UAlbany’s Incoming EOP Class Hears From UAlbany Alum, State Police Superintendent at Wilderness Outing

Four students wear harness gear for a high ropes course and pose for a picture in the woods.
Incoming freshmen who are part of UAlbany’s Educational Opportunity Program visited the WildPlay high ropes course in Thacher Park in Voorheesville on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Photos by Brian Busher)

By Bethany Bump

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 16, 2024) — On Friday, UAlbany welcomed 160 freshmen who are part of its Educational Opportunity Program to Thacher Park in Voorheesville for an ecotherapy outing that included team building and career exploration activities.

Students in the program, which provides admission opportunities for economically and educationally disadvantaged students from around New York state, took part in a ropes course at the park, then heard from State Police Superintendent and UAlbany alumnus Steven James, as well as other State Police members, about potential careers in law enforcement.  

It was the first in a series of career exploration opportunities the program will provide students this summer. All incoming EOP freshmen are required to participate in a five-week, residential summer program that helps prepare them for academic studies and life at UAlbany.

A man in a blue suit speaks to a crowd of students who are seated and standing at an outdoor pavilion in the woods. A state police trooper observes the scene in the foreground.
State Police Superintendent Steven James speaks to UAlbany's incoming EOP class about his career in law enforcement.

“I'm seeing great things as far as them getting to know each other and challenging themselves,” said Fred Blanchard, senior EOP counselor. “Most of these students are from New York City and a lot of them said, 'I’ve never been out in the woods, I’ve never challenged myself on a ropes course.' And now they’re out in the wilderness doing some things to really challenge themselves. It’s good stuff.”

In addition to the ropes course, students participated in trust-building exercises to get to know each other better, such as wearing blindfolds and relying on directions from fellow students to navigate their way along trails through the woods. After lunch, they listened to James explain how he charted a career from his undergraduate days studying psychology and criminal justice at UAlbany to the highest ranks of the State Police.

James, who graduated from Colonie High School in 1983 and attended UAlbany later that year, recalled how a lieutenant from the State Police Academy next door visited one of his classes to talk about careers in law enforcement.

“He said statistically, some of you in this class will end up in the State Police,” James recalled. “Me and my friends are thinking, yeah, yeah right. So about eight of us applied and only three of us got accepted. I was fortunate to be one of those to get accepted.”

A man in a blue suit speaks to students seated at a picnic table in the woods.
Superintendent James mingles with EOP students.

James graduated from the State Police Academy in 1987 and UAlbany in 1988, went on to get his master’s in public administration from Marist College, and then rose up the ranks through the State Police, serving as a trooper, investigator, sergeant, senior investigator, lieutenant, captain, major, staff inspector, assistant deputy superintendent and deputy superintendent before being appointed to the role of superintendent this past April.  

While some view the job as mostly writing tickets, James said he went into the field because he saw it as an avenue to help people.  

“We have a chance every day to help people and our encounters don’t have to be negative,” he said. “Every encounter doesn’t have to result in a ticket or an arrest… we tend to meet people on their worst day and it’s our job to help them in any way that we can.”

Taquan Saunders, a 17-year-old from Mount Vernon, N.Y., who will be studying graphic design, said the outing Friday was beneficial for someone making the transition from a small high school to a big college.  

A young person hangs from a high ropes course in the middle of a forest.
A student hangs from a zipline at Thacher Park.

“I'm so glad for this program because it wakes me back up from my senior year, from having senioritis and everything,” he said. “It’s helped me get ready for what's coming and also it doesn't make me start in the fall and not know anybody. I'm here early and now I've already met people from all over New York who are going to be here with me in the fall.”

Raddy Larry, an 18-year-old from the Bronx who is planning to major in cybersecurity, said the EOP summer program has taught him time management skills and made him feel more equipped to balance academic and social needs once the semester begins.

“I think if you are from an area where it's kind of underdeveloped this is like a good starter for college,” he said. “It helps you build the habits you need for college, because a lot of us are coming from high schools that don't really have the resources to set you up for college. So I think that EOP gives you that time you need to know what you need to do to be successful for college and in the future.”