Educational
Opportunity Centers
… A federal program engaging and
developing the low-income workforce
through education and training ...
Presented by:
Dara Ware Allen, Diane Athanas, Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University
Program Background
Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC)
The Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program is a federal TRIO program.
Initiated in 1972, EOCs provide information, admissions and financial aid
assistance, and career counseling to help adults, age 19 and older, begin or
continue a program of postsecondary education. EOCs serve low income, potential
first generation college students who are US Citizens.
2002 Statistics
Total Number of Participants: 217,836
Total Funding: $48,011,331
Average Cost per Participant: $220
Program Background
About TRIO
A series of educational support programs called TRIO emerged
from the United States Department of Education (USDE) in 1964
as a result of former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on
Poverty legislation. Initially three programs, hence the name TRIO
was coined, they were designed to assist low-income individuals
whose parents did not graduate from college to access higher
education in efforts to break social, economic, and cultural
barriers. TRIO has now expanded to include the following
programs:
•
•
•
•
•
Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs • Upward Bound
Educational Opportunity Centers
• Talent Search
Veterans Upward Bound
• Student Support Services
Upward Bound Math/Science
Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement
Program Background
There are 139 EOCs in the
United States and its territories
Program Background
Penn State University, the Office of the Vice Provost for
Educational Equity, Academic Advancement Programs
(AAP) sponsors all of the following TRIO programs
Educational
Opportunity
Talent
Search
(TS):Services
College
Ronald
Student
E.
Assistance
Support
McNair
Scholars
Migrant
Comprehensive
Upward
Upward
Bound
Bound
Math
Studies
(UB)
&
(EOC):
•Centers
Western
Pennsylvania
Program
Program
(SSS)
Program
Science
(UBMS)
(CSP)
Pennsylvania
•• Southwestern
York
• Philadelphia
Need for EOC
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics :2000-2010 projections
Professional and related occupations are projected to increase the
fastest and add the most jobs (7 million)
“Employment in all 7 education or training categories that generally
require a college degree or other post secondary award is projected to
grow faster than the average across all occupations. These categories
will increase from 29% to 42 % of the projected new job growth.”
Recent Welfare reform with its “work pays” and “get a job now”
approach does not address the true issue of people (often women)
ultimately obtaining only a low-paying, low skill job. “2/3 of these
former welfare recipients report earnings that are below poverty
level.”
David Pacchioli
Not by Jobs Alone
“Community Colleges are at the core of the workforce
and economic development world.”
Margaret Forde
Community College Journal July 2002
“We must ensure that
our whole population
receives an education
that will allow full and
continuing participation
in this dynamic period of
American economic history.”
Alan Greenspan
“The more highly educated a given workforce is, the
more productive it is likely to be”
Sarah Turner
Connecting Higher Education and the Labor Market 2002
Need for EOC
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
91
10
Cardiovascular
technologist
and
9. 6.
Camera
operators,
television,
motion
2.
5.
Computer
Paralegal
1.
7.
3.
Computer
Medical
Systems
and
Support
legal
assistants
Engineers
Analyst
Specialists
assistants
4. Desktop
publishing
specialists
8. Database
Respiratory
therapists
10.
administrators
technicians
picture,
video
While the types of demand occupations have changed, the skills of the
workforce have not kept pace. Education and training of the existing and
emerging workforce are critical to bridging this gap. In workforce
development, EOC is the link between viable jobs and the untapped labor
pool: low-income adults.
EOC’s Role in Workforce
Development …What We Do.
EOC informs adults of career
trends, demand occupations,
and occupations in growth
areas to enable them make
more informed decisions about
their futures/careers. In most
instances, a minimum of
specialized training is required
for careers of interests and in
demand. On the job training is
rarely enough.
How does EOC Help?
EOC provides the following four core
services free of charge to program
participants:
•Career Counseling
•Admissions Assistance
•Financial Aid
•Referrals to GED programs and
testing centers
EOC Participants Speak
“The program is definitely needed…just the encouragement to keep going.”
-EOC Participant enrolled at Penn State University in Health Policy and Administration, Sonja
Ford, Pittsburgh, PA
“Many more resources exist that I was not aware of…[the] career decision survey
confirmed my career path. Wow, this was a lot of good, free information.”
-Careers Workshop Attendee, July, 2001
“Best information I have received!”
-Financial Aid Workshop Attendee: Isaac Moore, Pittsburgh, PA
“She [EOC Educational Counselor] gave me a lot of hope that I didn’t have before she
called.”
-EOC Participant working to resolve her defaulted student loan: Joyce Sheers, Pittsburgh, PA
EOC Participants Speak
"""I The
"It
Iam
iswould
one
not
future
thing
never
sure
looks
to
exactly
have
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lost,
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motivated
made
it'sthe
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me
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go
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stay
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am
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so
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lucky
gone
dream.
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there
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Ipeople
owe
when
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a at
lot
I the
The
people
at
EOC
gave
me
motivation
Ito
needed
to
move
forward.
Without
their
was
did,
EOC.”
to
the
then
able
EOC"
Itomight
get me
have
back
continued
on returned
track"
the pattern
of not going to school or work"
guidance
I would
not
have
to work."
-Samuel
-Norinda
-Denise
-Virginia
Chappell
Rosario
Nunez
Mayo
-Than
Lonh
Virginia
just
completed
her
School
diploma
after
being
out of
school
for
13
years.
Sam
Norinda
Denise
is
currently
his
part
BA
time
going
in American
and
toHigh
Community
goesStudies
to
Community
College
at PennCollege
of
State
Philadelphia
Abington
ofattending
Philadelphia.
and
and
working
hasShe
been
partis University
accepted
pursuing
time as
Thanfinished
is works
a
single
mother
originally
from
Cambodia.
She
is
Penn
State
aa
to
mentor
Widener
career for
in
Law
nursing.
highschool
school
students
studying
Human
Development
and Family Studies. She works part-time at the South East
Asian Mutual Assistance Coalition.
Collaborating Agencies/Partners
“EOC
been instrumental
in staff
helping
us Educational
service disadvantaged
residences
intheir
the Hill
“I“…as
havehas
unwavering
faith in the
of the
Opportunity
Center
and
a
result
of
personalized
assistance
from
EOC
staff,
many
of
our
participants
District
and
Oakland
communities
of Pittsburgh.
EOC
has
provided
much
needed and
“Thank
you
for
sharing
your
timeeducation
and
expertise
with
our
class
on
Friday.
Your
collective
ability
toaccess
provide
information,
guidance,
and
support
that
will
encourage
are
better
able
to
higher
and
training,
which
will
afford
them
information
support
intohelping
our
clients
understand
the
role
of higher
presentation
was
informative,
enjoyable,
supportive,
and encouraging.
I hope
youfor
will
motivate
ourand
participants
further
their
education.
There
is living.”
no
denying
the education
need
achievement
of
life-long
goals
and
an
improved
standard
of
and
its
to employment
be able
to
come back.
Thank you!” and career tracks. The assessment process provided
such
anrelationship
important
project.”
by EOC has helped them to match their talents, desires and academic abilities with
-Collaborating
Agency:
James M.
Stark,
Executive
Director,
Fayette
County
Community
education
andAgency:
career Ruth
options
they
had
not Coordinator,
been
previously
aware
of.
This
hasCarlow
made a
Nieves
Stiker,
Director,
New
Choices/New
Options
Program,
-Collaborating
E.
Smith,
Project
McKeesport
Collaborative,
Action
Agency,
Inc.
great
difference
College,
Pittsburgh,
PA lives.”
McKeesport,
PA in their
-Collaborating Agency: Darryl Daughtry,
Director, JobLinks
How does EOC Recruit
Eligible Adults?
Agencies sponsor EOC workshops within their agencies for
their customers and many provide EOC office space to meet
with participants. Community partners provide numerous
referrals to EOC for those seeking education and training as
well as other levels of support.
Partnering
EOC is a community-outreach program that recruits eligible
adults through a network of satellite sites such as
CareerLinks (Job Centers), state and federal programs
(SPOC, WTW), veterans resource centers and other
community-based organizations.
Locate an EOC near you
http://www.trioprograms.org
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/trio/
http://www.ed.gov
http://www.neoca.freeservers.com
Federal
U.S.
National
Council
Department
for
TRIO
EOC
Opportunity
Programs
association
of Education
in Education (COE).
How to write for an EOC Grant
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/trio/
Federal TRIO Programs
The next competition for EOC Program
will be in the Fall of 2005