University Initiatives Expand Access

Daemen expands access to an increasingly diverse student population through financial aid, customized support programs and with the help of external funding. Today, Daemen welcomes and empowers students who are economically disadvantaged, the first in their families to attend college, working adult learners, second-career seekers, people with disabilities, military veterans, and others.

“We pride ourselves on meeting students, where they are, wherever that may be,” explained Sabrina Fennel, the associate vice president for student success and head of the Student Success Center. “Our goal is to respond to specific needs of the student whether it’s scholarship assistance, academic support services, or help with achieving career goals.”

With an ever-changing population of students pursuing higher education, Daemen is dedicated to expanding educational access and to ensuring equitable outcomes across student populations. In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the university a five-year, $2.2 million grant through the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program to increase retention and graduation rates and eliminate equity gaps. This grant augments the exceptional support services Daemen has long offered students from the time they apply to college through graduation and beyond.

Daemen Recognized for Advancing Social Mobility

For the second consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Daemen among national universities as a top performer in social mobility. The social mobility designation recognizes colleges that successfully enroll and graduate a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students who receive Pell grants. Pell grants are federal grants awarded to students who display significant financial need based on income and other criteria. Nearly 41% of the first-year, full-time students who started at Daemen in the fall of 2023 were awarded Pell Grants. And among Daemen’s Pell grant recipients, 24% were first-generation students.

Daemen’s generous financial aid makes higher education possible for students who might not otherwise have considered college or an advanced degree. The university’s Financial Aid and Admissions teams offer guidance in the federal aid and student loan application process, and also connect students to grants and scholarships that, unlike student loans, do not need to be

paid back. For twenty years, Daemen’s highest achieving students have competed for the university’s top tuition scholarships at Scholars Day. All applicants to Daemen are also considered for endowed scholarships made possible by alums and other generous donors. These scholarships may be tied to a student’s major, or recognize their artistic abilities, leadership or service. As an affiliate of NCAA Division II, Daemen also has the ability to offer athletic scholarships to outstanding student-athletes at the discretion of each head coach.

HEOP Empowers Promising Students

Since 1970 Daemen has also served promising students through the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). Created in 1969 by the New York State Legislature, HEOP provides economically disadvantaged and educationally underprepared New York State residents the possibility of a college education. According to Tiffany Hamilton, the vice president of Institutional Equity & Inclusion and director of the HEOP program, HEOP helps create a diverse learning environment that better reflects Daemen’s university status.

“The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program has been a mainstay at the University for over 50 years,” Hamilton said.

“It is undoubtedly a program that recruits talented and motivated students who have continuously proven to be high-achieving students who have taken on leadership roles. HEOP is built on trust, respect, and integrity, and these pillars have become a part of the fabric of Daemen University.”

Online Learning Offers Flexibility for Adult Learners

Through online learning, Daemen offers access to education to another student population: working adults, parents, caregivers and others who are seeking education and career advancement. Meeting growing demand for online learning options – at both the undergraduate and graduate level – Daemen has invested in developing new academic programs delivered via online or hybrid (a combination of face-to-face and online) modalities. Asynchronous online options allow students to access course content at any time from any location.

Daemen’s distance education committee works to ensure that students, faculty, and staff who engage with the university remotely have an experience on par with traditional face-to-face formats. Dr. Lisa Rafalson, the founding dean of the College of Health, Human Sciences, which offers several online graduate programs, explains that the committee has “identified four areas of focus: connection, capacity, culture, and communication. With these guiding principles, we aim to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all.”

Tailored Support Services

Enhancing accessibility at Daemen means connecting students to the many resources available to help them navigate the college experience. Offices and services that support academic success and wellness are available to the entire student body, with featured programs tailored to unique student populations, such as veterans and students with disabilities.

Supporting Student Veterans

For the 15th year in a row, Daemen was named a 2024-25 Military Friendly School by the national veteran-run organization, Military Friendly, recognizing Daemen’s institutional support that helps veterans transition from military life to college and onto successful careers. “The designation reflects our deep-rooted commitment to our veterans, recognizing their valor and selflessness,” said Mark Martinez, the director of veteran services. In October 2023, Daemen celebrated the opening of the Foundation 214 Veterans Success Center in the Alfiero School of Business, funded through a generous grant from Foundation 214, a charitable foundation that supports United States military veterans. This new center complements the services and support for veterans and military-aligned students offered through the Nancy Haberman Gacioch Veterans Center located in Duns Scotus Hall.

Supporting Students with Disabilities

Daemen is especially prepared to welcome and support the approximately 21 percent of undergraduate students in the United States that have a disability (National Center for Education Statistics). Daemen’s Office of Accessibility Services aims to ensure equal access and full participation in all university programs for students with physical and learning disabilities through reasonable and appropriate accommodations. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder receive support from the College Autism Transition Support (CATS) program, which offers life skills coaching and other transition resources.

Sabrina Fennel stresses the importance of providing families of Daemen students with disabilities access to information and resources, especially for recent high school grads and CATS program participants. “We look to partner with the parents and guardians to help them in their roles in supporting student success,” Fennel said. “We provide access to information and programs throughout the student’s university experience.”

Alums Connect Students to Careers

Daemen provides pathways to post-graduation opportunities through alumni networking events where alums share their career journeys and offer guidance to current students. Daemen’s Recruiters on Campus (ROC) and Internship Expo events bring employers to campus several times a semester to share full- and part-time job openings and internships with students. Many alums can be found among the employers represented, and they seek out Daemen graduates to fill open positions. Alums also host student interns, offering students valuable resume experience and insights into various industries.

“Our office strives to bring the real world to students,” explained Lamark Shaw, the director of Career Services. “We can help with everything from designing business cards students can use at networking events to practicing for a job interview or creating a LinkedIn page.”

To help students dress for success at networking events and interviews, the Daemen Career Closet offers donated business clothing and attire, dry cleaned and ready to go at no charge to the students. “The business attire impacts how the student feels and how they present themselves, which can help open the door to an internship, a job, or a graduate program” said Shaw.

Opportunities for All

With support from alums, friends, charitable foundations and government grants, Daemen has invested in innovation to improve access to an excellent, inclusive education for today’s diverse student population, positioning both the university and its graduates for the future. “Daemen is the right size, with the dedicated faculty and staff, to help students access higher education on a more personal level,” added Fennel. “That’s how the university is opening a world of opportunities.”