In the spring of 1969, the New York Legislature amended the Education Law to begin an opportunity program in private higher education institutions. News of this new program reached the late Edward Waters, then a professor of English and the Upward Bound director, who initiated the proposal to bring this program to Marist College with the support of Dr. Linus Richard Foy, college president. In Fall 1969, Marist College became one of the original 24 institutions to sponsor H.E.O.P and began with 18 freshman students. More than half of these students came from New York City and the remainder were Dutchess County residents. Approximately 50% of those original students graduated.

H.E.O.P (a division of Student Academic Affairs) is a comprehensive academic support program designed for New York State residents who are capable of success, but have not had the educational opportunities to thoroughly prepare them for college. These first-time college students are selected for the program through the freshman admissions process or as a transfer from another opportunity program (EOP, SEEK, College Discovery). Students are admitted without regard to age, gender, race or creed. The H.E.O.P program is a partnership between the New York State Education Department/Bureau of H.E.O.P and 63 independent colleges and universities statewide.

Today, the Marist H.E.O.P program has a full-time enrollment of 56 students who hail from all over New York State. Twenty nine percent of them received Dean's List honors in the 2005-06 academic year. The H.E.O.P graduation rate often exceeds the national graduation rate of college students. Currently, the 5-year cohort graduation rate for Marist H.E.O.P is 81%. H.E.O.P students are active contributors as members and leaders in activities such as the Habitat For Humanity, Student Government Association (SGA), Appreciating Races Creating Opportunities (ARCO*), Campus Ministry, Marist Abroad Program, and the Black Students Union (BSU). The program has graduated over 285 students since its inception whose professions include advertising executives, physicians, accountants, lawyers, educators, business administrators, a software marketing business owner, social workers and mor