Brian Castillo

When I was doing my applications, I went to talk to my college counselor, and he told me about Educational Opportunity Program. He told me to apply because they could help me out since it was program that helped low income students and first-generation students pursue higher education. Initially, I was denied the access to come to the university. I didn’t have the grades to get accepted to any university, so every university denied me. But it wasn’t until EOP reached out to me to let me know that I qualified for the Educational Opportunity Program. I got into the program and I went through the summer phase. I did everything I had to do to get into the university.

I honestly think that EOP is one of the greatest programs that I’ve ever been part of, outside of the TRiO Programs. They helped me pretty much get my life together, and they’re helping me achieve my dreams. They let me know that anything is possible and that I’m capable of doing what I want with my life. Now as a third-year student, I feel like I have accomplished more than I ever have in my entire life. I ended up getting a job on campus this semester with the EOP TRiO Student Services Program. I’m an office assistant mentor and I feel like everything is shaping up for me, better than it was before. I feel freer to be who I am now than I ever did before.

I would like incoming EOP students to know that they can become whoever they want to be and all it takes is ganas, or hunger. Hunger to dream, hunger for a better future. Hardships make you who you are today. Praise those experiences and what they been through because if you hadn’t gone through that, you wouldn’t be here today. With the support from EOP, anything is possible.