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EOF and TRiO

Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program
Instituted and sponsored by the State of New Jersey in 1968, the Educational Opportunity Fund [EOF] Program provides comprehensive academic support services and resources to low-income college students from historically resilient communities. Students are selected for participation based on documented financial needs and their potential for success.

Established in 1971, the EOF Program at Passaic County Community College provides individual and group tutoring and advising services students need to succeed in their respective academic programs. With leadership development and civic engagement events, the PCCC EOF team strives to provide all of its students with the knowledge and resources to become positive change agents in their communities. EOF students also receive graduation and transfer advising.

EOF encourages all interested students to apply for admission to the program. To be admitted, students must attend PCCC full-time, be pursuing a degree, be residents of New Jersey for at least one year, and be willing to meet all program expectations.

Admission Requirements for EOF
To apply, students must:

• Be accepted to Passaic County Community College.
• Have a high school diploma or GED.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application.
• Complete the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) application for state financial aid.
• Demonstrate motivation to graduate from PCCC and transfer to a four-year college or university by meeting with a program counselor.
• Apply for admission to thePCCC EOF Program.
  • Here is a link to our webpage and the application: https://web.pccc.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/eof/

For more information about EOF and to request support with the application, please email: eof@pccc.edu.

TRIO-Student Support Services (SSS) Program
The history of TRiO is progressive. It began with Upward Bound which emerged out of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to administration's War on Poverty. In 1965, Talent Search, the second outreach program, was created as part of the Higher Education Act. In 1968, Student Support Services (SSS) which was originally known as Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments and became the third in a series of educational opportunity programs. By the late 1960's, the term "TRiO" was coined to describe these three federal programs. TRiO programs were the first national college access and retention programs to address the serious social and cultural barriers to education in America.

TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) at Passaic County Community College (PCCC) is a post-secondary academic program designed to support students through graduation and transfer to a four-year institution. Student Support Services at PCCC provides services that are supportive of retention and success; and, includes tutoring, assistance with information on the full range of student financial aid applications; and, in applying for admission to and obtaining advice and assistance for enrollment in four-year programs. Eligible participants may apply for Grant Aid, Childcare, and Book Vouchers.

To be eligible to participate in the SSS Programs, a student must:

1. Have a demonstrate need for academic support;
2. Be a citizen or national of the United States or meet the residency requirement for federal student financial assistance;
3. Be enrolled at PCCC or is accepted for enrollment at PCCC;
4. Meet the federal low-income guidelines;
5. Be a first generation college student (an individual both of whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree or in the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only one parent, an individual whose only such parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree);
6. Or, be an individual with disabilities registered through the Office of Disability Services (ODS).

There are three (3) TRiO Student Support Services Programs available to PCCC students:

• Student Support Services - Classic  serves 160 students seeking to complete a certificate/degree program
• Student Support Services - ESL serves 140 students tracked and enrolled in ESL levels 030, 040 and 107 seeking to complete a certificate/degree program
• Student Support Services - STEM serves 120 students seeking to complete a certificate/degree program in Science, Technology, Engineering and Health Sciences (Nursing, Radiography, Occupational Therapy, Health Education, Public Health, and other Health related majors).

For more information, please contact:

• SSS - Classic: Abena Douglas, Director, by email at aadouglas@pccc.edu
• SSS - ESL: Stephanie A. Velasquez-Gannon, Director, by email at svelasquez@pccc.edu
• SSS - STEM: Jihan Ahmed, Director, by email at jahmed@pccc.edu

Admission Requirements for EOF and TRiO SSS
First-generation college students may be eligible to enroll in either the federally-funded Student Support Services (SSS) Program or the state-funded Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program. To apply, students must:

• Be accepted to Passaic County Community College.
• Have a high school diploma or GED.
• Be a first-generation college student (neither parent can have a bachelor’s degree).
• Apply for admission to the programs. Full-time and part-time students may apply to SSS at pccc.edu/studentss and full-time students may find EOF application information at pccc.edu/prospective/paying-for-college/eof/admissions-and-eligibility-to-eof
• Demonstrate an academic need for our services.
• Meet the federal and/or state low-income guidelines.
• Demonstrate motivation to graduate from PCCC and/or transfer to a four-year college or university as determined through an interview with a program counselor.

For additional information, email: sss@pccc.edu or eof@pccc.edu.

Chi Alpha Epsilon
Chi Alpha Epsilon Chi Alpha Epsilon (XAE) National Honor Society recognizes the academic achievements of students who have utilized or are enrolled in support services programs. Our members are committed to promoting high academic standards, fostering communication among members, and honoring the academic excellence of those students admitted through an opportunity program. Originally founded at West Chester University in Pennsylvania by Dr. Elbert M. Saddler, there are now over 20 chapters in New Jersey. Passaic County Community College’s Chapter, Gamma Upsilon, was chartered in 2002. Membership is by invitation to opportunity program students who have earned a minimum of 24 credits with a GPA of 3.00 or higher for two (2) consecutive semester.