A New PATH for Student Success
New York Tech’s unwavering commitment to student success has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in the form of a new multiyear grant. New York Tech is one of just seven institutions in the country to receive a Postsecondary Student Success Grant; the nearly $2.8 million in funding will support student retention, persistence, and graduation over four years.

Pictured: Pathways for Advancing and Thriving in Higher Education (PATH), is co-led by Project Directors Francesca Fiore, Ed.D., associate provost, and Senior Associate Dean Monika Rohde (pictured).
The project, Pathways for Advancing and Thriving in Higher Education (PATH), is co-led by Project Directors Francesca Fiore, Ed.D., associate provost, and Monika Rohde, M.A., senior associate dean
PATH will use evidence-based strategies to supplement and enhance New York Tech’s existing advising and student success infrastructure by offering specialized support and programming for second- and third-year underserved students. Support will include holistic coaching, tutoring, community-building activities, and more to improve persistence, retention, and graduation rates among participating PATH students in their second, third, and fourth years of study.
“We are excited about this project’s potential impact on the academic progress and achievement of our students,” Fiore says. “PATH advances New York Tech’s mission to provide all qualified students with access to educational opportunities and success in school, their careers, and their lives.”
Additionally, PATH will provide strong connections to on-campus employment, enhanced and dedicated academic support, and enrichment activities designed to strengthen participating students’ sense of community and belonging. The project extends and builds upon the significant support that New York Tech provides to first-year students by offering tailored resources and services to a select group of three student cohorts in their second and third years of study. Those meeting the criteria outlined in the grant proposal (students who are Pell-eligible, low-income, first-generation, and/or identify as students of color) will be invited to participate. Specific activities of the PATH program include:
- Dedicated second- and third-year student welcome events and study halls staffed by peer tutors
- Student success coaches providing holistic support
- Participation in community-building and enrichment activities and events
- Dedicated graduation celebration for PATH participants
“To improve achievement outcomes for second- and third-year students, we will scaffold enhanced student support on top of advising and wraparound services currently available to them,” Rohde shares. In addition, PATH students will receive priority registration dates—ensuring access to courses needed for their academic progress—and priority access to on-campus employment, which correlates positively with student retention.
Both Fiore and Rohde noted that the PATH project aligns with and complements New York Tech’s five-year, $2.25 million Title III grant received last year, the Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) program, and other institutional initiatives that support student success at New York Tech.
More News

Counting Steps Doesn’t Add Up to Enough Exercise
As the School of Health Professions’ Alexander Rothstein, Ed.D., explains, society tends to overestimate the fitness benefits of taking 10,000 steps.

Faculty Tenures, Promotions for 2025–2026
Several faculty members have been recognized for their outstanding teaching, scholarship, service, and commitment to the university and its students through tenure and promotions.

Using AI to Map Environmental Risks
Through machine learning and data visualization tools, a team of researchers in the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences has identified ways to help cities adapt to the growing risks of climate change.

Healthcare Providers Feel Unprepared to Counsel Patients on Medical Marijuana
New research from the College of Osteopathic Medicine finds that most United States healthcare professionals believe they lack the necessary training to discuss medical cannabis with their patients.

School of Architecture and Design Student and Faculty Work Displayed at NYCxDESIGN
The School of Architecture and Design returned to the NYCxDESIGN Festival with its Future by Design series.

Feeling Like Herself Again
For Disability Pride Month, Director of HEOP Rachel Morrison, M.S.Ed. (M.S. ’15), talks about the moment she realized she had become disabled, how she struggled to embrace her identity as a person with multiple disabilities, and how ultimately identifying with that title helped her feel like herself again.