Chancellor King Celebrates 60 Years of SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Centers Service and Success
May 19, 2026
Statewide 10 EOCs, 2 Outreach Centers, and 33 ATTAIN Labs Empower New Yorkers Toward Upward Mobility
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated 60 years of Educational Opportunity Centers empowering adult learners towards upward mobility. 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 EOCs were established in Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, and Manhattan, and today 10 EOCs, two outreach centers, and 33 Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) labs help New Yorkers learn new skills, earn certifications, and pursue necessary credentials for a wide range of job opportunities.
"Empowering New Yorkers - and helping uplift students, and entire communities - is one of the great things SUNY does for communities throughout our state," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Educational Opportunity Centers are a part of SUNY's mission to support New Yorkers with access to a high-quality education, and I proudly applaud our Educational Opportunity Centers team of leaders and educators who continue to deliver former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve's vision and set our EOC adult learners on a path towards higher education and careers within their community."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY is committed to providing all New Yorkers with educational opportunities that will help prepare them for a better future, and we thank Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature for their ongoing support of these lifechanging programs. That is a core commitment that everyone at SUNY shares, and it is why we are so invested in ensuring programs like SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers remain vibrant and utilized in communities throughout New York State."
Beginning this week, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers will be graduating this year's class of adult learners. Since the inception of Educational Opportunity Centers, more than 250,000 New Yorkers have benefited from the centers' growing educational offerings.
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, said, "My husband Leonard chaired the Assembly Education committee when sixty years ago, Arthur O. Eve fought to create a tuition-free path for the adult learner. A quarter of a million lives later, the EOCs remain one of the most direct routes to upward mobility this state offers, and a response to the affordability crisis. There are elected officials serving in the Legislature today who benefited from Arthur Eve's foresight. Hundreds of thousands of students have benefited from this program, and I hope it continues to flourish. I thank Chancellor King for marking the milestone, and the EOC staff across New York who make it possible every day."
State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have created pathways to opportunity for working families and adult learners across New York, including the North Bronx. I thank SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for their continued commitment to educational access and workforce development. EOCs and ATTAIN labs help residents gain critical skills, earn certifications, and pursue economic mobility without financial barriers. Their impact strengthens our communities, supports local economies, and changes lives every day. The North Bronx and the State are stronger because of these investments in opportunity and education."
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. Congratulations to this year's graduates and I wish them continued success in the next chapter of their journeys."
State Senator Cordell Cleare said, "I am exceptionally proud to have the Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) in my District. Congratulations on three generations of empowering our community, families, students, and neighborhoods."
State Senator Leroy Comrie said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have helped transform lives by expanding access to education, workforce training, and economic opportunity for New Yorkers. The Queens EOC continues to play an important role in empowering residents across our community with the tools and support needed to build brighter futures for themselves and their families. I congratulate SUNY, Chancellor John B. King Jr., and the dedicated staff, students, and alumni celebrating this remarkable milestone."
State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, "Educational Opportunity Centers across the state like REOC are instrumental in preparing students with the tools they need to succeed. It's a pleasure to celebrate their 60th anniversary and use this as an opportunity to look forward to what the next 60 years will have in store."
State Senator Robert Jackson said, "For sixty years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have stood as living proof that talent is universal, even when opportunity is not. They have opened doors to many systems once kept closed, reminding us that education is not simply about classrooms or credentials, but about dignity, mobility, and the unfinished promise of democracy itself. In every adult learner who returned to reclaim a dream deferred, in every worker who gained new skills to build a better future, we see the quiet power of public investment transforming lives and communities. The legacy of the EOCs is not only measured in diplomas or certifications, but in generations of New Yorkers who were told their future still mattered."
State Senator Monica Martinez said, "For six decades, New York's Educational Opportunity Centers have opened doors for adults who want to build a different path, a better path, or have a second chance at a path that was interrupted. Through job training, academic programs, and workforce certifications at sites across our state, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have gained the skills to improve their lives, including here in my district at the Farmingdale and Brentwood centers. Congratulations to the EOC on 60 years of expanding opportunity."
State Senator Rachel May said, "The Syracuse EOC Program has helped countless Central New Yorkers gain the skills and opportunities they need to build stronger careers and brighter futures. What makes this program so impactful is its commitment to meeting people where they are and giving them the support and tools they need to succeed. Congratulations on 60 years of changing lives and contributing so much to our local economy and community. Thank you to SUNY Chancellor King for supporting these invaluable programs and ensuring they continue making a difference in the lives of New Yorkers."
State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "What SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have done for adult learners across our great state cannot be properly quantified. Championed by Buffalo's own Arthur O. Eve, EOC has provided opportunity—opportunity that had not existed previously, for many people living in urban centers across New York State. 60 years later we celebrate the accomplishments of the program and the many who have gone through the program to better their lives. Here's to another successful 60 years!"
State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said, "For six decades, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have served as a beacon of hope and a vital engine for economic mobility across New York State. Former Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve's visionary leadership established a framework that has empowered over a quarter of a million adult learners to master new skills, earn essential credentials, and profoundly transform their lives. As we celebrate this historic 60th anniversary, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to ensuring that tuition-free, high-quality occupational and college preparatory training remains accessible to every New Yorker ready to take the next step in their educational and professional journey. I commend Chancellor King and the dedicated EOC staff statewide for carrying forward Arthur O. Eve's legacy and continuing to build resilient, self-sustaining futures for thousands of New Yorkers."
State Assemblymember Pamela Hunter said, "For 60 years, SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers have helped transform lives through education, workforce training, and opportunity. The Syracuse EOC has long been a pillar of empowerment in our community, helping students and families build brighter futures. I am proud to have supported the Syracuse EOC over the years, including securing more than $20 million for its new facility, and I congratulate the entire organization on this remarkable milestone."
State Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh said, "Congratulations to SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers on 60 years of transforming lives and expanding opportunities for New Yorkers. The Capital District Educational Opportunity Center has been an invaluable resource in our community, helping adult learners gain the skills and credentials necessary to succeed in today's workforce. I am proud to celebrate this milestone and commend SUNY, its educators, and its students for their continued commitment to lifelong learning."
State Assemblymember Demond Meeks said, "For 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers have served as a powerful engine for upward mobility and economic justice across New York State. By providing tuition-free, high-quality occupational training and college preparation, the EOC model directly breaks down systemic barriers to financial stability for our adult learners. For non-traditional students, these centers provide a vital second chance, offering flexible pathways to earn high school equivalency diplomas, master English language proficiency, and gain hands-on technical skills that match today's job market. They don't just teach; they empower adults to reinvent their careers, build self-sufficiency, and unlock doors that once seemed closed. Here in Rochester, the REOC has been an indispensable pillar of strength, helping neighbors gain the certifications, digital literacy through ATTAIN labs, and career placement services necessary to secure family-sustaining wages. I applaud Chancellor King and the entire SUNY community on this milestone anniversary, and I remain deeply committed to fighting for state resources that keep these vital programs accessible to our neighborhoods."
State Assemblymember Kwani B. O'Pharrow said, "The SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers have been a beacon of hope and opportunity for generations of New Yorkers. For 60 years, EOCs have empowered individuals and families by providing access to education, training, and brighter futures. I am fortunate to see it firsthand in my district. Congratulations to the Long Island EOC on this extraordinary anniversary and for the lasting impact it continues to make in our communities."
State Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, "For 60 years, the SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers have opened doors to education and career advancement for countless New Yorkers. We are especially fortunate to have an EOC at SUNY Westchester Community College, where the guidance they provide enables our residents to transform their lives and help our communities flourish."
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. 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.
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