Editor’s Note: 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of EOPS. Students and alumni from each of the Peralta Colleges shared stories with the Board of Trustees at their April 8, 2025 meeting, and we will be sharing student and alumni stories about their EOPS experiences throughout the rest of the Spring 2025 semester. For more information about EOPS opportunities, visit their websites:
Below is a written transcript of the video:
Patricia Nelson
"I think that if I hadn't had the benefit of EOPS, I would have continued that cycle of starting school and stopping school, starting school and stopping school, instead of going on to be the valedictorian of the Class of 1992, win the Chancellor's Trophy, and get a full scholarship at Holy Names."
Sophia Parmigiani
"If you ask Miss Ramona anything, she is going to see what she can do for you and what the program can provide."
Elizabeth Hernandez
"When you meet with the counselor, and like, how close you get to get to that degree, it's just an exciting feeling that you get. In that last counseling meeting that I petitioned for the degree, I was in shock, so that was a happy moment that I got to do it with EOPS and CARE as well."
Elsie Lee
"I was a full-time student, still am a full-time student, and I work full-time, and I'm a single parent. When I joined EOPS, that was probably my 10th time enrolling in school over a 20-year period. They believed in me, and today I sit on the school board of the Emery Unified School District."
Antwa Kenai Rodriguez
"Me moving away from my hometown to a new city, it was a little hard. But being part of EOPS, I had some mentors that guided me. They gave me a CTE grant so I can be able to buy tools, they've been like guiding me like, "okay like take this class that could help you to pass this class," and also reference me to other tutoring sessions and internships too."
Mohammad Edress Nassimi
"EOPS gave me the guidance and resources for support in my life, and during my education journey, I needed to navigate my education successfully, from Laney College to transferring to a four-year University, which I am doing now at San Jose State University."
Angel Holmes
"For a few semesters, I was homeless, and just having my EOPS counselor motivated me through that, having that connection with my EOPS counselor provided a safe space for me to find just a lot of strength, courage, and hope through this journey of mine."
Ally Dinh
"My life is going to change for the better, for my daughter. So yeah, I'm lucky to be able to be a part of the Meritt community, you know, and the EOPS community, and I feel like people – if you're scared to start college, go to Merritt. Go to Merritt and apply for the EOPS program, because they're going to help you. Like I'm blessed, I'm about to go to SF State now, you know – ooh, I can't talk."