MCC Daily Tribune
SUNY Chancellor King Kicks Off New York's Educational Opportunity Program Summer Orientations
55 SUNY Campuses Conduct Comprehensive EOP Orientation Sessions During the Summer Months
New York City – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. kicked off SUNY’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) special summer orientations with a visit to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Chancellor King joined FIT President Joyce F. Brown as he met with FIT’s EOP class, including 66 first time students.
“For nearly 60 years, EOP has created a path to upward mobility for students and their families—making college a reality to pursue their dream careers,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “This program, made possible thanks to the steadfast commitment of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, supports thousands of SUNY students each year, and empowers them to unleash their full potential.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Investing in EOP today is an investment in New York’s long-term success. We applaud Governor Kathy Hochul and state legislative leaders for working with SUNY to help empower more students through our EOP program. SUNY will continue to help uplift all New York students, and with successful programs like EOP, we look forward to more students thriving in school and beyond.”
FIT President Brown said, “We were so pleased to host Chancellor King at FIT as he greeted our EOP students who are embarking on their 2025 summer orientation. This group of 66 students will not only become acclimated to campus life over the next three weeks, they will get a true sense of the programs and curriculum they will experience while studying and pursuing their college degree at FIT.”
There are 55 participating campuses with EOP programs throughout the SUNY system. During the summer months, participating campuses conduct special orientation programs so EOP students have the benefit of a residential college experience before joining their class for the fall semester. Last year, SUNY’s EOP enrollment was more than 8,250 students.
State Senator Robert Jackson said, “This is what equity in action looks like—not just opening the gates of higher education, but preparing students to walk through them with dignity and direction. The Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program is one of the great moral triumphs of New York State policy—rooted in the radical belief that potential isn’t bound by zip code, but ignited by the audacity to dream. EOP summer orientation isn’t just a head start—it’s a structural investment in generational change. I commend Chancellor King and the SUNY system for sustaining this vision, and I remain committed to ensuring our state laws match the scale of our students’ dreams.”
State Senator Lea Webb said, “EOP provides students with the support, guidance, and resources they need to thrive, no matter their background. The addition of an orientation program will allow EOP students a chance to adjust to the residential college experience, ensuring their readiness to hit the ground running when the fall semester begins. As a member of the Senate’s Higher Education Committee and proud SUNY EOP alum, I know firsthand the transformative power of the Educational Opportunity Program. My thanks to Chancellor King for his visionary leadership and my congratulations to all of the incoming EOP students as they embark upon the next chapter on their education journey.”
State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “Summer Orientation for EOP students is a great way for them to get acclimated to campus life at our SUNY schools ahead of the Fall semester. Finding your way to class for the first time on a busy campus can be stressful, so why not get these students prepared beforehand? This type of support will go a long way towards a student’s academic success.”
State Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Alicia Hyndman said, “SUNY’s EOP Summer Orientation is a testament to the program’s long-standing legacy of access, equity, and student success. For nearly six decades, EOP has opened the doors of higher education to students from historically underserved communities—including many right here in New York City. These summer sessions offer a critical foundation for first-generation and economically disadvantaged students to adjust, connect, and thrive before the semester begins. I commend Chancellor King, President Brown, and all participating campuses for continuing to champion this vital work.”
State Assembly Member Latrice Walker said, “SUNY’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program has helped to open the doors of education to tens of thousands of students in New York since it was created in 1967. A proud graduate of SUNY Purchase, I was one of those students. The EOP program provides critical financial and academic support to students like my younger self, who grew up in public housing in Brownsville and dared to dream big. I commend Fashion Institute of Technology President Joyce Brown and SUNY Chancellor John King for welcoming the summer EOP class. Count me among those who are rooting for the success of each and every student.”
State Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos said, “The Educational Opportunity Program remains a powerful force for equity—opening doors for students from underserved communities and providing the support, structure, and sense of belonging they need to succeed in higher education. A college degree should be within reach for every student, regardless of their financial background, because when everyone has the opportunity to thrive, our communities grow stronger. I commend SUNY for its continued investment in EOP and for helping ensure the next generation of leaders has every opportunity to reach their full potential.”
Since its inception in 1967, SUNY’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program has provided access, academic support, and supplemental financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. In its 58-year history, the EOP has served nearly 90,000 students and evolved into one of the country's most successful college access programs. EOP eligibility is based on income and academic readiness.
SUNY's EOP Scholars Program is designed to support students participating in EOP as they transition to graduate and professional education and high-demand careers. In 2021, SUNY launched the pre-medical Educational Opportunity Program, providing EOP students with additional support and mentoring towards their path to medical school.
Last year, due to historic increases in New York State’s funding of SUNY and higher education, SUNY expanded this program to include pre-engineering and pre-law. In the coming year, SUNY will expand these efforts in two new pre-professional career areas with persistent shortages: teaching and nursing. Additional enhancements include:
- The creation of the EOP Career Development Internship Program, through which 50 EOP students are completing paid internships at New York State agencies through the end of 2025.
- Through a partnership with Kaplan, SUNY is now offering free access to comprehensive test preparation resources over the next three years, including practice tests, for graduate-level admissions exams, and professional licensure exams.
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 $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, 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.
Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
07/03/2025