SUNY Chancellor King Announces Second Year of Internship Exchange Program with University of Puerto Rico and Conservation Organization Para La Naturaleza
November 14, 2025
Internship Exchange Program Provides Valuable Experiences to SUNY Students in Puerto Rico, Participation to Expand From 3 Campuses to 7
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced the second annual internship exchange program in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and the conservation organization Para La Naturaleza, providing SUNY students the opportunity to conduct hands-on research to take climate action and improve sustainability.
This year, seven SUNY campuses will participate in the internship exchange program with Para La Naturaleza in Summer 2026, growing from three campuses. Chancellor King announced the second annual internship opportunity during the recently concluded SOMOS Conference in Puerto Rico, where he also met with UPR's system administrators to renew SUNY's partnership commitment and invite UPR students back next summer to attend the Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Program.
"Hands-on experiences are fundamental to the learning and professional success of our students," said SUNY Chancellor King. "This internship program helps build stronger bonds between SUNY institutions and the University of Puerto Rico and helps future leaders conduct important research to improve conservation efforts and address climate change. We are proud to work with Para La Naturaleza to ensure the return of this internship exchange opportunity which help build skills that will last a lifetime."
SUNY Trustee Marcos Crespo and SUNY Trustee Luca O. Rallis said, "Internship and study abroad programs help expand horizons and provide life-changing experiences to all participants. We are proud to continue the successful summer internship program with the University of Puerto Rico and our partners at Para La Naturaleza."
Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, "As a proud Latino and a steadfast supporter of expanding educational opportunity, I am thrilled to see SUNY and the University of Puerto Rico strengthening their partnership through this impactful internship exchange program. By giving students the chance to engage directly in climate action and sustainability research, we're not only investing in the next generation of environmental leaders, we're also deepening the cultural and academic ties that unite New York and Puerto Rico. I commend Chancellor King and our partners at Para La Naturaleza for their vision and commitment to a more sustainable and inclusive future."
Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero said, "I'm grateful for the partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, Para La Naturaleza, and SUNY campuses as we announce the second annual internship exchange program. This internship exchange program provides valuable experiences for SUNY students through hands-on research to take climate action, improve sustainability, and support environmental justice. The collaboration highlights strong connections, shared goals, and unique opportunities for students, faculty, and our communities. Expanding participation from three campuses to seven strengthens our commitment to this partnership and creates meaningful opportunities for Summer 2026."
President of the University of Puerto Rico Zayira Jordán Conde said, "The University of Puerto Rico is proud to strengthen its ties with the State University of New York system through collaborative initiatives that will expand academic and research opportunities for our students and faculty. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation, resilience, and global engagement in areas such as environmental sciences, artificial intelligence, and disaster recovery. Together, we are building bridges that will empower our institutions and communities to thrive in an interconnected world."
Para La Naturaleza President Fernando Lloveras said, "Our partnership with SUNY represents exactly what conservation demands today: people willing to learn from the land, to listen to communities, and to act with purpose. By immersing students in Puerto Rico’s ecosystems, we are not only protecting nature— we are shaping a new generation of leaders who understand that safeguarding the planet begins with understanding its stories."
Chancellor King made the announcement about the second year of the internship opportunity and connected with Para La Naturaleza as part of SUNY's panel at the annual SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico. The panel included live student testimonies from last summer's participants and a video highlighting SUNY's strong connection with the University of Puerto Rico. The panel showcased the unique ways SUNY is collaborating with UPR, such as providing professional development resources for UPR faculty in AI in Teaching and offering UPR students access to our world-renowned research labs and expert faculty.
The SUNY campuses selected to participate in this year's program are:
- State University of New York at Albany
- SUNY Cortland
- SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)
- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
- SUNY New Paltz
- SUNY Oneonta
- SUNY Oswego
Last year, SUNY students were selected from SUNY Oneonta, SUNY ESF, and the State University of New York at Buffalo to travel to Puerto Rico for the pilot program research exchange experience funded by the Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund. As part of the summer internship, SUNY students were able to examine and monitor Laguna Grande's water quality, visit the El Yunque rainforest to identify endemic species, explore unique canyons to identify geological formations, and discuss conservation strategies. The experience ended with a volunteer day at the local community. In addition, four UPR students were selected to conduct research over the summer at Upstate Medical and the State University at New York at Stony Brook.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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