Educational Opportunity Program

For more than 50 years, the Central Connecticut State University's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has provided access, academic support and scholarship opportunities to students who show promise for succeeding in a college but who may not otherwise been offered admission. Available primarily to full-time, matriculated students, the program supports students throughout their college careers within the University.

Mission

The Education Opportunity Program (EOP) empowers first-generation college students by providing access to higher education and comprehensive support services. Through academic preparation and personal development, EOP supports students in achieving their educational goals and earning a degree from Central.

What is EOP?

The EOP program assists high school graduates or general equivalency diploma (GED) recipients who are the first in their family to attend college, or are low-income, enroll at Central.

Admissions staff identify students applying to Central who demonstrate the motivation for success in college if provided continued opportunities to build academic skills. These students are referred to EOP staff who interview and select students for conditional admission into Central by inviting them to participate in a summer bridge experience prior to starting in the fall as first-year students.

During the summer, students:

• Reside on campus in a residence hall from Sunday to Friday afternoon.
• Are exposed to college-level coursework and receive academic, social, emotional, and personalized support and instruction in writing, math, and wellness, while also participating in workshops focused on financial literacy, logic, probability, critical thinking, career exploration, time management, and decision-making.
• Are provided with waivers for tuition, food, and housing costs, earning the equivalent of over $6,000 in scholarship money during the summer.

Students who successfully complete the summer (with a GPA of at least 2.7) and/or demonstrate the disposition for college success, matriculate as a freshman in the fall, and receive ongoing program support through graduation.

Program Focus

The EOP Program:

• Provides a pathway to higher education for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
• Foster a smooth transition from high school to the university by strengthening participants' academic and social skills to foster college success.
• Assists students in building English and math skills through faculty instruction and tutoring
• Provides students with opportunities to build networks and lifelong friendships
• Provides workshops that will aid in a students’ transition to becoming a successful and responsible citizen.
• Provides personalized academic support that exposes students to financial wellness through graduation.