For over 40 years, Taur Orange has led FIT’s Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP), a vital support system that guides socioeconomically disadvantaged students through the challenges of college life. She joined FIT in 1983 as a student advisor, intending to stay two years before pursuing a degree in social work. However, her deep commitment to educational equity, nurtured through earlier roles at the Harbor for Boys and Girls, the Archdiocese of New York, and the Upward Bound program at Brooklyn College, kept her rooted at FIT.
As EOP director, she has shaped the program around a profound belief in education’s transformative power, guiding students to lead full lives with careers that complement the entirety of their personhood. Through decades of cultural and institutional shifts at the college, her dedication to empowering students and preserving the program’s mission has not wavered.
FIT Newsroom: What brought you to lead the EOP at FIT?
Taur Orange: I was born and raised in a proud working-class Bronx community, in a two-parent home that was loving, creative, and intellectually rich. From early on, I understood firsthand the power of a quality education.
After I had been at FIT for 11 years, the sitting EOP director retired, and I was asked to take over. In the beginning, I handled every role, from director to counselor to secretary, and faced skepticism from the administration about the program’s value. Despite the challenges, I believed in EOP’s potential to be visionary, creative, and more than just academic, and I focused on designing a program that truly supports students.
What do you look for when selecting students for EOP?
The key is identifying students who would thrive with these kinds of support services. Not every student will succeed in the program.
When the program’s integrity is upheld, EOP becomes an investment in students who are hungry for opportunity and determined to uplift their communities, while also increasing the likelihood that they’ll stay in college and earn their degrees.
How does EOP support students academically and personally?
Many students arrive from high school needing additional support, particularly with the transition to New York City. Our four-week summer program helps fill those gaps by immersing students in foundational subjects like art history and writing, preparing them for the rigor of FIT’s academic environment. We also emphasize open communication and consistent mentorship.
Students meet with counselors at least twice a semester, though many stop by far more often. We affectionately call these frequent visitors our “office mice” because they’re always around.
How has the student-counselor relationship evolved since the pandemic?
The pandemic drastically changed how students engage in their education. Where a simple question once opened up a conversation, students now often respond hesitantly or guardedly, something unheard of in the past.
Knowing their stories to support them throughout college is a central part of what EOP offers. We have to dig deeper for students to engage beyond topics like “course withdrawal” or “I need this credit.”
It’s become much more transactional. This shift has eroded some of the human connection that once defined the student-counselor relationship. More than ever, EOP counselors recognize these changes and adapt, continuing to provide support throughout the college experience by emphasizing the power of genuine connection.
What other challenges does EOP face?
EOP is a best-practice, equity-driven model active on 55 of SUNY’s 64 campuses. As colleges nationwide grapple with declining enrollment, some administrators may view EOP primarily as a means to boost numbers, while some students may see it mainly as a source of financial aid. But the program’s purpose goes deeper: supporting socioeconomically disadvantaged students to thrive.
Reflecting on your decades of work, how does it feel to know that your work has helped so many students?
To whom much is given, much will be expected. If you’ve been given much, it’s your responsibility to give back. Knowing I’ve helped open doors and guide students toward fulfilling lives is the greatest reward.
—Dana Flores, Advertising and Marketing Communications ’22
Find out more about FIT’s Educational Opportunity Programs at fitnyc.edu/eop.
Find all of the articles in the EOP at 50 series on FIT Newsroom.