Presented to SUNY EOP Students who have Exhibited Academic and Personal Excellence

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – The State University of New York will present SUNY Orange student Rancelli Burdier with the Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for EOP Student Excellence during a reception and ceremony in Albany, N.Y. later this spring.

Burdier, of Ellenville, is a humanities and social science student at SUNY Orange who ultimately plans to transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a career as a counselor or mental health therapist.

The McConney Award recognizes outstanding SUNY Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students who are on track to graduate this academic year and who have exhibited academic success, courage, perseverance and leadership qualities throughout their collegiate academic journey. To be eligible for the award, students had to be nominated by an administrator at their institution. One awardee was then selected from the SUNY colleges and universities that offer EOP programs.

Burdier is an engaged student who is passionate about self-expression in the form of storytelling, interior design and communication. She is currently volunteering on a working group representing EOP students as part of the College's accreditation process with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. She is also participating in the College’s “I am a Leader” program, a year-long series of workshops and presentations designed to help students strengthen their leadership skills and build relationships with academic and community leaders. 

SUNY Orange’s EOP program is funded through a SUNY grant. It provides access, academic support and financial aid counseling to low-income and academically underprepared students. Students in the program receive comprehensive wraparound services throughout the academic year, including: specialized advising; career assessment and planning; and financial literacy. Students also have access to a student success coach and a financial aid liaison. 

SUNY Orange offers 40 degree and certificate programs housed within seven academic communities: Arts and Media; Business; Culture, Society and the Mind; Education and Human Services; Health Sciences and Wellness; Justice and Community Engagement; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 

To learn more about how to apply to SUNY Orange, please visit: sunyorange.edu/getstarted, email: apply@sunyorange.edu, or call (845) 341-4030.