Chancellor King Announces SUNY’s Institute for Local News Second Class of Summer Interns

July 17, 2026

Statewide Program Connects Student Reporters with Local Media Outlets

Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the second cohort of Institute for Local News summer interns. The Institute for Local News pairs student journalists with local news outlets to offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience while serving local communities. To support the program, the Institute works with campuses to nurture existing relationships with local news outlets and create new ones.

"The Institute for Local News provides SUNY students with the opportunity to combine civics and service with experiential learning opportunities that help our students, local news organizations, and New York thrive," said SUNY Chancellor King. "With dedicated faculty and strong partnerships with local news outlets, and with thanks to the Institute for Local News and our SUNY Board of Trustees, our students are not only gaining meaningful experience for future careers but also being placed at the forefront of the effort to mitigate newspaper loss and local journalism deserts."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Journalism is integral to bolstering democracy, accountability, and access to resources that help communities stay informed. We are proud of the work of the Institute for Local News to strengthen journalism and offer opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to reach their full potential."

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, "City council still meets and the zoning board still votes even when there are no reporters around to record it. This program puts people back in that room, and it trains a reporter in the process. As a former student journalist, I know it's easiest to learn the craft when you're the one updating communities on their local issues. My thanks to SUNY for treating local news as the civic infrastructure it is."

State Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, "News outlets are under threat, which is why it is imperative that we cultivate truth-tellers dedicated to uncovering the stories that impact our local neighborhoods. SUNY's Institute for Local News will give student journalists the right tools to help combat news deserts by pairing them with reputable outlets, while serving communities throughout the Empire State."

The Institute for Local News is part of SUNY's ongoing efforts to offer internships and experiential learning opportunities, and in only two years it has garnered an impressive track record. In 2025, 220 students participated and produced 900 stories in 25 newsrooms across New York State. The Institute has also had many newsrooms return to the program and is establishing partnerships to bring the program to more campuses.

This year's class of interns includes:

State University of New York at Albany

  • Mirai Abe, Albany Times Union
  • Maurice Burbridge, Bronx Times
  • Lucienne Burns, Albany Times Union
  • Angel Gomez, Community Spotlight

State University of New York at Binghamton

  • Jill DeCancio, Community Spotlight

SUNY Brockport

  • Erin Jones, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
  • Victor Menendez, Newsday
  • Annie Santor, Akron Bugle

State University of New York at Buffalo

  • Beyonce Thomas-Reynoso, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

SUNY Geneseo

  • Sophia Imbriaco, WAMC – Albany

SUNY New Paltz

  • Kyle Bredberg, The Overlook
  • Janani Hariram, Chronogram Magazine
  • Gavin Jeffs, Metroland
  • Nancy Mac Innes, Chronogram Magazine
  • Margaret MacCallum, WAMC – Albany
  • Katie Ondris, Albany Times Union

SUNY Oneonta

  • Jaquelyn Carlo, Greenwich Journal
  • Julia DelPozzo, Legislative Gazette

SUNY Oswego

  • Addie Kotsol, Ravena News Herald
  • Maria Pawelczyk, Buffalo Toronto Pub Media

SUNY Plattsburgh

  • Yasmine Alregabi, Metroland
  • Laura Holtman, The New Pine Plains Herald
  • Grant Terwilliger, Ithaca Times

State University of New York at Stony Brook

  • Amit Ben-Bassat, Newsday
  • George Caratzas, Journal News
  • Layla Duran, Newsday
  • Michelle Grisales, Journal News
  • Nadia Islam, Schnepps Long Island
  • Joshua Lee, Queens Courier
  • Ava Shea, Newsday

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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