In 2021 Massachusetts launched the Supporting Urgent Community College Equity through Student Services (SUCCESS) initiative, a first-of-its-kind, state-funded investment to provide wraparound student support services across all 15 of the state’s independently governed community colleges. With continued funding from the state legislature, including a $14 million appropriation in FY2026, SUCCESS aims to increase retention, persistence, and completion rates for historically underserved students by providing funding for each college to design or expand nonfinancial support programs that reflect its institutional context and student needs. Most SUCCESS programs include proactive advising, coaching, peer mentoring, and academic skills workshops.
This report documents the early conceptualization and implementation of SUCCESS. Drawing on qualitative interviews with state leaders, college administrators, and SUCCESS staff as well as foundational program documents, it traces how the initiative moved from initial budget allocation to practice within a system of community colleges that vary widely in size, location, and student demographics.
