SDSU Educational Opportunity Program
to Honor Largest Class of Graduates May 10

Contact: Gina Speciale, Media Relations Specialist
SDSU Marketing & Communications
(619) 594-4563 office; (619) 813-3581 cell
speciale@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO – (Monday, May 8, 2006)–For the first time, more than 1,000 Educational Opportunity Program students at San Diego State University have been approved to participate in graduation ceremonies.  The program will celebrate this milestone with a special graduation reception Wednesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Montezuma Hall. 

Reggie Blaylock, interim director of SDSU’s Educational Opportunity Program and Ethnic Affairs, said he is thrilled to see increasing numbers of EOP students overcome significant economic or other barriers to succeed academically at SDSU. 

“The success of these students isn’t just important to each individual, but to the entire community,” Blaylock said.  “Many of these students have overcome incredible odds, and now they have the opportunity to use their potential to help themselves, their families and the region.  They are a tremendous asset everyone can be proud of.”

EOP is an undergraduate program designed to admit, retain and graduate historically low-income, first-generation college students.  Of this year’s class, 103 are expected to graduate with honors, including Christina Campbell, this year’s Outstanding EOP graduate.

“EOP was the bridge that helped me transition from high school to college,” Campbell said.  “Its support and encouragement helped me go above and beyond my own expectations.  In the future, I hope to inspire more first-generation college students to succeed as well.”

While at SDSU, Campbell, 22, received a grant from the National Institutes of Health through the Minority and Biomedical Research Support program.  The grant enabled her to write an honors thesis focusing on the social relationships and behavior problems of abused and neglected children.  She will pursue her doctorate in ecological-community psychology at Michigan State University in the fall. 
More than 9,600 SDSU students have been approved to participate in the university’s official commencement ceremonies May 18-21.  More information about commencement is available at http://www.sdsu.edu/commencement.

SDSU is the oldest and largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region. Founded in 1897, SDSU offers bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 72 and doctorates in 16. SDSU’s nearly 33,000 students participate in academic curricula distinguished by direct faculty contact and an increasingly international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

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