St. Bonaventure University has been awarded another five-year Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) grant from the New York State Education Department.

The university first applied for HEOP funding in 1981 and has operated the program continuously ever since. The grant award provides funding for HEOP at St. Bonaventure through 2024.

HEOP at St. Bonaventure University is a comprehensive program, jointly sponsored with the state of New York, to assist in providing access for all New Yorkers to the state’s private colleges and universities.

The program is designed for students who have the potential and interest in furthering their education but due to certain financial and educational circumstances, higher education may not have initially been an option.

The HEOP program at St. Bonaventure has had a remarkable track record of success. Several students have earned Ideal Bonaventure Student honors over the last decade and, in 2018, 19 of 20 HEOP students from the incoming freshman class of 2014 graduated.

“Coming to St. Bonaventure as a first-generation college student, HEOP allows me to live up to the dreams of my parents who never had the chance to attend a four-year university,” said Gesifed Paucar, a finance major.

The HEOP grant allows incoming HEOP freshmen to participate in a summer program at the university. The four-week program prepares students for the fall semester with the help of the HEOP staff.

Throughout the summer program, students take developmental classes, working with university faculty to enhance their performance in subjects such as writing, mathematics and science.

Throughout their time at SBU, HEOP students meet with university staff who provide academic, personal, vocational, and financial counseling. Students also meet with tutors and attend a variety of workshops. In keeping with the university’s Franciscan tradition, students give back to the community by completing community service hours every semester.

“HEOP has helped me throughout college by making sure that I’m on the right career path,” said Scarlet Vasquez, a sociology major.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, the State Education Department will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of HEOP.

The program is named after Arthur O. Eve, a retired member of the New York State Assembly from Buffalo who advocated for funding to allow financially and academically disadvantaged students to pursue higher education.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things. St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition.