meeting where we will talk about

all of this and more. We also are looking to have a session addressing our progress and

creating a space for further discussion. We hope members of the community and allies will join

together in a symphony of voices in support, conversation, and action.

Erica Padilla (she/ella) & Marie Nocella (she/her)

[email protected]

During our monthly Zoom session in February, NYSACAC’s Women Empowering Women SIG focused on self-care, appropriate for a month when the world celebrates love. Dedicating time to caring for ourselves, especially knowing how well we take care of others, is a critical part of our physical and emotional health, our career success and our overall well-being.
 
We’ve all heard the analogy from air travel: put your own oxygen mask on before you try to help others put on theirs. Over coffee, WEW SIG came up with some important  ways to breathe easier.
 
The ideas came fast and furious! Everything from baking and meditation to sipping a cup of tea to stepping out of the office for a midday walk. WEW members love Mel Robbins’ “Let Them” book and podcast — and using all of their paid time off. They journal and play mahjong and sometimes change their Zoom backgrounds to where they want to be…instead of where they are. They call someone they love every day and give themselves a weekly “treat.”
 
So…where do you get your oxygen? 
 
The monthly WEW SIG meetings are a chance to take a deep breath. To relax. To reflect on our community, our profession and our world. To get advice…and give it. To recharge and prepare to face the issues of work and womanhood.

Lisa Sohmer, Sara Eletr & Judy Henriquez

[email protected] 

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Contact Info:

New York State Association for College Admission Counseling

P.O. Box 28

Red Hook, NY 12571

[email protected]