Massachusetts State Universities to Benefit from $14M SUCCESS Program Expansion Under Healey-Driscoll Administration

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced a $14 million investment in the SUCCESS program for Massachusetts' nine state universities, including Westfield State University, as part of a groundbreaking effort to boost graduation rates and assist historically underserved students. The funding, part of the fiscal year 2025 budget, marks the first time the SUCCESS program has been extended to state universities, building on its success at community colleges.

The SUCCESS initiative, which funds services such as peer mentoring, academic workshops, and career advising, is designed to help students overcome barriers to graduation. 

Governor Maura Healey emphasized the importance of these supports in fostering student success, commenting, “To best support our students, we know that we need to help them get both to and through college,” she said. “We’ve made progress in making it more affordable for students to enroll in college, and this program will now lift barriers that arise on the way to graduation, especially for first-generation college students who cannot draw on a parent’s experience to navigate earning a degree.”   

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll echoed Governor Healey's sentiments, remarking on the broader impact of these initiatives. “An educated workforce benefits all of Massachusetts, but those benefits are only realized if students can succeed in college and graduate ready to launch their careers,” she said. “The SUCCESS program is a crucial tool for supporting students and closing equity gaps in college graduation rates.”  

The SUCCESS program's expansion also meets a critical need to support vulnerable student populations such as students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, and those from low-income or first-generation college backgrounds. According to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, over 40% of Black and Latino students at state universities do not graduate within six years of enrolling.

Westfield State University President Dr. Linda Thompson celebrated the impact the SUCCESS program will have on the campus community. “The expansion of SUCCESS funds will allow our state universities to grow programming to reach even more students looking to advance their education," she emphasized. “We are confident the funding initiatives brought by the Healey-Driscoll Administration will reach those individuals who want to stay in Massachusetts, build businesses, support our economy, and strengthen their families."

The $14 million for state universities is part of a larger $28.7 million investment in SUCCESS programming throughout Massachusetts, which includes $14.7 million for community colleges. The fiscal year 2025 budget also established a $2.5 million Higher Education Persistence Fund to address students’ basic needs, such as food security, housing, childcare, and transportation. These initiatives supplement the expansion of financial aid programs like MASSGrant Plus, which provides free tuition and fees to Pell Grant-eligible students at public colleges and universities. Combined, these efforts aim to make higher education more accessible and ensure students have the tools they need to graduate.

State leaders expressed confidence in the program's ability to drive change. Senate President Karen E. Spilka noted, “At our community colleges, this program has boosted completion rates for students facing the greatest challenges. Expanding it to state universities is a game-changer.”