SUNY Educational Opportunity Program Students Achieve Excellence

Albany – Students graduating from SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program have been garnering prestigious awards and achieving academic excellence again this spring.  Among the honors and achievements for EOP students were induction into the national honor societies of Phi Beta Kappa, Chi Alpha Epsilon, Phi Theta Kappa, the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, and graduating Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude.

 

In addition, 593 EOP students graduated this spring with at least a 3.0 GPA and earned an honors certificate of achievement from the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program.

 

“SUNY is very proud of the academic accomplishments of our EOP students and we greatly appreciate the hard work of everyone on our campuses that supports their efforts,” said SUNY Interim Chancellor Dr. John B. Clark.  “Time and time again, when given the opportunity, SUNY EOP students excel academically.”

 

“The achievements of these students are a testament to their hard work and the support they have received from EOP, our outstanding faculty and administrators,” said SUNY Provost Risa I. Palm. “It also underscores the value of public higher education in this state and the critical role that SUNY plays in offering a world-class education to all our citizens.”

 

“Over the decades EOP has proven to be remarkably effective in preparing economically disadvantaged students for academic success,” said SUNY Vice Provost for Diversity and Educational Equity Dr. Pedro Cabán.  “Continued funding for this program not only affirms New York State’s commitment to expanding access to higher education, but contributes to our state’s social and economic advancement.”

 

SUNY Associate Vice Provost for Opportunity Programs Robert D. James said, “Thanks to the financial support of the Governor and the Legislature and the counseling, tutoring and mentoring of the EOP staff and the SUNY faculty, SUNY EOP students overcome poverty, and academic challenges and continue to achieve at remarkable rates.  All of New York State can take great pride in their exceptional accomplishments.”

 

Student Success - Highlights

At Stony Brook University, EOP students and spring 2008 graduates Ewelina Fiedor, Shatiya George and Latoya Joyner were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.  Stony Brook University’s Summa Cum Laude graduate Latoya Joyner also won the campus’ Provost’s Award.

 

In addition, EOP students Sade Greene of Purchase College, Chinelo Onochie of Stony Brook University and Nayrobi M. Rodriguez of Buffalo State College were among those earning a bachelor’s degree and the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

 

Other EOP students earning the Chancellor’s award include Brain Dubenion, a Buffalo State College graduate student, Jhonatan Matos, an undergraduate at Westchester Community College, and Venus Wiggins of Erie Community College.

 

More than 140 EOP students were inducted into Chi Alpha Epsilon and eight EOP students were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, which recognizes the accomplishments of students at two-year campuses.

 

About the Educational Opportunity Program

At 52 percent, the six-year graduation rates for EOP students continue to best the rates nationally for four-year public institutions by 6.6 percent and exceed the 51.5 percent rate for private four-year institutions.

 

Nearly 600 EOP students who have earned a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the end of the spring semester are awarded achievement certificates.

 

Students enrolled through SUNY’s EOP have family incomes consistent with the federal poverty guidelines and grade point averages below the usual threshold for admission, but have demonstrated the potential to master college-level work with the appropriate support.

 

Financial aid through EOP assists eligible students with the cost of textbooks and other related expenses.  Program participants are assigned an individual EOP counselor who provides personal, academic and career counseling.  Support for EOP students may also include tutoring, developmental coursework and workshops on time management, study and organizational skills.

 

Since the founding of the program in 1967, more than 55,000 EOP students have earned a bachelor’s degree.  An individual with a college degree will earn $1 million more during his or her lifetime compared to someone who never went to college.

 

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 427,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu 

 

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