Two EOF Scholars Prove That Persistence Changes Generations

On May 15, 2026, the Saint Elizabeth University community will celebrate more than degrees at commencement. It will celebrate resilience, perseverance, and the life-changing power of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program as two extraordinary students cross the graduation stage after overcoming significant personal challenges while remaining committed to their education and future.

Among those graduates is Sahara Jamison Stephens, a Social Work major who first entered Saint Elizabeth University through the Guaranteed Education Program during the EOF Summer Program of 2022. Like many EOF students, Sahara began her college journey balancing academics, personal responsibilities, and the pressures that often come with being a first-generation college student from Newark, NJ. In the midst of completing her degree, Sahara welcomed her daughter, Amara Saige, on January 20, 2026. Rather than allowing life’s challenges to interrupt her educational goals, Sahara remained determined, focused, and committed to building a brighter future for herself and her child. On May 15, she will proudly earn her college degree, demonstrating the strength and determination that define the EOF spirit.

Also graduating is Vernon Green, a Religious Studies and Sociology major whose journey reflects perseverance at every stage of life. Born on February 10, 1961, Vernon returned to higher education with a determination to complete what he started despite facing serious health obstacles along the way. Through unwavering faith, discipline, and support from the EOF Program, Vernon continued forward and never lost sight of his goal. His graduation stands as a reminder that persistence has no age limit and that educational achievement remains possible through life’s most difficult moments.

Both Sahara and Vernon represent the mission of EOF: providing access, opportunity, academic support, mentorship, and encouragement to students who may otherwise face barriers to higher education. EOF is more than a program at Saint Elizabeth University, it is a foundation of support that empowers students to persist through adversity and succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

As Saint Elizabeth University celebrates the Class of 2026, the stories of Sahara Jamison Stephens and Vernon Green serve as powerful examples of courage, determination, and hope. Their journeys remind us that EOF is not simply a program, it is an extension of family.