Elizabeth “Betsy” Rodriguez
A. Scott Weber
John B. King Jr.
“By combining academic advising, mentoring, collaborative learning opportunities, scholarships and more for new and transfer students, EOP helps students build the confidence, skills and connections needed to excel at UB and beyond.”
A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs
University at Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Daniel Romero, who grew up in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, had to gather himself when he imagined his new life this fall on North Campus as a first-year UB student.
The uncertainty of what was waiting for him sparked the usual butterflies. Would he be homesick? Could he handle the courses?
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Never mind. Those concerns have been alleviated.
Romero and 186 fellow incoming students received a head start on college life by participating in Summer Bridge, a five-week, immersive on-campus experience led by the University at Buffalo’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). The extended orientation, which concludes Aug. 7, provides students with a residential college experience ahead of the fall semester.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” says Romero, who plans to major in accounting. “But when I got here, everybody was so welcoming.”
That includes fellow students, professors and administrators, all of whom Romero says have eased his transition to UB.
“I got to meet a lot of new people. I like my classes and professors a lot,” he says. “I feel like people genuinely have your back. The classes. The activities. Everything.”
EOP provides comprehensive support
At UB, there are 748 students enrolled in the EOP, including the nearly 200 in this year’s Summer Bridge.
UB’s EOP is part of a 54 campus network of EOPs within the State University of New York that provide comprehensive support to promising students to help them overcome financial and academic barriers. Many of these students are the first in their families to go to college.
EOP programs received a boost this fiscal year from Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, which increased funding by $10.7 million.
"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," says SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.
He adds: "The program has made higher education more accessible for students throughout New York State, and opened doors for meaningful and successful careers. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, State Legislature and SUNY Board of Trustees for their continued investment in empowering EOP students.”
A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at UB, notes the critical role EOP plays in student success.
“EOP ensures that students have the support they need to succeed from their first day on campus through graduation," says Weber. “By combining academic advising, mentoring, collaborative learning opportunities, scholarships and more for new and transfer students, EOP helps students build the confidence, skills and connections needed to excel at UB and beyond. The success stories of our EOP students are truly inspirational, and they represent the transformative nature of higher education.”
Students bring undeniable energy
This year’s Summer Bridge students live at UB’s residence halls, eat at the university’s many dining spots and are taking for-credit classes.
They bring an undeniable energy to EOP’s Norton Hall office, says UB EOP Director Elizabeth "Betsy" Rodriguez, who notes she was the first in her family to graduate from college and often feels a personal connection to the students.
Students receive wraparound support, Rodriguez says, including a personalized academic advising and a counselor they stay with until they graduate. Such is the case for Amina Owusu, a senior psychology major and EOP summer counselor, who was in the 2023 Summer Bridge program.
“I was overwhelmed. But I used the Summer Bridge program as a way to walk through my classes to familiarize myself with the campus,” Owusu says.
“By the end of program, I could tell anyone where Capen or Park Hall was. I was very confident with the campus.”
EOP enrollment continues to grow
Since 2022, SUNY EOP enrollment has increased by 21%, 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.
EOP is open to all students meeting the program’s academic and financial need requirements.
To learn more about UB’s EOP Summer Bridge program or other EOP activities, visit https://www.buffalo.edu/eop.html
