Educational Opportunity Center Building Dedication in Honor of Arthur O. Eve

Good morning! I am delighted all of you could join us for this special dedication ceremony.

Our University at Buffalo community is deeply proud and honored to name our new Educational Opportunity Center building after the Honorable Arthur O. Eve, a great champion of educational and social equality, who did so much to enrich our Buffalo community, and communities throughout our state, during his distinguished 36-year career in the New York State Assembly.

We are so pleased he and his family are with us today.

I would also like to recognize some of the many distinguished guests who have joined us for this celebration, including Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, Chancellor Emeritus of the New York State Board of Regents Robert Bennett, SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin, SUNY Trustee Lori Mould, Secretary of the State University of New York Joel Pierre-Louis, U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins, several current and past members of the New York State Legislature, including, Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Assembly Member Robin Schimminger, Assembly Member Sean Ryan, Assembly Member Ray Walter, State Senator Tim Kennedy, and a very special acknowledgment of Arthur Eve’s longtime colleagues in the Legislature, former Senator DaleVolker and former Assemblyman Paul Tokasz. Together they accomplished so much on behalf of this region.

We are also pleased to welcome County Executive Mark Poloncarz and several members of the Erie County Legislature, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Common Council President Darius Pridgen, Empire State Development Council regional president Sam Hoyt, several members of the University at Buffalo Council, and our many other distinguished guests.

When we celebrated the grand opening of this beautiful building last year, I noted that we would not be standing here at the new home of the EOC without the tireless work and vision of Deputy Speaker Eve.

His legacy as a champion for greater opportunity—especially in the realm of education—has had a deep and sustained impact on the Buffalo community and UB. 

In the 40 years since he first fought for state funding to seed SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program, we have witnessed the tremendous growth and great success of this program—and UB’s EOC.

The EOC has become a beacon of opportunity for the many students who have come here, and for the larger community.

As a leader in civic engagement and service, the EOC has also played an important role in fulfilling our mission at UB and SUNY.

It’s a mission that greatly reflects the public service legacy of Arthur O. Eve—a man dedicated to improving education, and economic and social opportunity in our community.

It is indeed a most fitting tribute to honor Arthur Eve’s vision and leadership in education by naming this building after him.

This beautiful new facility in the heart of UB’s growing downtown campus is ensuring for generations to come that the EOC will continue to help provide the opportunities for our community that Arthur Eve envisioned.

Its impact has been profound, not only by enhancing educational opportunity, but also by creating a rich environment for lifelong learning, and providing academic and career training to prepare graduates who will make significant contributions to the Buffalo community.

This state-of-the-art collaborative learning environment continues to play a key role in enriching the educational and vocational opportunities that will come with the knowledge-based economy we are building in our region.

Our university and our community are inspired by the legacy and leadership of Arthur Eve, and we will continue to work together to sustain and build on this legacy. 

In that spirit, we are honored to recognize his inspiring example as we dedicate this new home for the UB Educational Opportunity Center in his name.

Thank you, Mr. Eve, for all the opportunities you have helped create here in Buffalo and across New York State.