In January, Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled New York State’s fiscal year 2027 budget, which included a proposed 6% reduction in funding for the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). The cuts, tied to broader federal funding reductions, would affect programs at 47 institutions across New York State, including Canisius University.
But what exactly is HEOP — and why does it matter?
Established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, the program is a partnership between the state and participating colleges and universities. HEOP supports students with strong potential who may not meet traditional admissions requirements by providing financial assistance, academic support and personal development resources designed to help them succeed in college and beyond.
Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fatima Rodriguez Johnson, MS ’98, EdD describes HEOP as a lifeline that helps students succeed both academically and personally. “It’s more than financial assistance,” she said. “It’s tutoring and counseling. It helps them prep and pay the fees to apply to graduate schools and exams like the LSATs or MCATs. HEOP pays for their school supplies and travel for them to return home twice each semester if needed.”
Across Higher Education Opportunity Program sites statewide—46 programs at 45 institutions—Canisius University continues to demonstrate the program’s impact. The university currently supports 115 HEOP students in the 2025–26 academic year, including 87 who are first-generation college students. At present, 87 students are admitted under HEOP, 49 of whom are first generation. Over the past 25 years, nearly 980 students have entered Canisius through HEOP, with 523 going on to graduate—an enduring reflection of the program’s role in expanding access and driving student success.
In short, without HEOP, many students would have far fewer opportunities to pursue a college education.
With the potential for funding cuts and the state’s April 1 budget deadline approaching, advocates had a limited window to urge lawmakers to restore support. The Higher Education Opportunity Program Professional Organization encouraged institutions, including Canisius, to participate in February’s New York State Advocacy Day, ensuring that student voices were heard across the state and in Albany ahead of the April 1 budget deadline.
Canisius tapped alumnus Glorie Ndagano ’23 — along with current students — to create a digital appeal aimed at restoring, and even increasing, funding for the program. The video was produced and shared through Ndagano’s podcast, EatSipChat, which offered an opportunity to reach a broad audience including the Buffalo community.
For Ndagano, the chance to create the digital message was also deeply personal. “I’m a product of HEOP,” Ndagano said. “Without HEOP, I’m not sure if I would’ve finished my education at Canisius. I don’t think I would’ve been able to accept the offer to play soccer for the Division I team because the scholarship alone wasn’t enough.”
Associate Director of HEOP at Canisius Cavina T. James said she and HEOP Coordinator of Counseling and Support Services Dontee Sylvester intentionally selected students representing each stage of the program. “We thought it would be good to capture students from each cohort — freshman, sophomore, junior, senior — along with Glorie, an alumnus of the program,” James said.
Bringing current students together with a former participant added a powerful dimension to the project. “In my opinion, it was great,” James said. “It’s impactful for current students to see alumni of the program and hear their success stories — what they are doing now and how HEOP and a college education have afforded them opportunities.”
Participating students included William Monk ’26, an animal behavior, ecology and conservation major from Buffalo; Madison Howard ’29, a psychology major from Rochester; Armatti Mendez ’28, a journalism major from New York City; Amaris Autin-Hefner ’29, a psychology major from Buffalo; and Mamadou Gueye ’28, a political science major from New York City. Watch the students' stories here:
Shainna Marie Overstreet ’26 of Buffalo also shared her own powerful story. A first-generation college student, she first enrolled in 2006 but stepped away after being academically dismissed, in part because she felt unprepared. Years later, she returned to continue her studies and is now on track to complete her degree in May 2026. The hardworking mother credits HEOP with helping make her path back to graduation possible.
Ndagano said sharing his own story in addition to making the digital appeal was an easy decision, particularly because HEOP played such a central role in his college experience. “Academics were never the problem,” he said. “But the financial part was. HEOP helped make it possible for me to stay and succeed. It gave me a support system and a safe space — I knew if I needed help, it was available.”
Student perspectives, James said, are central to the purpose of Advocacy Day. “Their voices are extremely important,” James said. “Legislators and policymakers want to hear directly from them about how the program has shaped them and provided the support they needed to succeed.”
For Ndagano, the program’s impact extends far beyond any single campus. “This program has given so many students the opportunity to make a difference,” he said. “Many HEOP graduates are serving communities across New York State. Without that opportunity, some students who grew up in difficult circumstances might never have made it to college.”
What happens if the funding isn’t restored by the deadline? Rodriguez Johnson said the consequences could be significant. “Canisius, along with the other 47 schools, will have to have difficult conversations — among us and with students,” she said. “There will have to be changes and something will have to go. There will be hard decisions that will have to be made.”
