NYC Gazette

The City University of New York (CUNY) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) have opened applications for their 2025 joint internship program. This initiative offers CUNY students from all 25 campuses full-time, paid summer internships at the MTA, available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The program aims to connect the largest urban public university in the U.S. with the nation's largest transportation network, focusing on equity, diversity, and social mobility.

Since its inception in 2022, the program has led to 52 interns being hired into full-time roles across various MTA agencies. Additionally, other interns have continued their experience through other MTA-sponsored programs such as College Aide and Technology and Engineering.

"CUNY’s internship program with the MTA provides students invaluable work experience while supporting a system so central to all our lives," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. "CUNY and the MTA play a vital role in New York’s economy."

MTA Chief Administrative Officer Lisette Camilo noted that "through this internship, CUNY students gain invaluable knowledge learning how the nation’s largest transit system operates." Meanwhile, MTA Chief People Officer Mersida Ibric emphasized that "our partnership with CUNY allows us to find the next generation of transit leaders from a diverse pool of applicants."

Internships are available across all MTA agencies including New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, Construction & Development, and Bridges and Tunnels. Positions span fields such as legal, finance, architecture, technology, project management, environmental science, engineering, real estate, station operations, safety, transportation and communications.

Students participating full-time during summer may transition to part-time once school resumes. Full-time interns are eligible for benefits through the Research Foundation of CUNY (RFCUNY). Currently wrapping up their internships are 118 interns marking the third year of this collaboration.

Interested students can apply until February 28 on the CUNY x MTA Internship Program webpage.

Past participants include Sualeha Tahir from Baruch College who worked on planning sales of retired materials; Alex Rian Fiano from Queens College who focused on archival materials; Dylan McKinley Straker from Kingsborough Community College who engaged in fieldwork; and Maria Antonov from Baruch College who provided tech support in Construction & Development.

The internship is part of an expanding partnership between CUNY and MTA. Last fall saw a collaboration with Macaulay Honors College's first datathon where students analyzed public datasets to propose solutions for key challenges faced by the MTA.

CUNY is recognized as a transformative engine of social mobility in New York City since its founding in 1847 as America’s first free public higher education institution. It comprises seven community colleges among other institutions serving over 240,000 students annually while contributing significantly to NYC's workforce diversification.