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New York state is giving $10 million to 10 sites that aim to provide educational opportunities to students facing financial difficulties. 

The 10 Educational Opportunity Center sites in New York, which are all branches of the SUNY system, provide adult training and development for underrepresented populations. Some of services that EOCs offer include Microsoft Office certifications, high school equivalency programs and construction training. 

The $10 million grant is part of a larger plan to renovate the Syracuse EOC building, said Tim Penix, vice president of the Syracuse EOC. The grant will help set some of the renovations in motion, Penix said.

“The ultimate goal is to get everything we need to renovate this building,” Penix said. 

Penix estimated that the entire renovation will cost about $42 million. The state funding will help cover the basics, such as plumbing and pipes, so the center can start to focus on more advanced renovations, such as enhancing its laboratories.

“This is extremely important for the population we serve. They want to feel that they can take a chance on the EOC,” Penix said. “They take an opportunity, and want to trust us with it. I would like to have a facility that’s worthy of that trust.”

The Syracuse EOC is an important resource for people in the community, and it does more than just teach students, Penix said. The facility offers free computer access, tutoring services and a testing site for people who are not enrolled in the program. Its location in the city also makes its services more accessible to people without cars, Penix said.

Former student Schym Bey has gone through two EOC programs, one to get his high school equivalency and the other for highway construction training. Many people need the help and assistance the programs provide, but there often isn’t enough classroom space to help everyone in a sufficient amount of time, Bey said.

“I think having the extra space and being able to start to expand will definitely help more people like myself and other people with comparative situations just being able to access the resources to help improve themselves and get a better quality of life,” Bey said.

The center provides an important resource for adults who are often “lost in the shuffle,” Bey said. Most post-high school education is directed toward young people, which can make it challenging for adults to find educational programs targeted toward them, Bey said.

Both Penix and Bey said that accessible education is crucial for overcoming inequality and can improve quality of life.  

In addition to the $10 million for the EOCs, the SUNY system is receiving $4 million in operating funding to bolster its SUNY for All program, which the EOCs fall under. 

The goal of SUNY for All is to offer accessible education to underrepresented populations through EOCs and the Online Training Center, which provides free online classes for adults to help them achieve various certifications, high school equivalencies and college prep.

“The bottom line is we’re taking people and allowing them, giving them a pathway to something better that they choose,” Penix said. “That impacts all of us.”

Published on May 9, 2021 at 9:26 pm

Contact Ashley: aeclemen@syr.edu