SUNY Chancellor King Announces Program Expansion to Close the Internship Gap for Educational Opportunity Program Students
March 12, 2026
SUNY Campuses to Receive Grants to Connect All EOP Students, Beginning with Fall 2025 Cohort, with Paid Internships or Other High Impact Applied Learning Experiences
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced at the SUNY Board of Trustees meeting a major program expansion to close the internship gap for every student in SUNY's Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which serves students from low-income backgrounds, many who are first-generation college students.
Nearly 66 percent of EOP students who graduated in 2024-2025 participated in a credit-bearing internship or other high impact applied learning experience, and as part of the 2025 State of the University policy agenda, that percentage will be 100 percent beginning with the Fall 2025 cohort. A total of 850 new internships will be funded through this expansion to get to 100 percent, with 570 internships having already been approved.
"Internship experiences are a vital part of ensuring our students can explore career paths that interest them, while also gaining valuable real-world experience," said SUNY Chancellor King. "For nearly 60 years, the Educational Opportunity Program has provided a pathway for students throughout New York State to access higher education. This grant program means that all EOP students will be able to access high-quality internships that enrich their education, so they can be set on a path to upward mobility and success."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Through the steadfast support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY can invest in our students and provide them with opportunities to gain hands-on experience through paid internship opportunities. These grants will help give more of our EOP students the opportunity to explore careers in areas that interest them, while also preparing them for their careers after graduation. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their unwavering support of our EOP students."
Nationally, students from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students are less likely to participate in paid internships than their peers. Through SUNY's EOP internship program expansion, every SUNY campus participating in EOP will receive a grant to connect EOP students with paid internships at State Agencies, non-profits, and other organizations. Already 24 campus plans have been approved.
Each SUNY campus will build on its work to develop partnerships, both on-campus and in their local community, to create internship opportunities that fit the unique needs and goals of the EOP students on their campus. The grant program announced today builds on SUNY’s EOP Career Development Internship Program, which was announced last year and included 50 eligible students in one of three cohorts.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "Increasing access to internship and experimental learning opportunities is a huge win for SUNY EOP. Internships and experimental learning opportunities bring students one step closer to a career. It is a credit to SUNY Chancellor King and his team to recognize the need and to put the funding in place to achieve this goal. Another win for the SUNY EOP program."
State Senator Robert Jackson said, "The promise of higher education is not only admission to a classroom, but preparation for a future. Expanding paid internships for EOP students strengthens the bridge between learning and opportunity, ensuring that talent—not circumstance—determines how far a student can go. When New York invests in programs like EOP, we are not only expanding opportunity for individual students; we are strengthening the workforce, the economy, and the promise of upward mobility for the next generation."
State Senator Lea Webb said, "Applied learning through internships is a very powerful tool in ensuring academic success and building equitable pathways to careers. I applaud and fully support SUNY's commitment to ensuring every EOP student has access to paid internships and high-impact learning experiences. As an EOP alum and member of the Senate Higher Education Committee, I understand that these opportunities are more than just resume-building, they are a bridge to good paying jobs, economic mobility, and long-term success. I look forward to the great work from this initiative and other opportunities aiming to expand applied learning."
State Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos said, "Expanding internship opportunities through the Educational Opportunity Program is an important investment in the future of our students and our communities. Programs like EOP ensure that talented students are not limited by their circumstances but are given the tools, mentorship, and real-world experience they need to succeed. These opportunities help students build confidence, gain critical skills, and prepare for meaningful careers. When we invest in opportunities like these, we are investing in the next generation of leaders who will strengthen New York."
State Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest said, "I'm pleased to hear that SUNY EOP will help close the internship gap for students seeking opportunities. At a time when access to meaningful work experience is more important than ever, this initiative will make a real difference. From one SUNY EOP alum to another, I'm excited to see students benefit and grow from these opportunities."
State Assemblymember Latrice M. Walker said, "This is incredible news. Internships give students valuable experience, often a catalyst for entry into a given career. Now, with the expansion of the program, every single student in SUNY's Educational Opportunity Program will have a shot at an internship. The expansion means that EOP students will benefit from the relationships between SUNY campuses and local businesses or other entities seeking an infusion of young talent. I am a proud graduate of SUNY Purchase and an EOP success story. Thank you to Gov. Kathy Hochul and my colleagues in the New York State Legislature for funding the expansion of the internship program."
Under Chancellor King's direction, SUNY is increasing access to internship and experiential learning opportunities for students to prepare them for their future careers. SUNY recently announced the expansion of the SUNY Mental Health Internship Program, a partnership with NYSIF, the Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund, the SUNY Institute for Local News, the Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program, and the SUNY Climate Corps. Thanks to strong investment from Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, the SUNY Board of Trustees now provides $14.5 million in annual state funding to support paid internships for students at State-operated campuses.
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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