Senior Nikolas Recore (Peru, NY) is one of just 49 students in SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) to be honored with a 2026 Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The award, celebrating its seventh class of awardees, recognizes outstanding EOP students for their academic merit and perseverance. Recore will graduate in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Technology in Cybersecurity and is a four-year letter winner in track and field.
“Nik is exactly the kind of student this award was created to recognize,” said Jennifer Golden, Director of Educational Opportunity Program at SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech. “He brings the same dedication to his Cybersecurity studies and his commitment to EOP that he brings to the track — and he does the work to sustain it. He uses the resources available to him, takes care of himself, and shows up as his best self in every area of his life. We’re incredibly proud of him.”
The award is named in honor of Norman R. McConney Jr., a 1971 graduate from the State University of New York at Albany and former Assistant Dean for Special Programs at SUNY. McConney, alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, helped create EOP as a statewide program.
Since its inception in 1967, SUNY’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program has provided access, academic support, and supplemental financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. In its 58-year history, EOP has graduated nearly 90,000 students and served as one of the country’s most successful college access programs. EOP eligibility is based on income and academic readiness. EOP currently serves more than 9,000 students across 55 SUNY campuses. More information about SUNY’s EOP can be found here.
“Over nearly 60 years, SUNY’s EOP has supported tens of thousands of students and empowered them to achieve their full potential,” SUNY Chancellor King said. “I am honored to recognize this year’s recipients of the Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence. Our McConney award winners’ hard work as they move forward on their path to academic excellence and upward mobility makes them an inspiration for all of our students, faculty, staff, and administrators.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “The Educational Opportunity Program continues to offer students statewide the support and guidance on their path to a college degree. We are proud to recognize the recipients of this year’s Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence for their hard work and perseverance during their academic journeys. SUNY is grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature for their continued support of SUNY, and our EOP students.”
