About EOP

EOP Mission Statement

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) serves as a primary vehicle for the CSU in increasing the access, academic excellence and retention of California’s historically underserved students (low-income, First-Generation College), thus working in the spirit and abiding by the legislative intent that originally established the program in 1969 and maintaining the innovation inherent in the program.

The Core Elements of EOP are to:

  1. Provide ACCESS opportunities for historically underserved students (low-income, First-Generation College) by making higher education a possibility for prospective students with potential for academic excellence.
  2. Provide ADVOCACY and education to address the needs of EOP students.
  3. Provide a TRANSITIONAL EXPERIENCE that will empower students to manage better and navigate the college experience.
  4. Provide SUPPORT SERVICES to facilitate student success.
  5. Provide EOP GRANTS to eligible students who should also receive the highest priority for financial aid resources available from the institution.

 

  • 1960s

    Prior to EOP, SSU faculty created  Hidden Talent

  • 1969

    EOP is established in the CSU system

  • 1979

    SSU President, Diamandopoulous, hires Bill Clarke first EOP Director, to "fix the front door" for low enrollment and high student withdraws

  • 1980s

    EOP at SSU moved to a more academically focused after the Bill Clarke rewrote the program's grant

  • 1980s

    Mario Savio hired a Summer Bridge Math Specialist

  • 1980s

    Bill Clarke, EOP Director, introduced parent orientation with emphasis in college information

  • 1980s

    SSU EOP starts awarding EOP Grants

  • 1980s

    SSU EOP starts awarding EOP Grants

  • 1985

    EOP Summer Bridge Program, 6-week program, was receiving funding and doing early remediation

  • 1985

    EOP hired Learning Skills Services (LSS) staff to work during Summer Bridge

  • 1987

    Bruce Peterson begins at SSU and taught the first UNIV 102 suppor class with first-time, first year students

  • 1988

    The "front door" issue had been resolved at Sonoma State University (SSU)

  • 1988

    EOP runs parallel program & offers courses through CALS Dept. (EOP Freshman Seminar)

  • Early 1990s

    Early 90's brougth budget cuts to EOP SB  in addition to high cost of living

  • Mid 1990s

    Advising, Career, EOP & Testing (ACE) collapsed and amde into one department

  • Early 1990s

    Jeanne L. Moore Scholarship is created. Jeanne L. Moore is the founding mother of EOP at SSU. 

  • Mid 1990s

    Advising, Career, EOP & Testing (ACE) collapsed and amde into one department

  • Mid 1990s

    SB 6-week program offered remedial ENGL & MATH, camputer skills, & a 3 unit GE class

  • Mid 1990s

    SB 6-week program offered remedial ENGL & MATH, camputer skills, & a 3 unit GE class

  • Early 2000s

    EOP moves to Salazar Hall

  • 2001

    EOP Academy implemented and streched over a whole year & modeled after Chico State's EOP Program

  • 2001

    EOP adopts 3-week Summer Bridge Program and creates EOP Academy

  • 2001

    SB transitioned from "Academic Boot Camp" to social transition and emphasized on sense of belonging at SSU

  • 2007

    A series of budget cuts reduces Summer Bridge from 3 weeks to 2 weeks to 1 week to 3 days

  • 2007

     Part of Summer Bridge was merged with Summer Orientation for advising and course selection

  • 2008-2009

    Strong push to eliminate the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

  • 2008-2009

    Outpour of support from community and EOP students

  • 2013

    EOP experiences a period of transition moving from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs

  • 2014

    One-week Summer Bridge program is reinstated

  • 2016

    EOP moves from Academic Affairs to the newly organized Student Affairs under the leadership of Dr. Michael Young (Vice President for Student Affairs)
     

  • 2017

    EOP partners with the School of Business and Economics (SBE) and University Advancement for donor funding and created the Wine Industry Scholars Program(WISP)

  • 2017

    SSU EOP and SBE is awarded over $2.2 million from the Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Rodney Strong Vineyards, and Cooperages 1912

  • 2018

    The Center of Academic Access and Student Enrichment (CAASE) is created under the leadership of Dr. Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Vice President of Student Affairs, and Dr. Gerald L. Jones, Senior Director of CAASE

  • 2018

    EOP moves under the CAASE umbrella and collborates with other CAASE departments to continue serving underserved, educationally disadvantaged students

  • 2018

    EOP and the Division of Student Affairs sponsored two EOP students to attend for the first time the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia

  • 2019

    23 CAASE students participated in the Kakehashi Inouye Japanese Exchange Program in March 2019

  • 2019

    EOP turns 50 years old! Sonoma State EOP staff and six students attend the statewide EOP 50th Anniversary Conference in Long Beach, CA. 
     

  • 2020

    COVID-19 impacts the world and changes the normal routine of lives. Shelter in place went into effect on 3/17/2020

  • 2020

    EOP shifts and offers student appointments, drop-in advising, programming, and outreach presentations to a virtual platform

  • 2020

    Summer Bridge 2020 moves from an 11-day residential on campus program to a 9-day remote online/distance learning program