SUNY Chancellor King Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Educational Opportunity Centers with Empire State Plaza Exhibit
October 14, 2026
Historical Exhibit Highlights Educational Opportunity Centers' Impact on over 250,000 New Yorkers
Statewide 12 EOCs and 33 ATTAIN Labs Empower New Yorkers Toward Upward Mobility
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the launch of SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) 60th anniversary exhibit in the Albany Room of the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany. The historical exhibit is open for viewing on the concourse from now until October 19 and highlights the milestones and immense impact of EOCs. Across New York State, there are 12 EOCs and 33 Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) labs, which have together provided access to job training, educational opportunities, support services, and addressed challenges like food and housing insecurity for more than 250,000 New Yorkers.
"For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have been pillars of their communities that provide pathways to upward mobility," said SUNY Chancellor King. "The exhibit celebrates this momentous anniversary and underscores the importance of increasing access to programs, tools, and support services that empower students to build careers or move on to additional education. I am incredibly proud of the work of our Educational Opportunity Centers and excited to see how they continue to create brighter futures for communities across New York State."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Since 1966, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have been paving the way for academic excellence and life-changing opportunities for New Yorkers. Through these educational and outreach centers, as well as our ATTAIN labs, we are increasing the accessibility of workforce training and ensuring New Yorkers have more access to an excellent education that enables students to achieve their dreams."
In 1966, former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve championed the program to provide tuition-free college preparatory and occupational training at urban centers. That year, four Educational Opportunity Centers, then called "Urban Centers," were established in Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, and Manhattan. Over the last 60 years, more centers have been established to help New Yorkers learn new skills, earn certifications, and pursue necessary credentials for a wide range of job opportunities. Today, Educational Opportunity Centers also operate in the Bronx, Long Island, the North Bronx, Queens, Rochester, Schenectady, Syracuse, Westchester, and Troy.
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, "For 60 years, Educational Opportunity Centers have met New Yorkers wherever they are. That is true for a young person looking for a first job, and it is true for an adult returning to college. More than 250,000 New Yorkers have turned to these centers for training, support, and a second chance, including right here at the Queens EOC. I thank Chancellor King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for honoring that history and for keeping these centers tuition-free for the people who need them most."
State Senator Patricia Fahy said, "SUNY is the nation's premier public higher education institution not just because of its academic prowess and internationally-recognized standards, but because it invests holistically in New Yorkers' success. At a time when too many working families are struggling to afford the skills needed to attain a career or their dream of a higher education, SUNY and the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) stand out because of its attention to the social, economic, and academic success of its participants and students. I'll always work with Chancellor King and Governor Hochul to invest in the upward mobility and success of those seeking to get ahead and secure a better life for themselves and their lives."
State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, "Arthur O. Eve's legacy lives on through SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers, which for 60 years have transformed lives through education and opportunity. A tireless advocate for equity, he believed every New Yorker deserved a pathway to success. The EOC program is a testament to his vision and enduring commitment to opening doors for students of all ages and backgrounds."
State Senator Leroy Comrie said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped New Yorkers build better futures by providing access to education, job training and meaningful career opportunities. I have always believed that a person's financial circumstances should never determine their ability to succeed. These centers have given generations of New Yorkers, including so many right here in Queens, the chance to learn new skills, support their families and pursue opportunities they may not have thought possible. I congratulate Chancellor King, the SUNY Board of Trustees, and the entire SUNY EOC community on this milestone and thank the educators, staff and community partners who continue to make this important work possible."
State Senator Monica R. Martinez said, "Since their creation, New York's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped more than 250,000 people across the state gain the training and skills necessary to build better futures, including students at the Farmingdale and Brentwood centers in my district. This exhibit offers a glimpse into those experiences and celebrates six decades of SUNY opening doors to new opportunities for New Yorkers."
State Senator Rachel May said, "In New York, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed through education. For 60 years, Educational Opportunity Centers have helped thousands of New Yorkers prepare for the job market by providing free training and support. I'm excited to join SUNY Chancellor King in celebrating Educational Opportunity Centers' anniversary and look forward to its continued success."
State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "For 60 years, SUNY EOC has cultivated a legacy of transforming potential into opportunity. It is an incredible legacy to build in a little over half of a century. In honoring this service, we celebrate more than just the milestone— we celebrate the thousands of doors opened, career breakthroughs, and lives changed for the better."
State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, said, “This is all possible thanks to former Assemblyman Arthur O. Eve, who championed the program, which now has 10 EOCs, two outreach centers, and 33 Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking labs that have provided job training, educational opportunities, support services, and more to over 250,000 New Yorkers. I hope that people get the chance to visit the SUNY EOC exhibit in the Albany Room at the Empire State Plaza, as it highlights all the services offered over the years.”
State Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped New Yorkers gain the education, skills, and support they need to build better futures. I'm proud to have helped secure more than $20 million for Syracuse EOC's new facility and to support its work opening doors for our community. The exhibit in the Albany Room at the Empire State Plaza celebrates that lasting impact, and I encourage visitors to explore it through October 19."
State Assemblymember John T. McDonald II, RPh said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped build brighter futures by providing access to tuition-free education, job training, and the support services needed to succeed. Here in the Capital Region, the EOC in Troy continues that important mission by helping individuals develop new skills, pursue career opportunities, and achieve greater economic independence. This anniversary exhibit is an opportunity to recognize the program's lasting impact and the thousands of lives it has helped change."
State Assemblymember Kwani B. O'Pharrow said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have expanded opportunities for New Yorkers by providing tuition-free education, workforce training, and essential support services that help individuals build brighter futures. The Educational Opportunity Center serving Long Island, in particular, plays a vital role in advancing economic mobility and ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds have access to the tools and resources needed to succeed. I commend SUNY and all those who have contributed to this longstanding legacy of empowering our communities through education, workforce development, and expanded opportunity."
State Assemblymember Gabriella Romero said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped New Yorkers build brighter futures by making education and job training accessible, regardless of their ability to pay. By also helping students address food and housing insecurity, EOCs recognize that access to education means ensuring people have the support they need to succeed. I'm proud to celebrate this legacy, which began right here in Albany, and grateful to the educators and staff who continue to open doors for New Yorkers."
SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers not only provide access to educational offerings and job training, they also ensure that participating New Yorkers have access to support services while entering college and securing a job, as well as help addressing challenges like food and housing insecurity. In May, Chancellor King kicked off the start of the 60th anniversary year of SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers, and in June, Chancellor King delivered commencement remarks for the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center graduation event. Each Educational Opportunity Center offers a welcoming and inclusive environment for students and is tuition-free for all qualified students. For more information about SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers, please visit: https://www.ucawd.suny.edu/eoc.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
