SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu was honored with the EOP Champion Award at SUNY’s 2026 Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Alumni Reception on Feb. 14, which was held in conjunction with the 55th annual New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislators Conference in Albany.

The award, presented by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Opportunity Programs and Student Advocate Cheryl Hamilton highlights President Nwosu’s leadership in advancing EOP and underscores SUNY Oswego’s continued success within one of SUNY’s signature access programs.

In addition to President Nwosu, the ceremony honored Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest as a distinguished alumni, and President Adiam Tsegai of SUNY Erie Community College as EOP Champion for her commitment to EOP advancement. Hamilton and Dominique Wheeler, SUNY director of opportunity program operations, emceed the event.

Five SUNY Oswego EOP students attended the reception: music major Sarai Santiago; information science major Ahmad Quadri; political science and sociology major Diana Quiridumbay; criminal justice and human development major Ashly Arzu; and human development and Spanish major Cristal Garcia Corporan. They were joined by EOP advisors Scott Cunningham and Damien Nguyen.

“The Educational Opportunity Program is among SUNY’s most enduring and impactful expressions of its public mission,” President Nwosu said. “At SUNY Oswego, EOP has been changing lives since 1970 — opening doors and providing the academic, personal and financial support students need to succeed.

“For more than 55 years, EOP students at SUNY Oswego — many of them first-generation college students — have persisted with determination and purpose,” he added, recognizing the Oswego students in attendance. “Their success reminds us that talent is everywhere and that opportunity, when paired with intentional support, transforms lives.”

SUNY Oswego’s EOP program continues to grow. First-time, full-time enrollment increased by 18.63 percent — from 102 students in fall 2024 to 121 in fall 2025 — and total participation is projected to exceed 300 students in 2025–26. Persistence rates have also continued to rise.

“While I am personally honored, this recognition belongs to the EOP professionals who do this work every day and to the students and alumni whose resilience defines the program,” President Nwosu said. “We remain committed to strengthening access, supporting student well-being, and ensuring that opportunity remains central to who we are.”

Established in 1967 and named in honor of longtime New York State Assemblymember Arthur O. Eve, SUNY’s EOP provides access, academic support, and financial assistance to students from historically underserved and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In its 58-year history, EOP has graduated nearly 90,000 students and now serves more than 9,000 students across 55 SUNY campuses.