Students move into Cayuga Hall for the start of SUNY Morrisville’s Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) during the Summer Academy. (Submitted photo)

MORRISVILLE — Students wheeled suitcases, carried bedding and moved boxes into Cayuga Hall today as families said their goodbyes and a team of energetic peer mentors welcomed SUNY Morrisville’s newest Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students to campus.

For 130 incoming students — one of the largest EOP Summer Academy cohorts in the college’s history — the day marked the beginning of a three-week residential experience designed to ease the transition to college before fall classes begin.

“For nearly 60 years, SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program has supported tens of thousands of students, helping them move forward on a path to upward mobility and success," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “The program has made higher education more accessible for students throughout New York State and opened doors for meaningful and successful careers.”

EOP helps students with demonstrated financial need succeed in college by providing comprehensive academic, financial and personal support. Many EOP students are the first in their families to pursue a college degree.

Benjamin Scott, an incoming criminal justice student participating in the EOP Summer Academy, made the four-hour drive from Staten Island with his mother and uncle, arriving after leaving home in the early morning hours.

“I like that EOP is going to help keep me on track with my studies,” Scott said. “This is a whole new experience for me, and I am really looking forward to it.”