Program Services We Provide

One-on-One Holistic Advisement

The HEOP staff understands that students enter college with their own circumstances and experiences while facing unique challenges. HEOP provides individual and group counseling opportunities covering financial, academic, and personal concerns. The HEOP staff wants to make certain that you develop self-confidence, independence, and successful approaches to learning in college. The students, alongside their HEOP counselor, will begin to design an Individual Graduation Plan that will be used to inform future academic, career, and life decisions. This personalized attention builds a trusting relationship necessary to face challenges together.

Academic Support

The Office of Academic Support and Engagement employs professional and peer coaches who will assist you in mastering the required coursework. As a HEOP student, you will receive tailored academic supports distinctly designed for program participants. You will meet with our university writing specialist weekly through your first year and have access to a math coach throughout your duration in the program.

Financial Support

Realizing that financing a college education may be a major obstacle for students, HEOP staff, in cooperation with Daemen's Financial Aid office, make every effort to provide for the financial needs of HEOP students. Students receive funding through a combination of Federal and State aid and Daemen University institutional grants which vary depending on each student's circumstances. Your financial need is determined by the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Leadership Development and Service

HEOP students advance positive change through student leadership opportunities. Our students take on transformative roles within student government, diversity and inclusion, and academic support. 

HEOP students are encouraged to participate in service opportunities within the university as well as the greater Western New York area. From the very beginning, students are immersed in collaborative learning that leads to engagement beyond the classroom. Through self-reflection and exploration of group identity, HEOP students become equipped with the tangible skills to provide meaningful support to the community while fostering a sense of belonging.