Emma Bloomberg Center for Access & Opportunity, Princeton University

09/02/2026

Happy Princeton University Tigers!

We, and our FLi Alum, are wishing you the BEST day and a great semester!

🐅🧡🖤🏫

08/27/2026

We have officially wrapped up another successful summer across our 7 programs and 400+ students!

"Every summer, EBCAO welcomes over 400 students to campus, from high school sophomores considering their college options to community college and veteran students looking to transfer to a four-year environment and incoming Princeton students eager to begin their journey at the University, according to Khristina Gonzalez, senior associate dean of the college and the Bob Peck ’88 Director of EBCAO.

'Through the support of faculty, staff and near peers, these students gain confidence and skills to apply to and succeed in college,' Gonzalez said."

As we transition into the academic year, we are excited to kick off another year of supporting students at Princeton and beyond, including those from first-generation college, lower-income, transfer, veteran and military backgrounds!

Read the full story:

More than 400 students participated in programs led by the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity.

04/04/2026

This weekend, the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access & Opportunity in partnership with Access, Diversity and Inclusion at the Princeton Graduate School hosted the first Graduate Access Information Network Seminar as part of the Graduate Access Information Network under the direction of Dr. Afia Ofori-Mensa, Director of Postgraduate Pathways in the EBCAO!

The seminar was born from an observation of a gap in supporting students on their pathways to graduate degrees. GAINS is a professional development opportunity for faculty and staff members whose work involves supporting undergraduate students and alumni – especially first-generation and lower-income college students – in applying to PhD programs. Workshops address best practices for mentoring students through the PhD application process. The seminar presents opportunities to engage with Princeton faculty members and graduate students from a variety of disciplines. Most broadly, the event is a forum for discussion about the state of graduate education at a moment of challenge and change in the landscape of higher education in the United States.

03/16/2026

"Coming to a place like Princeton where I can get my bachelor's without having to pay a dime, set me up for success to be able and not be afraid to pursue graduate school. Princeton made possible my dreams of being a physician. I like to think of Princeton as the bridge between my military service and my future service as a physician, especially with the motto in the nation service and the service of humanity." ~ Luke Hixson '25

Luke, it was an honor to stand up with you during your time as an undergraduate, to with you now, and even more of an honor to see you following your dreams and doing amazing things!

12/19/2025

Yvonne Tsai remembers the CEO of DHL Express telling her that “the gap between zero and one is infinity.”

​“Which means that when you have no chance at anything versus a 1% chance, it is extremely different circumstances,” Tai said. “If there’s even a little bit of opportunity, then they should give it their all. If they see any form of opportunity at all in the future, have the grit and the guts to fight for a better opportunity.

TSI 2025 alum, Yvonne is a testament to that statement, graduating during Rowan College at Burlington County's winter commencement with her associate degree in computer science as valedictorian. She'll earn an additional three associate degrees in computer information systems, mathematics, and physics in Spring 2026.

Yvonne, we couldn't be prouder of you. Congratulations on this amazing milestone and the many more to come!

Read Yvonne's story: https://rcbc.edu/news/after-12-year-delay-higher-education-rcbc-student-yvonne-tai-earns-valedictorian

11/08/2025

Week raffle winners!

09/15/2025

Run, don't walk, to see our very own Amanda Hugas (and peep the EBCAO suite) on the Today Show!

We see you, superstar, and we are so happy to have you in our community! 💛🐅🖤

Watch the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_IEaY6j8BQ

08/30/2025

As we look to the start of the academic year next week, it's hard to believe that we just wrapped up another successful summer a week ago!

"Although the center offers year-round programs for high school and college students from Princeton and non-University schools, the summer provides extended time for classes, professional development, research projects and other activities focused on academic enrichment, college preparation, mentorship and community building.

Students credit these experiences with exposing them to new ways of thinking, improving their research, writing and analytical skills, and transforming how they approach their higher education journeys."

We are increasingly excited to continue to host a slate of programs: the Aspiring Scholars and Professionals (ASAP), Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI), Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP), the Transfer Scholars Initiative (TSI), the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), and the new Lydia Scholars program (LSP).

Thank you to our faculty, staff, university and community partners, and especially our students, for another great summer!

We can't wait to kick off the academic year with you all in a few short days!

Full story at: https://www.princeton.edu/news/2025/08/25/how-princeton-summer-programs-help-high-school-public-college-transfer-veteran-and

05/27/2025

Congratulations to the great ! We are honored to have been part of this chapter in your journeys, and can’t wait to see all the great things that are next for you!

“To all the parents, families, and people who have stood by us: we didn’t earn this alone. We earned this with you, for you, and because of you.

Beyond that, we’ve redefined what success means. It’s not just about grades or awards or how full your Google Calendar is. For us, success is making our families proud. It’s holding the door open for the next person. It’s building the kind of community where no one feels like they have to go through it alone — because we remember what that feels like.

We’ve learned to thrive in spaces where we were never expected to succeed — and in doing so, we’ve changed what it means to belong. That’s the power of our background. And that’s what we carry with us into the future.

We are not defined just by the degrees we receive today, but by what we do with them tomorrow. And I know so many of us — especially as FLI students — have always carried the goal of giving back. I’ve seen so many of you already doing incredible, impactful work — and I know there’s more to come.” ~Melissa Ruiz ‘25, FLI Graduation Speaker

Cheers to all of you, and until next time, our beloved FLIgers! 🧡🐅🖤🥂

04/24/2025

We're happy to announce that our team is growing!

If you are interested in creating, implementing, and maintaining programs initiatives in the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access & Opportunity to advance our mission of supporting first-generation, lower-income (FLi) students as they enter Princeton and throughout their time here, be sure to apply to the Associate Director for College Success, Academic Affairs position!

Reporting to the Director of College Success, Academic Affairs, the Associate Director will create, implement, and maintain programs and initiatives in the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity that advance the Center’s mission of supporting first-generation, lower-income (FLi) students...