I haven't used it myself, but I've seen recommendations for translating SAS -> R using this book:
https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Management-Statistical-Analysis-Graphics/dp/1466584491/
I'm not sure of the quality of the R code, though, and I doubt it's tidyverse-centric, so it doesn't necessarily help convince someone that R is better.
Edit: And yeah, my homework probably took 3-5 times as long as it would have if I had just been happy to do it in SAS. The fact that SAS had a bit of a stranglehold on the master's program in my department is part of where my distaste for it comes from.