History of Educational Opportunity Centers of Southwestern PA
Established in 1972, the Educational Opportunity Center is a federal TRIO program that is funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to improve access to higher education for low-income, first-generation college individuals.
The Educational Opportunity Centers Program of Southwestern Pennsylvania (EOC of SWPA) is one of 139 programs nationwide and is sponsored by Penn State University with funding from USDE at three locations: Penn State Greater Allegheny, Penn State Fayette, and Penn State Beaver. The current funding year runs from September 1 through August 31.
Penn State’s EOC of SWPA began in 1991 and serves residents of the following nine counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Washington, and Westmoreland.
EOC targets low-income adults, age 19 and older, whose parents did not graduate from college to begin or continue a program of postsecondary education (i.e. certificate programs, vocational/technical/proprietary school, or college). Program services are free and include admissions and financial aid assistance, career counseling, referrals to GED/ABE programs, and various related services. Additionally, EOC staff provide one-on-one counseling or group sessions including workshops.
Since its inception, the EOC has recruited and assisted over 20,000 program participants to pursue their educational and career goals.
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EOC - SWPA Main Directory
Contact
Tahirah Abdullah, DirectorEducational Opportunity Center / Southwestern PA
105 Main Building,
4000 University Drive
McKeesport, PA 15132
(412) 675-9077, Fax: (412) 675-9076
Educational Equity
314 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 865-5906
Fax: (814) 865-3997
http://www.equity.psu.edu
Copyright 2006-2007 Educational Opportunity Center (Southwestern PA)