New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program: A Post-Implementation Analysis of Student Success, Eligibility, and Indebtedness – An Intersectional Study of Black and White Female Students

Author

• Marcus I. Richardson, CUNY Graduate CenterFollow

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Urban Education

Advisor

Anthony Picciano

Committee Members

Deborah Shanley

Juan Battle

Subject Categories

Educational Leadership | Education Policy | Higher Education Administration | Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation | Public Administration | Public Policy | Urban Education

Keywords

New York State Excelsior Scholarship, Financial Aid Policy, Student Success, CUNY, Intersectionality, Student Success

Abstract

The New York State (NYS) Excelsior Scholarship Program, introduced in 2017, was designed as a “first-in-the-nation” tuition-free initiative intended to expand college affordability for undergraduate students attending public institutions in New York State. While the program aims to increase access to higher education, its eligibility requirements, particularly the expectation that students complete 30 credits annually through continuous full-time enrollment, may disadvantage students whose academic pathways diverge from traditional enrollment patterns. This study examined the relationship between structural, financial, and academic factors and students’ ability to retain Excelsior Scholarship eligibility at the City University of New York (CUNY). Using institutional data for 3,281 Black and White female undergraduate students enrolled in Spring 2024, the study employed descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and hierarchical logistic regression models to assess the influence of structural credit constraints (non-allowable elective credits), financial aid factors (Pell Grant eligibility and student loan borrowing), and academic experience (enrollment status, cumulative GPA, and cumulative credits earned). Results indicated that academic experience variables were the strongest predictors of Excelsior success. Continuous full-time enrollment and higher cumulative GPA significantly increased the likelihood of retaining scholarship eligibility across both groups. However, cumulative credits earned emerged as a significant predictor only for Black female students, suggesting that credit accumulation requirements may operate more restrictively for this group. Financial aid factors were associated with outcomes in earlier models but were largely mediated by academic momentum in final models. These findings suggest that while the Excelsior Scholarship expands tuition access, its rigid academic requirements may reproduce inequities by privileging uninterrupted, traditional enrollment pathways.

KEYWORDS: Excelsior Scholarship, Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, Financial Aid Policy, Academic Momentum, Advisement, Mentorship, Student Success, CUNY, Education Systems, Equity in Higher Education

Recommended Citation

Richardson, Marcus I., "New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program: A Post-Implementation Analysis of Student Success, Eligibility, and Indebtedness – An Intersectional Study of Black and White Female Students" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6623