Skidmore College Opportunity Program Mission Statement
September 2016
What is The Higher Education Opportunity Program?
Skidmore College’s Opportunity Program (OP) provides access to a high quality liberal
arts education for talented and motivated students whose academic and financial circumstances
would make them otherwise unable to attend our institution. OP consists of students
from New York admitted through the state’s Higher Education Opportunity Program and
students recruited through Skidmore’s Academic Opportunity Program who live outside
of New York and/or have a family income that slightly exceeds HEOP guidelines.
The goal of OP is to realize student success pre- and post-graduation through the
promotion of academic excellence; development of meaningful and inclusive social engagement;
capacity to persist in the face of adversity; cultivation of a strong sense of purpose
and meaning; development of trust in one’s agency; and motivation to contribute to
the common good. These qualities are cultivated during the student’s undergraduate
career at Skidmore and further facilitated by services offered in OP.
The overarching philosophy of OP is a student-centered approach to academic and psychosocial support that serves the student
holistically. Guided by evidence-based approaches to assessment and intervention and attention
to outcome data, OP staff will meet students where they are and develop strategies
for academic and psychosocial support based on the individual student’s strengths
and needs. Through collaboration and partnership with other campus offices, OP is
integral in launching successful graduates capable of realizing their unique potential
in their post-baccalaureate lives.
