The State University of New York has allocated $14.5 million annually to fund paid internships for students at state‑operated four‑year campuses, the system announced. The program aims to place at least 3,500 students in internships aligned with their majors; community college students are not included in this initial allocation. SUNY officials framed the investment as a workforce‑readiness and affordability measure for roughly 210,000 undergraduates enrolled at four‑year campuses. The move signals an institutional push to scale experiential learning and employer partnerships while responding to concerns about student debt and post‑graduation outcomes.