Imagine a student at college. They already have problems, but now add to that the boundary of race. That’s what a large group of students had to face before the EOP&S came along.
David Follosco the supervisor of Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS) at Pierce College explained how the program began during the civil rights movement in the 1960’s, when students were not receiving higher education due to their disadvantages.
“The EOPS started in 1969 and it helps students who have a low chance of doing well in college, which are students that have low income, disabilities, no high school diplomas and also the first generation to go to college,” David Follosco said.
Due to budget cuts the EOPS at Pierce College, is serving fewer students each year, which has upset many people because many of the students need this program.
“In the fall semester 2009-2010 the program served 1,092 students and in the fall 2010-2011 semester they served 829 students. EOPS is now only serving 760 students, which is a huge drop,” David Follosco said.
EOPS secretary Mona Altounji explained how the program has great counselors, whom the students have to make at least three appointments with per semester. The program is designed to help students transfer to a university as soon as they can.
The program offers personal tutors and counselors. It also gives students a book grant for up to two hundred dollars.
“Students who are in the EOPS program are very lucky because they are more likely to become successful due to the great counselors and tutors it provide and the program also helps students pay for their books,” Mona Altounji said.
EOPS encourages students that have low expectations to work hard and transfer to a university in at least two years. The program has counselors that give the members a guide with the classes they need to take.
“Many students who are members of the EOPS thought it would be impossible to graduate, but due to the help of EOPS many of them graduated and transferred to a university and some even made it on the dean’s list,” Follosco said.
An English of a second language student who found out about the program through her sister says that being part of EOPS has been a blessing and that she didn’t know what she would have done without it.
The tutors have helped her with her English and the counselors helped her choose the classes she really needed. She also complained about how other counselors didn’t assist her well.
”If it wasn’t for EOPS I probably wouldn’t have passed any of my classes. The counselors are great unlike the others who barely have time and tutoring is up to an hour long. It is sad that many students can’t join us,” said the student Mahesa Buluch.
The English tutor Aaron Boyd made a comment about how each student has different academic levels and how some students always come back to thank him, when they get a good grade on a paper.
“I have tutored many students from different levels, but I always appreciate how they come back to thank me after they get an A on their paper,” Aaron Boyd said.
Students say they want EOP&S to live forever and hope that the budgets cuts will soon not be an issue for them. This program has been life changing to many students.
