EOF to Celebrate 40th Anniversary
Federico Zanatta, Campus & Community Editor
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Campus and Community
During this spring semester, the Equal Opportunity Fund of Middlesex County College has been planning the next Student Recognition Ceremony where they will officially celebrate the 40th anniversary of the program. Established on July 12, 1968 by an act sponsored by the then freshman legislator, Thomas Kean, the EOF is one of many results of the civil rights movement in New Jersey. According to MCC's EOF Director, Dr. Fannie Gordon, the program was created to reverse the fact that few students of color were going to college in the state of New Jersey. "Most of us, and I was one of those people, were going [to college] out of state," said Gordon. Gordon said that the EOF program is composed by two different grants. One grant is destined directly to financial aid and there is a second grant to provide support services such as tutoring, academic advising, transfer and personal counseling, among other services.
"At MCC, we assist around 500 students annually, making us one of the biggest programs [among community colleges]," said Gordon. The program operates differently in each school; however, all of them must follow the guidelines provided by the state government. For instance, Gordon said that MCC focuses on recruiting students within the county, meanwhile Rutgers and all other four-year schools recruit on a state-wide basis. The 2009 EOF Student Recognition Ceremony will take place in College Center at the Corral Restaurant on May 11. "[This is] a special opportunity for students who are coming from a place where they may not be recognized for what they can do in the classroom. It's an opportunity for them to say thank you to those who helped to get through this institution and it's an opportunity for students who are sitting on a chair to see they can do this and move on [towards] graduation," said EOF Associate Director Louis Marius Jr. According to Marius, this is an event where students get recognized by their peers, as well as the staff and they receive certificates for their efforts. Some students are recognized with a scholarship which is named after the first director of the program, Harry Payne. In addition, during this end of the year celebration, the state also recognizes students with grade point averages above 3.30. According to Gordon, more than 100 students are expected to attend for what is usually an unbelievable experience.
"At MCC, we assist around 500 students annually, making us one of the biggest programs [among community colleges]," said Gordon. The program operates differently in each school; however, all of them must follow the guidelines provided by the state government. For instance, Gordon said that MCC focuses on recruiting students within the county, meanwhile Rutgers and all other four-year schools recruit on a state-wide basis. The 2009 EOF Student Recognition Ceremony will take place in College Center at the Corral Restaurant on May 11. "[This is] a special opportunity for students who are coming from a place where they may not be recognized for what they can do in the classroom. It's an opportunity for them to say thank you to those who helped to get through this institution and it's an opportunity for students who are sitting on a chair to see they can do this and move on [towards] graduation," said EOF Associate Director Louis Marius Jr. According to Marius, this is an event where students get recognized by their peers, as well as the staff and they receive certificates for their efforts. Some students are recognized with a scholarship which is named after the first director of the program, Harry Payne. In addition, during this end of the year celebration, the state also recognizes students with grade point averages above 3.30. According to Gordon, more than 100 students are expected to attend for what is usually an unbelievable experience.
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