SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. presented Cayuga Class of 2026 member T’Queria Bowman with the prestigious Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence

Cayuga’s Bowman Earns Celebrated SUNY EOP Award

A student enrolled in Cayuga Community College’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) was recently recognized by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. for her dedication and academic achievements.

Cayuga Class of 2026 member T’Queria Bowman received SUNY’s prestigious Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence, joining 48 other SUNY student recipients. The award, now in its seventh year, celebrates EOP students for their academic accomplishments and commitment.

Cayuga EOP Coach Vanessa Davis, who has worked with Bowman since she enrolled in the program, said Bowman has demonstrated incredible perseverance and growth.

“Despite facing academic challenges, she has remained determined to improve and stayed committed to her goal of graduating. As a student and mother balancing school, work, and family responsibilities, T’Queria demonstrates remarkable resilience, discipline, and heart. Her positive presence in the EOP Office and her willingness to support others truly reflect the spirit of the EOP program, making her a very deserving recipient of the McConney Award,” said Davis.

An Auburn native, Bowman arrived at Cayuga in the summer of 2023. She’s a regular presence on Cayuga’s Auburn Campus, where she works in the Student Services Center. She’s remained steadfast in her commitment to earning her degree, drawing inspiration from her children, Ja’Liyah and Ja’Moura McGriff, and from other parts of the Cayuga community.

“There’s been a lot of things that have influenced me over the past several years and helped me remain dedicated to earning my degree. My children definitely motivate me to do better for them,” said Bowman. “And Cayuga has given me phenomenal support. I took steps forward to achieve things that I thought I couldn’t do, and now I’m graduating. It feels good to accomplish things that you felt you’d never be able to reach.”

Bowman will earn her Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Humanities and Social Sciences this year, and is considering several next steps to continue her education, including entering an LPN program. She thanked the College’s EOP staff for their support throughout her time at Cayuga.

“They’ve been my foundation at Cayuga. They’re always supporting me, pushing me further, making sure I’m putting my best foot forward. Any time I was down, they would talk with me and make sure I had the motivation I needed to keep moving forward,” said Bowman.

EOP is offered at 55 SUNY institutions and is in its fourth year at Cayuga. The program provides access, academic support, and financial assistance to eligible full-time students, including one-to-one personal and academic counseling and free individual tutorial assistance. Eligibility is based on income and academic preparedness. The program currently serves more than 9,000 SUNY students.

The SUNY award is named in memory of Norman R. McConney Jr., a SUNY Albany graduate and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY who advanced several statewide initiatives to benefit underrepresented New York State residents. He was also one of the leading voices in creating EOP as a statewide program, which in its history has served almost 90,000 students.

For details on Cayuga’s EOP program, visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/students/services/educational-opportunity-program/. For more information about the Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence, visit https://www.suny.edu/attend/academics/eop/.