By Hope Bowser
Western Sun staff writer
Along with financial aid and counseling, Golden West offers many supplementary opportunities for students to succeed in school. One such example is EOPS, or Extended Opportunity Programs and Services.
EOPS provides additional services to students who meet certain qualifications such as a financial requirement, minimum GPA of 2.0, and maintaining status as a full-time student at GWC.
If these requirements are met, students have access to many resources including vouchers for books and materials each semester, as well as “the best personal counseling on campus, for class schedules as well as personal issues,” according to Tom Flood, EOPS student and CARE club president.
Flood elaborates that EOPS offers unparalleled “in-depth counseling where they know you and take a personal approach to dealing with you.”
One aspect of the EOPS program is CARE, a program to help single parent students, male or female, who meet a certain level of financial need to achieve academic success.
CARE offers services like merit grants, gas cards, luncheons for the kids and parents, and an opportunity for participation in the Adopt-A-Family program with outside organizations.
But EOPS/CARE isn’t just about helping the students in the club; as Flood’s 6-year-old daughter Sereena illustrates, “Sharing is caring.”
Due to this newly adopted motto, the EOPS/CARE club does its fair share of philanthropy, including the recent swap meet fundraiser held where the money was raised specifically for the adopt a family program.
EOPS/CARE does many such fundraisers throughout the year with proceeds deposited into the club account; an end of the year decision allocates the money to some end of the year event or another.
This year, however, EOPS/CARE decided to uphold their motto and forgo a group trip to an amusement park and donate the money to the foster youth program, as well as Adopt-A-Family.
“EOPS/CARE is a larger club on campus, but as an active participant it has been great for me, giving me a great opportunity to get involved.” The EOPS program is currently helping roughly 1,000 students and CARE is a smaller group at around 43 active members.
While both EOPS and CARE offer many opportunities to help their students succeed, Flood stresses that the priority of CARE truly is the kids. “CARE is about making our student parents self initiated, self motivated people… it’s all for them.”
The office is located above Admissions and Records.
Eops is an excellent program. I didn’t even knew of the program till about my 2nd semester here at Golden West. Tom Flood actually told me and brought me to the Eops program for the first time. At first i thought there was a catch for the program because of the $275-now down to $200 for books, but there was no catch.The only catch that I can think of is to schedule a meeting with the counselor twice a semester. These people are really out to help students. this program is i can’t stress enough how wonderful it is. I really hope that it still is around next semester and many semesters to come.
EOPS is one of the most helpful, necessary programs on campus. The counselors are always helpful and friendly. I am so thankful to my counselor, Michelle, for always showing a positive, caring attitude while keeping me on track and for all the time spent helping me decide which direction to take regarding my continuing education as a re-entry student. There were days I’m not sure I would have done as well as I did without her help and encouragement.
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Yeah the catch is obviuos since with 200 one can only buy 1 book for the term…