SUNY Oswego welcomes 117 EOP students to summer program

SUNY Oswego recently welcomed its incoming class of Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students to campus for its signature summer program. The EOP summer program gives incoming students the benefit of a residential college experience before starting their classes for the fall semester. 

At SUNY Oswego, 117 incoming EOP students are participating in the four-week summer program this year. The university expects to begin the fall semester with around 330 EOP students in total.

SUNY's Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program provides affordable excellence and comprehensive support to help students from low-income backgrounds who can benefit from supplemental academic preparation – and many of whom are the first in their families to go to college – succeed in earning a degree. 

Incoming SUNY Oswego EOP students are receiving support from peer leaders like Sarai Santiago, a music major and expressive arts therapy minor who said the program was pivotal toward finding footing and a community on campus.

“I love it and I always feel so welcomed every time I go into the office,” Santiago said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. So I’ve been working with the EOP office for two summers and I’m one of their ambassadors as well.” 

The summer program is packed with academic instruction in math, writing and reading comprehension along with workshops and social events. Workshops include topics such as health and wellness, career services, financial aid as well as study skills sessions and transitioning to university life. Social activities include a bonfire with s’mores, trivia contests, karaoke, ice skating and more.

“The program is basically helping the students get into the mindset of what college is like here on campus with the help of EOP staff and peer leaders,” Santiago said.

Setting up success

“The EOP program has a lot of benefits,” Santiago noted. “It can help you with not only with succeeding but it also helps with financial benefits. It makes sure that you have everybody in your corner, including your own academic advisor.”

EOP at SUNY Oswego is made possible in part by the historic $10.7 million increase in EOP funding in the fiscal year 2026-27 State budget thanks to the strong support and commitment by Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

“The Educational Opportunity Program is among SUNY’s most enduring and impactful expressions of its public mission,” SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu said. “EOP students at SUNY Oswego — many of them first-generation college students — have persisted with determination and purpose. Their success reminds us that talent is everywhere and that opportunity, when paired with intentional support, transforms lives.”

"For nearly 60 years, SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program has supported tens of thousands of students, helping them move forward on a path to upward mobility and success," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. 

"The program has made higher education more accessible for students throughout New York state and opened doors for meaningful and successful careers,” Chancellor King added. “We are grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul, the State Legislature, and for the SUNY Board of Trustees for their continued investment in empowering EOP students and supporting their efforts to unleash their full potential."

Since 2022, SUNY EOP enrollment has increased by 21 percent, reflecting continued demand for the program and the confidence students and families place in its supports. In its 59-year history, EOP has graduated nearly 90,000 students and evolved into one of the country's most successful college access program. 

EOP enrollment is open to all students who meet the program’s longstanding academic and financial need requirements. For more information, visit oswego.edu/educational-opportunity-program.