Kelvin Herrera-Hassan, Mount HEOP director, discusses the benefits of going to college with NFA West scholars
Students from Newburgh Free Academy West recently visited Mount Saint Mary College to learn about the college experience from students in the Mount’s Higher Educational Opportunity Program (HEOP).
Lakeya Stukes, NFA school counselor, coordinated the visit with Kelvin Herrera-Hassan, Mount HEOP director, and Paola Martinez, Mount HEOP academic counselor.
NFA West scholars learned about life at Mount Saint Mary College, the financial aid benefits of being an HEOP student, and more.
The Mount’s HEOP program provides educational opportunities and support to traditionally underserved students who have strong academic potential, but would otherwise be excluded from higher education due to circumstances of academic and economic disadvantage.
The program is one of the most established and successful of its kind in New York. Since 1969 – only a decade after the Mount was established as a four-year institution – the HEOP program has been integral to the Mount’s commitment to accessible higher education and its philosophy of preparing students for a life of leadership.