Press release/provided photo
Genesee Community College proudly announces that Michael Montgomery, a dedicated student in GCC’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), has been named a recipient of the 2025 Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The honor, awarded by the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees and SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., recognizes 50 outstanding EOP students across the state for their academic achievement and extraordinary perseverance.
Now in its sixth year, the Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence celebrates students who exemplify the spirit and mission of the EOP, a transformative initiative designed to provide access, academic support, and financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Since its inception in 1967, the EOP has empowered more than 85,000 students-many of them the first in their families to attend college-with the tools to succeed in higher education and beyond.
“This award honors not just academic excellence, but the grit and determination it takes to overcome obstacles and achieve success,” said GCC Associate Dean of Students and EOP Coordinator Tanya Lane-Herbert. “Michael Montgomery embodies these values, and we are incredibly proud of his accomplishments and the bright future that lies ahead.”
The award is named in memory of Norman R. McConney, Jr. (1946-2016), a University at Albany graduate and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY. Alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, McConney played a pivotal role in establishing the EOP as a statewide initiative that has since become one of the most successful college access programs in the nation.
GCC’s EOP continues to support students like Michael through personalized academic advising, tutoring, mentorship and financial assistance-creating opportunities for success that extend far beyond the classroom.