ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«

From the Desk of the EOP director

Dear EOP alumni and friends,

It is with deep gratitude and renewed purpose that I welcome you to this edition of the EOP Alumni Newsletter. For many, 2025 meant doing even more with even less while navigating uncertainty and striving to offer stability to our students, our families and ourselves. With the steadfast support of our University, and through your generosity and partnership, remarkable things happened.

This year also marked an important leadership transition for the University. We shared our gratitude and well-wishes with President Harvey Stenger, whose vision and steady leadership guided ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« through a period of growth, academic distinction and expanded access for EOP students. In that same spirit of continuity and renewal, we warmly welcomed our new president, Anne D’Alleva, whose appreciation for access and belonging has been affirmed through the powerful stories our EOP students have shared with her about their growth as scholars and emerging leaders.

And still, our students continue to rise. Today, 58% of EOP scholars maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, a testament to their determination and to the advising, tutoring and community support that surrounds them. EOP enrollment has also grown across New York state, and here at ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«, that growth is unmistakable. After welcoming 182 new students into the pre-first-year summer program, BEP 2025, we had 665 EOP students enrolled this fall, our highest enrollment since fall 2017! Clearly, the demand for our program remains powerful and clear.

Our alumni stepped forward in extraordinary ways as well. The Alumni of Color Network answered the call to give with the $25 in 2025 Challenge, introducing a wave of new donors and friends inspired to give to EOP. Your gifts matter. It may mean a few meals to a student facing food insecurity or some reading glasses for a student facing vision concerns. We hope you see your generosity reflected in our students, their progress, their persistence and their stories. You have touched their hearts and strengthened the foundation on which they stand.

As we look ahead, there is so much to be excited about. New opportunities are taking shape as EOP supports the persistence and retention of our students through the launch of the EOP Nursing Scholars Program, the continued growth of the EOP Engineering Scholars Program, and the new SUNY EOP High Impact Practice initiative, focused on ensuring that every EOP graduate leaves ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« having completed a meaningful experiential learning opportunity.

These efforts are not symbolic. ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« is investing real resources to support EOP students, and we are putting that funding directly to work by expanding access to paid internships, research, professional preparation and career-launching experiences that change outcomes and open doors.

Your support makes this possible. Through giving, mentoring, advocacy and staying connected, you strengthen the ecosystem that allows our students to thrive. The future of EOP has never been brighter, and as we move forward, I hope you continue to see yourself in this work. EOP’s strength has always come from its people, students who refuse to give up, staff who show up with purpose and alumni who continue to open doors long after they graduate.

What can you do to help?

Are you an EOP nursing, engineering or computer science alum? Complete this to stay connected with the EOP Nursing Scholars Program or the EOP Engineering Scholars Program and support future scholars through mentoring, networking and high-impact, career-connected opportunities.

Do you live in the great state of New York? We encourage you to stay engaged with your and . Remind them that EOP is here, thriving and changing the trajectory of lives, families and communities.

Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for lifting as you climb. 

Are you looking to at ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«?

Walk boldly, 
Karima Legette '01, MA '05
Director, Educational Opportunity Program
any time.