EOP Trailblazer, Maxine McDonald

Maxine McDonald’s journey with the Educational Opportunity Program began in November 1983.

Fresh out of graduate school, McDonald was eager to fulfill her dream of helping people to live high functioning and productive lives. She fully embraced her role as an academic services coordinator which required her to provide learning and personal support to help students achieve their degree objective.

McDonald notes that students and staff of EOP are critical to student success. On a daily basis, the staff are cheerleaders, student advocates, motivators, encouragers, and accountability partners. They share the good and bad times. They are there to lend a listening ear as necessary.

She believes that, as EOP has done for 50 years, it will continue to lead the CSU in developing innovative strategies to help students succeed. The program will continue its tradition of providing low-income, first generation students with access to the university and academic and personal support to achieve their dream of a college degree.

Nevertheless, EOP cannot rest on its laurels. It must pursue innovative data-driven strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of EOP students. Political advocacy at all levels of government is critical to the program’s stability. Maintaining status quo is not good enough, yet, EOP is equal to future challenges.