Dallas College Selected for National Student Success Program to Help More Students Graduate and Transfer
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas College has been selected as one of six institutions nationwide to participate in a program aimed at helping community college students earn associate degrees faster and successfully transfer to four-year universities.
The college announced Wednesday, Oct. 7, that it will join the 2026-27 Student Success Action Lab led by the City University of New York (CUNY).
Through the program, Dallas College will develop a student success initiative modeled after CUNY's Accelerated Study in Academic Programs, commonly known as ASAP.
The Dallas College pilot is expected to welcome its first group of students in fall 2027.
The initiative will focus on helping students enroll full time, complete an associate degree and transfer to a four-year institution to continue working toward a bachelor's degree.
Funding secured by the Dallas College Foundation from the O'Donnell Foundation will support the planning and implementation of the program.
“At Dallas College, we support students from the beginning of their education through completion,” Dallas College Chancellor Justin H. Lonon said. “As higher education places greater emphasis on shortening the time to a degree, this initiative will help more students maintain momentum, complete, transfer and continue toward a bachelor's degree.”
Program will provide academic coaching and financial assistance
The ASAP model combines academic advising, financial assistance and structured degree pathways to help students overcome obstacles that can delay graduation.
Dallas College plans to offer participating students individualized support, including proactive academic coaching with lower student-to-coach ratios, tutoring, coordinated academic services and transfer planning.
The program will also provide assistance with eligible tuition gaps, textbooks and transportation costs.
Students may receive monthly financial assistance intended to make full-time enrollment more affordable.
An earlier evaluation of CUNY's ASAP program found that 53.4% of participants earned an associate degree within three years, compared with 24.6% of students in a comparison group.
Karen Stills, senior associate vice chancellor of student success at Dallas College, said the institution plans to use the model to strengthen its graduation and transfer efforts.
“We know students are more likely to persist when academic guidance, financial assistance and personal support are coordinated around a clear path to completion,” Stills said.
She added that Dallas College hopes the program will help more students earn credentials and transfer to universities regardless of their financial or personal circumstances.
O'Donnell Foundation funding supports expansion
The new initiative builds on existing investments in student retention and university transfers at Dallas College.
The O'Donnell Foundation has awarded $50 million in recent years to support retention and transfer initiatives at the institution.
Josh Skolnick, executive director of Dallas College Foundation, said the funding will help establish the infrastructure needed to implement the ASAP model and address financial challenges that prevent some students from completing their education.
“This funding will help build the infrastructure and remove financial barriers that can determine whether a student stops or continues toward a degree,” Skolnick said.
Dallas College also pointed to workforce projections indicating that by 2031, approximately 85% of good jobs will require some form of education or training beyond high school.
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez welcomed Dallas College's participation in the national initiative.
“For nearly 20 years, CUNY ASAP has uplifted thousands of students, and we're proud to see this model emulated at colleges across the country,” Matos Rodríguez said.
The Student Success Action Lab will allow participating colleges to adapt the CUNY model to their student populations and institutional needs.
Dallas College has not yet announced eligibility requirements, application procedures or the number of students who will participate in its first cohort.
