EOP - Summer 2025: History of EOP

The Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) combines access, academic support and supplemental financial assistance to make higher education possible for students who have the potential to succeed at a SUNY college, despite poor preparation and limited financial resources.

Now in operation for more than 50 years, EOP had its origins in the late 1960's, during the Rockefeller Administration. The Master Plan of the State University for 1964 set forth a long-range commitment that "every student capable of completing a program of higher education should have the opportunity to do so." In 1967, then first-year Assemblyman Arthur O. Eve of Buffalo gave further force to the principles of access and opportunity by developing the appropriation bill that gave birth to the Educational Opportunity Program.

EOP was modeled on the Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) program instituted by Percy Sutton at The City University of New York during the prior year. The first unit, of what would become a university-wide opportunity program, enrolled 249 students at the State University College at Buffalo. In the following year, Assemblyman Eve was able to obtain sufficient funding to permit expansion to 10 campuses. By the 1970-71 academic year, 30 campuses had enrolled more than 4,600 opportunity students. Education Law § 6452 formally established the provisions of SEEK at the City University, EOP at SUNY and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) at the independent colleges and universities in New York.

EOP now exists on 54 SUNY campuses. Educational Opportunity Program graduates number more than 78,000. Most alumni continue to live in New York, enriching its economic and social fabric by working as physicians, teachers, scientists, engineers, attorneys, artists, entrepreneurs and public servants. And, many have returned to SUNY to serve as EOP administrators and counselors who provide support to another generation of opportunity students.

In 2018, SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program celebrated five decades of success.

Text and video supplied from SUNY.

Arthur O. Eve

Wikipedia

Uncrowned Community Builders

Black Past

Cornell

Percy Ellis Sutton

Wikipedia

CAF Rise Above

National Action Network

African American Registry

Shirley Chisholm

Wikipedia

National Woman's History Museum

U.S. House of Representatives Archive

African American Voices in Congress

Allen B. Ballard

Wikipedia

CUNY SEEK and OA Oral Histories

Kenyon College

Kenyon College News Archive

The Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) is a New York State-funded program designed to support college students who have experienced foster care, are orphans, or were wards of the court. Established in 2015, FYCSI aims to reduce financial barriers and provide comprehensive support to help these students succeed in higher education.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for FYCSI, students must:

• Be a current resident of New York State.
• Have been in foster care, an orphan, or a ward of the court at any time after their 13th birthday.
• Be enrolled in a SUNY, CUNY, or a private institution that participates in the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP).

Eligible students must self-identify by submitting a consent form to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) at FCY4College@ocfs.ny.gov. Documentation confirming eligibility, such as court records or caseworker statements, is required.

Program Benefits

FYCSI offers a range of financial and academic supports to eligible students:

• Financial Assistance: Supplemental funding to cover tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, transportation, and personal expenses.
• Academic Support: Access to tutoring, advisement, and other academic services.
• Housing and Meals: Support for housing during academic breaks and assistance with meal plans.
• Additional Services: Eligibility for services through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), including pre-college summer programs and mentorship.

In 2022, SUNY announced an incentive program offering an additional $1,000 grant to students who self-identified for FYCSI and were not already receiving benefits, aiming to encourage more students to access available resources.

How to Apply

Students interested in FYCSI should:

1. Complete the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application and self-identify as a foster youth, orphan, or ward of the court.
2. Submit the consent form to FCY4College@ocfs.ny.gov.
3. Contact the financial aid office or FYCSI liaison at their college for assistance and to confirm eligibility.

The FYCSI program is part of New York State's commitment to supporting students from foster care backgrounds, helping them overcome barriers to higher education and achieve academic success.

The Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) Opportunity Program was founded in 1965 at The City University of New York (CUNY) as a response to growing demands for greater access to higher education for economically disadvantaged students. The SEEK program was designed to provide support to students who faced significant academic and financial challenges but showed potential for success in college. It offered academic remediation, financial assistance, and personal support to help these students succeed in their higher education journey.

Key Features of SEEK:

• Academic Support: SEEK offered intensive academic preparation, including pre-college courses in areas like writing, reading, and math, designed to help students build the skills needed for college-level work.
• Financial Assistance: SEEK provided financial aid to cover tuition gaps and non-tuition costs, such as books and supplies, helping students who might otherwise be unable to afford college.
• Personal Support: The program offered mentoring, counseling, and advising services to help students navigate the challenges of college life and build a strong sense of community.

How SEEK Led to the Creation of the SUNY EOP:

The success of the SEEK program at CUNY in the 1960s sparked interest across New York State in providing similar support to students at other public institutions. At the time, CUNY was primarily serving students from New York City, while the State University of New York (SUNY) system covered the rest of the state. The educational barriers faced by students in rural and upstate areas were similar to those faced by their urban counterparts, and advocates for educational equity argued that these students should also have access to higher education with the necessary support systems in place.

The positive impact of SEEK, which demonstrated that students from disadvantaged backgrounds could succeed with the right resources, led to calls for a similar program within the SUNY system. This advocacy, combined with broader movements for civil rights and educational equality in the 1960s, led to the creation of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) in 1967 by the State University of New York (SUNY).

While SEEK was designed specifically for CUNY schools, the EOP was created to serve students across the entire SUNY system. It was inspired by SEEK’s model of providing both academic support and financial assistance to disadvantaged students. The EOP expanded on the SEEK program by offering:

• Access to a wide range of academic support including tutoring, workshops, and mentorship programs.
• Financial aid to cover tuition and fees, as well as non-tuition costs like books and supplies.
• Personal support through counseling, career advice, and help navigating college life.

Together, the SEEK program and the EOP represented a statewide effort to increase educational access, equity, and success for underrepresented students across New York.

Legacy and Impact:

Both programs have had a lasting impact on higher education in New York, serving as models for similar initiatives in other states and institutions across the U.S. By emphasizing the idea that economic disadvantage should not determine a student’s ability to succeed in college, SEEK and EOP played critical roles in pushing for greater educational equality. These programs have helped thousands of students graduate and go on to successful careers, demonstrating that with the right support, all students can achieve their potential.

In short, the SEEK program served as a pioneering effort in higher education access for disadvantaged students, and its success was instrumental in the creation of the EOP, which expanded these opportunities statewide in New York.