HVCC Student Selected for SUNY EOP Career Development Internship Program

The Troy Record published an article about the State University of New York’s  inaugural SUNY Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Career Development Internship Program (CDIP) to which Frank DePalma III, a student at Hudson Valley Community College, was named.

The Record / Feb. 9, 2025

State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced the inaugural cohort for the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Career Development Internship Program (CDIP).

The CDIP builds on SUNY’s vision of providing an internship or other high-quality experiential opportunity for every SUNY student prior to graduation. Up to 50 eligible EOP students will participate in one of three cohorts in year one and receive up to $5,000.

“For over 50 years, the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program has been a driving force in student success and upward mobility,” King said in a news release. “The launch of the EOP Career Development Internship Program marks another significant milestone in SUNY’s mission to empower our incredible EOP students with the resources they need to thrive. This initiative offers invaluable professional experience with New York State agencies, setting students on a clear path to successful careers, including in public service.”

SUNY’s EOP has helped more than 85,000 participants graduate from college, with over 78% staying in New York to live and work.

The CDIP will connect students with New York State agencies as they pursue completion of their degree and prepare for the launch of their careers by providing them with real-world professional experience and skill development within a field that aligns both with their academic pursuit and personal interests; personalized mentorship; as well as financial support that helps students develop personal budgeting, as well as basic needs support in the event a student has transportation or other accessibility hurdles that would otherwise prevent them from participating in the program.

The program is made possible through funding allocated to SUNY by Empire State Development. Last February, Governor Hochul announced SUNY campuses will invest nearly $10 million in recurring state funding to provide 3,000 SUNY students with internships and other experiential learning opportunities before graduation. The funding was secured through the historic $163 million increase in direct operating aid to SUNY’s State-operated campuses for Fiscal Year 2024.

In addition to DePalma, a Troy resident majoring in Business Administration, the first cohort of SUNY EOP CDIP students are:

Mohammed Ahsan, Erie Community College
Marzia Amin, Stony Brook University
Nicole Buitron, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Kalyiah Haynes, SUNY Cortland
Ladnijirah Lightner, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Janielis Rivera Bauzo, SUNY Cortland
Tatienna Samuels, SUNY Oswego
Esdras Velazquez, University at Buffalo