In the summer of 1966, the SEEK Program was created by The City University of New York.  Established by the State Legislature for the CUNY senior colleges, the SEEK Program accepts low-income students who would not be admitted otherwise.  Since its inception, the number of SEEK students in all of CUNY has increased from 1,400 to 10,000.

SEEK was the first program of its sort in the United States.  It became a model and a prototype for Higher Education Opportunity Programs across the country.  Most SUNY schools now have their Equal Opportunities Programs (EOP), and many private colleges have a Higher Opportunities Program (HEOP).  These programs would not exist, and many talented students would not have a college degree were it not for SEEK.

In fact, when the SEEK Program was initiated, the percentage of minority students enrolled in Senior CUNY colleges was a mere 1.5%.  SEEK opened the doors to black and hispanic students.  Now, according to US News and World Report, Baruch is the most diverse college in the country.