Sarah Bray, associate professor of Business at SUNY Jamestown Community College, has been selected as a State University of New York Academic Momentum Fellow.
Bray is one of 24 faculty and staff members across SUNY chosen to participate in the inaugural fellowship cohort, SUNY announced on Feb. 9. Launched during the fall semester, the SUNY Academic Momentum Campaign provides additional support and technical assistance to improve student retention and completion at all system campuses.
The competitive application process resulted in the selection of fellows who represent all regions of the state and bring significant experience and expertise in the areas of structured advisement, degree mapping, course scheduling, early alerts, first-year experience, gateway course completion, teaching and learning, and other strategies to improve outcomes for students.
Bray has taught at JCC since 2013 and leads courses in business-related subjects. She also serves as chair of the college’s Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Business disciplines.
Bray earned a Master of Business Administration degree from St. Bonaventure University, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alfred University, and a graduate certificate in business economics from Harvard University Extension School.
“Sarah cares deeply about her students and about helping them succeed, both in and out of the classroom,” said Jessica Kubiak, JCC’s vice president of Academic Affairs. “She’s thoughtful, collaborative, and always focused on what will make the biggest difference for student learning. This fellowship is a well-deserved recognition of the impact she has on our campus and the leadership she brings to this work.”
SUNY also announced that JCC is one of 23 SUNY campuses that will receive technical support to redesign gateway courses that students take in English and Math during their first year. These courses build the core knowledge and skills students need for success in later coursework.
“At Jamestown Community College, we’re committed to helping every student feel supported and confident in their path forward,” JCC President Daniel DeMarte. “SUNY’s Academic Momentum Campaign provides valuable tools and approaches that campuses like ours can use to strengthen early progress and degree completion. We appreciate SUNY’s focus on student success and will be thoughtful about how these resources align with the needs of our students.”