SUNY and Brooklyn Public Library Announce the Launch of a New Summer Internship Program
July 19, 2024
Partnership Offers SUNY Brooklyn-Based Students Internship Experience Close to Home
Interns will Have the Opportunity to Engage in Various Experiences in Support of the Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn, NY – The State University of New York and Brooklyn Public Library today announced the launch of a paid summer internship program tailored specifically for SUNY students who are in Brooklyn over the summer. This initiative will provide participants with an enriching experience close to home, allowing them to apply their academic learning in a professional setting while contributing to the local community.
"SUNY is committed to expanding paid internships and, in doing so, opening doors for more students to contribute to essential service initiatives across our state," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. "We are proud to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library for this new pilot, which will bring our students' education full circle—connecting the dots between academic knowledge, professional experience, and community service."
"We are thrilled to partner with the State University of New York to provide equal access to information and education via paid internships for Brooklyn-based college students," said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. "This innovative program will give young people the opportunity to enhance their studies, explore a new career and engage in public service, all while staying close to home this summer."
The five SUNY students participating in the inaugural summer internship program are:
- Ruoxin Cai, Binghamton University, BA Computer Science
- Anindya Debnath, Binghamton University, BA Economics and Political Science
- Shuning Liang, Binghamton University, BA Business Analytics
- Obioma Ibe, Empire State University, MS, Information Technology
- Emily Chao, Stony Brook University, Mass Communication
The program aligns with SUNY and BPL's shared mission of supporting student success, lifelong learning and community engagement. It offers a select group of Brooklyn-based SUNY students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a wide range of library operations and services over the summer. This structured program aims to not only enhance the educational journey of students through real-world application but to fuel their preparation for future careers.
Interns will engage in various facets of library operations, including public service, information technology, and cultural programming, benefiting from the mentorship of experienced professionals in the field. The initiative also seeks to break down barriers to professional experience for students from underrepresented and economically-disadvantaged backgrounds by offering paid internships, thereby supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Assemblymember Robert Carroll said, "It's great to see this collaboration between SUNY and the Brooklyn Public Library, two institutions that I am deeply committed to. As a SUNY Binghamton alumnus myself, I am delighted to see Binghamton students participating in this internship program and am sure it will make a real difference in their personal growth."
A 2021 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Career and Workforce Preparation Module found that only 35% of first-generation seniors reported participating in an internship—far lower than their peers. Forty percent of applicants had to decline internships because of external barriers, such as being unable to afford it or being unable to move.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation's largest library systems and among New York City's most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library's online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life's greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.
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, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire 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 $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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