SUNY Chancellor King Announces Educational Opportunity Program Expansion to Help More EOP Students Move Forward on a Path Toward Graduate Programs
August 20, 2024
Building on the Success of EOP, Which Provides Low-Income Students Academic and Financial Resources to Help Them Succeed, SUNY is Adding Two Programs for Students Studying for Careers in Mental Health and Engineering
Announcement Made During Visit at SUNY New Paltz; Photographs Are Available Here
New Paltz, NY – During a visit today with Educational Opportunity Program students, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced an expansion to help more EOP students move forward on a path toward graduate programs. The expansion of SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program was one initiative in the 2024 State of the University Address.
While on campus, Chancellor King joined SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler, SUNY EOP Director Rita Celariste, and EOP students for a roundtable discussion on how the program impacts academic success. This fall, SUNY New Paltz has enrolled 124 first-year undergraduate EOP students.
For more than 50 years, SUNY EOP has served students, helping more than 85,000 participants graduate from college. EOP also contributes to New York's workforce development, with more than 78% of EOP graduates staying in New York to live and work.
"SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program has helped countless New Yorkers obtain a degree when many thought a college education would be out of their reach. The program is a driver of upward mobility that we are proud to continue to invest in and expand upon, thanks to the continued support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature," said SUNY Chancellor King. "By expanding the initiative to include mental health and engineering pre-professional programs, we are not only investing in our students' future, but also the future of our state by addressing New York's workforce needs in high-demand fields. Together, we will continue to make EOP a vital tool for student success across the SUNY system."
Three years ago, SUNY launched the system's first pre-professional EOP program for students interested in careers in medicine. Starting this fall, EOP will also serve students preparing for careers in the mental health and engineering sectors. Students will receive academic support, guidance, supplemental financial aid, professional mentoring, assistance with graduate or professional school preparation and applications, funded research and internship experience, and access to a SUNY network of faculty, staff, graduate students, and industry professionals who will assist them in navigating preparation for careers in mental health and engineering.
This year will also be New Paltz EOP Director Rita Celariste's first year in the role after over five years as Associate Director, following the retirement of former EOP Director Tony Bonilla in June of 2024. In June of this year, two SUNY New Paltz alumni, Dennis McShane (‘77) and Philip M. Berkowitz (‘75), made a generous $1.5 million donation to the campus EOP, which will be used to provide scholarships for EOP students and for the establishment of an endowment.
SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler said, "We're proud of our students and their accomplishments and the staff who help create a supportive and caring community. We're excited for the Chancellor's Educational Opportunity Program expansion, as our University's EOP has grown to become one of the largest and most effective such programs in the SUNY system. The EOP program provides personalized resources and guidance to help our amazing students achieve their higher education goals, and this commitment has led students to consistently show first-year retention rates and six-year graduation rates that significantly exceed the national average for all students attending public colleges and universities in the U.S. Our EOP program's continued success is also thanks to the clear commitment of SUNY system, the Governor, state legislature and donor support for scholarships that help close the gap in unmet need and empower students to fulfill their potential at the University and beyond."
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "Today's announcement is a significant milestone for the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program, which has been extremely effective in creating pathways to success for more than 85,000 students over the past 50 years. I am excited that this new expansion features mental health and engineering pre-professional programs, which will help more students prepare for careers in critical areas of growth in New York's workforce. I am a proud supporter of SUNY EOP, graduates are not just earning degrees; they are shaping the future of New York State. Supporting their talent is an investment that will bring significant returns by driving progress across industries in New York. As they step into the workforce, they are growing our economy and enriching our communities."
New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, "Today's announcement continues the Assembly Majority's hard-fought effort to provide our state colleges and universities the funding they need to provide students a high-quality, low-cost education. I still believe that education remains our country's great equalizer and educational opportunity programs are critical to ensuring these programs are accessible and affordable for all students."
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, said, "The SUNY Educational Opportunity Program provides resources for young men and women who face significant obstacles along their higher education journey. Expanding EOP to include engineering and mental health programs provides students with the opportunity for meaningful careers in areas of job growth. In addition, EOP addresses key work force needs. EOP is one of the many programs keeping SUNY a driver of economic upward mobility."
Senator Robert Jackson, SUNY New Paltz alum, said, "Expansion of SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program not only honors our commitment to education, but it also ensures that pathways to vital fields like mental health and engineering are within reach for more students. I know firsthand how transformative the EOP program can be. It shaped my own future, equipping me with tools not just to succeed, but to thrive and give back to our community. This initiative continues to empower students to make significant impacts across all sectors of New York, fostering a well-educated workforce ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow."
Senator Lea Webb said, "The Educational Opportunity Program provides integral academic and social support to our students and their families. As an EOP alum and member of our Senate Higher Education Committee, I am proud to support this initiative that helps our Educational Opportunity Program students take that next critical step toward achieving their dreams. The expansion of the Educational Opportunity Program is a game-changer for so many students who have the drive and determination to succeed but need that extra support to reach their full potential. By opening up pathways to graduate programs, we’re not just investing in their future—we’re investing in the future of our communities and our state."
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "Education is the best means of changing your personal trajectory. I congratulate SUNY and SUNY Chancellor King for the vision to expand access to EOP for even more students to benefit from. Started in 1967 by my predecessor, former Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, EOP has assisted tens of thousands of New York students advance their lives and that of their families. With the vast majority of EOP graduates staying within New York State, the state's investment comes full circle aiding its economy and improving quality of life. I look forward to seeing a new generation of students take advantage of these opportunities."
Assemblymember Patricia Fahy, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said, "New York's and SUNY's EOP has uplifted more than 85,000 students and put them on a path towards acquiring a higher education when they might not otherwise have had the resources or opportunities to do so. Our EOP is the great equalizer – ensuring that students from disadvantaged backgrounds and any ZIP code can pursue their dream of attending college or university. Expanding it to include Mental Health and Engineering academic programs will ensure that we're not only expanding more of these opportunities to more New York students, but are meeting the demands of high-need fields like these and preparing our students for the economy of tomorrow. Thank you to Chancellor King and my partners in the state legislature for their leadership in meeting the needs of tomorrow's workforce and advancing equity for all students."
Assemblymember Anna Kelles said, "I applaud the Chancellor's announcement to expand access to post-secondary education for economically and educationally disadvantaged New York residents to one of the most successful education and workforce development programs in state history. The Education Opportunity Program ensures equity, diversity, and inclusion across college campuses and results in increased access and inclusivity across all sectors of our workforce. This EOP expansion will increase access overall to higher education but importantly, it prioritizes enrollment in key areas where we have a crisis level of workforce shortage by expanding eligibility for students pursuing education in the fields of mental health and engineering. EOP not only provides financial assistance but academic support services and career development mentorship ensuring participants learn and thrive. We all benefit from a truly diverse, representative workplace and programs like EOP ensure that is possible."
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, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire 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 $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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