EOP Trailblazer, Ralph W. Dawson

Ralph W. Dawson began his journey with EOP while working on his masters at UCLA in 1968. He was asked to develop recruitment and outreach for the college, and this would later be known as EOP. Mr. Dawson worked with EOP for five years and took part in developing the Harmer Bill, which established EOP as a state-funded organization.

While visiting the houses of potential students, Mr. Dawson was blindsided by the fact that, while education was critical in his household, others did not feel the same and never thought about going to college.

He learned the challenge was not only getting the students into school but keeping them into school. Mr. Dawson noted that these students did not only need money, but introduction to the university environment. The challenge in developing EOP was cultural as much as it was an academic challenge.

Mr. Dawson hopes that the university will carry the EOP values. He believes it is about educating the excluded and that somebody should always be there to allow people into higher education who might not have had the opportunity attend otherwise.

Anybody who wants to get an education can get one, but someone has to be there to pick up people who may not be aware of their own potential, those who do not see what an education can do for them or those who do not have support from their family or community.