60% growth underscores commitment to opportunity and student success

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) today recognized the continued growth and impact of its Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which has increased by 60 percent since 2019.

The milestone was acknowledged during a campus visit from State University of New York (SUNY) Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Opportunity Programs, & Student Advocate Cheryl Hamilton during EOP Week of Service, which highlights student leadership, service, and community engagement.

Since its founding in 1967, SUNY’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program has provided access, academic support, and financial assistance to students from low-income backgrounds, many of whom are first-generation college students. Over its 59-year history, the program has graduated nearly 90,000 students and currently serves more than 9,000 students across 55 SUNY campuses.

“EOP represents the very best of SUNY Poly’s mission, expanding opportunity and supporting students as they work toward their goals,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “We are grateful for the dedication of our EOP team, whose work continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students.”

At SUNY Poly, continued growth of the EOP program builds on a strong foundation established over many years and has advanced further since Melissa Prest assumed leadership of the program in 2019, working alongside her team to expand capacity and enhance student support. The program reflects an ongoing commitment to student success through personalized, holistic services, including modest financial assistance, weekly academic support such as tutoring and advising, one-on-one counseling, peer mentoring, leadership development opportunities, and a strong sense of community and belonging. Students also benefit from the Pre-Freshman Summer Academy, career readiness programming, and events that celebrate culture and community.

SUNY Poly’s EOP team includes Assistant Dean of Students & Director of Opportunity Programs Melissa Prest, Senior Counselor and DEI Specialist Doneilous King, and newly hired Counselor Pamela Connolly; both King and Connolly are SUNY EOP alumni. Connolly’s recent addition reflects the demand for additional support with the increasing number of students.

The celebration also highlighted student engagement during EOP Week of Service. Earlier this morning, SUNY Poly EOP students Sabah Haji and May Sunday participated in a panel discussion titled “Refugee Families and Career Choices,” sharing perspectives on how refugee-background families navigate academic majors and career pathways as part of SUNY Poly’s College of Arts and Sciences Week.

For the week of service, the EOP team and EOP students will also be reading to students at Clough Pre-K Center in Rome.

Closing the Internship Gap
Looking ahead, SUNY continues to expand its investment in EOP statewide in ways that directly support student success and workforce readiness. SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. recently announced a major initiative to ensure that 100 percent of EOP students participate in a credit-bearing internship or other high-impact applied learning experience beginning with the Fall 2025 cohort—building on the nearly 66 percent of EOP graduates in 2024–2025 who had already done so. To achieve this, SUNY will fund 850 new internships across the system, with 570 already approved, and provide campuses with grants to develop partnerships with state agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations.

“Internship experiences are a vital part of ensuring our students can explore career paths that interest them, while also gaining valuable real-world experience,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “For nearly 60 years, the Educational Opportunity Program has provided a pathway for students throughout New York State to access higher education. This grant program means that all EOP students will be able to access high-quality internships that enrich their education, so they can be set on a path to upward mobility and success.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Through the steadfast support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY can invest in our students and provide them with opportunities to gain hands-on experience through paid internship opportunities. These grants will help give more of our EOP students the opportunity to explore careers in areas that interest them, while also preparing them for their careers after graduation. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their unwavering support of our EOP students.”

At SUNY Poly, this expanded access to internships and applied learning opportunities aligns closely with the institution’s mission to deliver transformative, career-focused education and with the goals of its EOP program to support student persistence, achievement, and upward mobility. It also advances the work of SUNY Poly’s Office of Workforce Development by strengthening pathways from education to employment and ensuring that EOP students are well-prepared to contribute to New York State’s evolving workforce.