[Important Information for Employees] Fwd: News Release: SUNY Chancellor King Kicks Off New York’s Educational Opportunity Program Summer Orientations With Visit to FIT

Wed Jul 2 19:07:09 UTC 2025

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Dear Campus Community,

This week, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. helped launch EOP summer
academies across the state, celebrating nearly six decades of impact and
opportunity through this vital program. At SUNY Plattsburgh, we’re proud to
be part of that legacy and to welcome our newest EOP students as they begin
their journey on campus this summer.

For nearly six decades, EOP has created pathways to higher education for
students with strong potential who benefit from additional academic
guidance and financial resources. Thanks to sustained support from the
State of New York, this program continues to create transformational
opportunities for thousands of students, including those right here on our
campus.

At SUNY Plattsburgh, our EOP
<https://www.plattsburgh.edu/plattslife/student-support/educational-opportunity-program/index.html>team
plays a critical role in recruiting, supporting, and empowering students
throughout their academic journeys. The work they do is both life-changing
and deeply aligned with our mission. As we prepare to welcome our newest
EOP students for the summer academy beginning July 19, I invite you to join
me in celebrating the commitment, compassion, and leadership of everyone
involved in this vital program.

EOP remains one of the strongest expressions of SUNY’s values and our
shared belief that higher education should be accessible, inclusive, and
deeply supportive.

With deep appreciation,

Dr. Alexander Enyedi
President

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: SUNY Communications <communications at suny.edu>
Date: Wed, Jul 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Subject: News Release: SUNY Chancellor King Kicks Off New York’s
Educational Opportunity Program Summer Orientations With Visit to FIT
To: <SUNYPIO-L at ls.sysadm.suny.edu>

___

*For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 2, 2025*

Contact: Holly Liapis, Holly.Liapis at suny.edu, (518) 477-0757

*SUNY Chancellor King Kicks Off New York’s Educational Opportunity Program
Summer Orientations With Visit to FIT*

*55 SUNY Campuses Conduct Comprehensive EOP Orientation Sessions During the
Summer Months*

*Photos Available Here <https://suny.smugmug.com/FIT-Visit-2025> From
Chancellor’s Visit at FIT*

*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
   <https://www.suny.edu/suny-news/press-releases/6-25/6-26-25/eop-grad.html>,
   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.

For additional information about SUNY EOP, please visit:
https://www.suny.edu/attend/academics/eop/

*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. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu
*.*

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