历史

The 首都区教育机会中心 began as a direct result of the 1960s movement which recognized segments of our population were not being adequately served by traditional educational methods. Through the efforts of Governor Nelson Rockefeller and the state Legislature, funding was provided through the State University of New York to establish 教育机会中心s in Troy, 水牛, 曼哈顿, 和布鲁克林. Each new center offered not only the usual vocational training and college preparation, but also community services aimed at surrounding residents.

By 1986, the state Legislature recognized the value of these centers and created additional ones. There are now 10 教育机会中心s and two Career Counseling Centers. Each of the centers is affiliated with a higher education institution within the SUNY or CUNY system. All are subject to financial, academic, and workforce guidelines as well as performance standards. All are committed to providing access to higher education and employment to underserved populations.

In 1998, the State University of New York’s University Center for Academic and Workforce Development (UCAWD) assumed the oversight of the EOC’s. UCAWD’s mission is to promote the social and monetary well-being of its academically- and economically-challenged citizens by creating and sustaining high quality education and workforce initiatives. This mission is crucially important to New York State and its future.

从一开始, the Capital District EOC’s administering campus has been 哈德逊山谷社区学院. The initial commitment was made by then President James J. 费茨基布斯, Reuben Merchant协助, and strong support continued under the direction of President Joseph J. Bulmer. The initial location for the Urban Center in this area was Troy. 很快，奥尔巴尼和斯克内克塔迪也开设了分店, all affiliated with 哈德逊山谷社区学院.

The initial location of the Urban Center in Troy was at Washington and Front streets next to Clemente Cement plant, 离哈德逊河只有几英尺. These facilities consisted of former buildings operated by the Barge Canal Authority and then the Naval Reserve during World War II. Clearance to use these buildings had to be secured not only from the state, 联邦政府也是如此.

The first programs to start were technical programs, with academic programs developing soon after. 招生 in the first year for all three sites totaled 629 students with 237 graduating. Machine Tool was the first program started in September 1966. Others that followed in the next several months were Power Sewing, 打字及速记, 起草, 汽车维修, 焊接, 英语, 社会研究, 科学, 数学与商务英语. 在奥尔巴尼工厂, 抵消复制, 用打孔机打孔, 打字及速记, 初级办公室职员, 英语, 社会研究, 科学 数学与商务英语 were offered. At the Schenectady facility, 打字及速记 began in May of 1967.

The Albany location initially was at 495 Broadway but had to be moved to 1332 Broadway after a fire destroyed the first facility on February 27, 1966. The Schenectady facility began in the former Jewish Community Center on May 1, 1967. 当时, the center had what was called an Opportunity Van used as a mobile office to assist in a door-to-door recruitment effort in the Albany area. Graduates placed in employment at the end of the first year were earning an average salary of $75 per week.

从一开始, 增加了新的程序, 包括大学准备, 高中同等学历, 阅读准备, 学术准备, 英语作为第二语言, 基础教育, 美容, 护理助理, 医疗记录, 建筑行业和烹饪培训. Other programs were discontinued due to lack of enrollment or sufficient employment opportunities. 项目 also have moved from all of their original locations in Troy to 145 Congress Street in 1984 and then to 431 River Street in 2014. In Albany, programs were moved from Broadway to Central Avenue and then to North Russell Road. The Schenectady program was closed by Schenectady County Community College.

在其半个多世纪的运营中, the EOC not only improved its facilities to create an atmosphere more conducive to learning, but also offered programs and services that have resulted in countless success stories. Thousands of people from the inner cities and the seven-county area have benefited from the Center’s programs and it is our continued privilege to serve them.

The scope of the Center’s and the students’ success can be measured by the fact we have served more than 45,500人，超过25人,500名毕业生和14名,000年配售. The EOC annually enrolls approximately 1,000 individuals, with an average age of 30. The clients served are from a diverse population including 37 percent white; 40 percent black or African-American; 8.西班牙裔占6%，8%.2%亚裔. 在这组中，有13个.5%接受社会服务资助, 22%的人领取社会保险, 41%的人是一家之主. The average annual income when students enroll is approximately $15,000. Annually approximately 200 individuals are placed in employment. 薪水从1.6万美元到4.3万美元不等. A number of individuals continue their education in college or other post-secondary institutions.

Through the years, the Center staff has been dedicated to its mission. 最重要的是, the students who have entered our doors have been extremely successful and are the pride of the 教育机会中心.

(最后更新九月. 2019)