08/12/2026
SUNY Cortland will share a special connection to a new SUNY-wide initiative that helps students pursue paid internships through Special Olympics New York.
Internship opportunities cover five main categories — from coaching to health to event management — and they will include a special partnership development internship housed exclusively at SUNY Cortland.
That role will offer a unique student experience to promote Special Olympics New York’s engagement at SUNY Cortland and develop a sustainable partnership model between the nonprofit and the university.
The Cortland connection to Special Olympics New York starts at the top: Stacey B. Hengsterman ’93 serves as the organization’s president and chief executive officer. The longtime public service leader has earned a reputation as an advocate for people with disabilities while directing one of the largest and most prominent Special Olympics organizations in the world.
“Stacey’s extraordinary example of leadership provides a wonderful model for our students to follow,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “Her organization’s work applies to many strong academic programs at the university, from health to physical education to sport management. Stacey has consistently improved the lives of others throughout her career, and we are elated for future student interns to follow in her footsteps.”
Hengsterman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from SUNY Cortland, has shaped a bold vision to make New York the most inclusive state in the country. Under her guidance, Special Olympics New York has earned the highest rankings from both Charity Navigator and Candid.
She also recently earned an honorary degree from SUNY Cortland at the university’s 2026 Undergraduate Commencement.
“Special Olympics New York is proud to partner with SUNY Cortland and other campuses across the SUNY system to provide students with meaningful, paid experiences that will build professional skills while making a lasting impact in their communities,” Hengsterman said. “Whether students will be organizing events, supporting athletes, advancing health initiatives or promoting inclusive schools, these internships give students the opportunity to lead with purpose, gain hands-on experience, and help create a more inclusive New York. We’re excited to welcome SUNY students to our team.”
Through the partnership with Special Olympics New York, students from across the SUNY system will be able to contribute to projects and initiatives led by the organization throughout the state.
Paid internships will begin as soon as the coming fall semester in areas that include:
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Polar Plunge Event Management: Interns will serve as lead student coordinators for a Mobile Polar Plunge event hosted on campuses, a role that offers hands-on experience in event planning, peer-to-peer fundraising, marketing and community engagement. The intern will work closely with campus partners and Special Olympics New York to raise funds and awareness for athletes with disabilities.
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Unified Champion Schools: Interns will assist in the planning and implementation of Unified Champion Schools program-related activities local to their campus. Duties will be related to nonprofit program management and could include program marketing, program administration, event leadership, data management, volunteer management and outreach.
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Assistant Coach: Interns will work with athletes with intellectual disabilities in a sports training environment through existing partnerships near campuses. They will assist head coaches, athletes and families throughout a single sports season that coincides with an academic semester.
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Sport Management: Interns will assist in the planning and implementation of program-related activities in their region. Specific duties will depend on the active sports season and existence of special, high-priority, projects or partnerships during the time of placement. Work will entail a variety of tasks related to nonprofit program management and could include program marketing, program administration, event leadership, data management, volunteer management and outreach.
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Health: Interns will be responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of Special Olympics New York Health initiatives locally. Duties may include assisting with event coordination, volunteer and stakeholder communication, organization and packing of health program supplies, resource development and electronic data entry of medical screening forms.
Students interested in participating in one of the paid internships can apply online.
A special application also exists for the Cortland-specific internship opportunity.
Special Olympics New York serves more than 51,000 athletes across the state with year-round sports training, athletic competitions and health screenings. The organization also partners with over 375 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports, where students of all abilities compete as teammates.
All programs offered by Special Olympics New York are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. praised the new collaboration.
“SUNY’s commitment to student success and upward mobility has led us to establish the goal of an internship or other experiential learning opportunity for every undergraduate student,” King said. “Through this partnership with Special Olympics New York, our students will have the opportunity to explore careers that interest them and gain valuable hands-on skills that prepare them for the workforce. We are proud to work with Special Olympics New York to provide our students with internship opportunities that will lead to successful futures.”