Programs and counselors help students through guidance and scholarships

The state-funded EOP&S provides support sources for low-income and educationally disadvantaged students.
“With the help of EOP&S, I won the Chang Scholarship, which gives me $3,000-$6,000 a year. I am transferring to the University of California San Diego for Computer Science,” said Phat Huynh, 22, Computer Science.
The program was voted into law in 1969 and was part of the California community college system by 1970. EOP&S offers counseling, transfer and job placement services to qualifying students.
The program assists students that are working and have families and allows them to continue their education and still have time for work and family.
“Thanks to the support of EOP&S, I am transferring to San Jose State University for justice studies and a minor in sociology, so I don’t have to relocate my family and job,” said Stephanie Basulto, 22, administration of justice major.
EOP&S helps students graduate. Their counseling services play a key role with students and graduates overcome obstacles at San Jose City College.
The EOP&S showed their pride for the spring 2013 graduate students with a luncheon ceremony.
“The SJCC EOP&S Counseling Center is different from the normal SJCC counseling center. It can take weeks, even months, to be seen at the SJCC counseling center,” Huynh said.
Being able to have counselors that are available in and out of school allows students to enhance their educational goals despite the stressful turns in life.
“EOP&S counselors get to know their students on a personal and professional level. Having three required appointments per semester helps me stay on track with my education,” said Alheli Lamas, 22, scientific inquiry and quantitative reasoning major.
The EOP&S program has scholarships that students may receive along the way to achieving their educational goals.
“EOP&S has helped me succeed to the next level of my education, by allowing me to transfer into the University of California Berkeley for Anthropology and eventually dental school,” Lamas said.
“The EOP&S program has allowed me to rent textbooks for my courses,” Lamas said.
College textbooks aren’t cheap thanks to the support of EOP&S students are able to rent textbooks in order to achieve in their courses.
Huynh said, “Through the EOP&S program I gained leadership skills.”