ESF President Joanie Mahoney Announces Applications Are Open for the College’s New, Pre-college Summer Engineering Program for High School Juniors, Seniors

Supported by ESF and the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation new program seeks to introduce students to college-level courses in science, technology, engineering, and math

01/20/2026

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Jan. 21, 2026 — SUNY ESF President Joanie Mahoney announced today that applications are open for the College’s new summer engineering program. Rising high school juniors and seniors are encouraged to apply for this exciting one-week experience that includes the opportunity to engage in multiple engineering disciplines while staying on ESF’s Syracuse campus.

ESF’s Summer Engineering Program provides direct exposure to classroom and real-world learning opportunities designed to prepare them for college-level math and science courses. ESF celebrates an almost 100% job placement rate for its engineering graduates. Chemical Engineering is also ranked as one of the most valuable STEM degrees offered in higher education today.

This new program includes hands-on learning using ESF’s on-campus paper mill, labs, and site visits to industry partners. On-campus activities, including lodging in Centennial Hall, ESF’s residence hall, will provide attendees with a glimpse of college life.

“We’ve been working hard to make this program a reality, and I am thrilled we are able to offer our first pre-college summer program at ESF this year," said Mahoney. “We offer several degrees in engineering and working in partnership with our friends at the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation, we developed this program to help students begin to build a path to an ESF engineering degree and the good, high paying jobs that follow.”  

“The Syracuse Pulp & Paper Foundation is genuinely excited to support ESF’s new summer engineering program,” said the Foundation. “At SPPF, we are committed to connecting students with the opportunities that will launch their futures — and this program does exactly that. By giving high school students hands‑on experiences in labs, ESF’s pilot paper mill, and with our industry partners, we’re helping them see the real‑world impact engineers can have. This is where curiosity becomes career direction, and where future engineers begin to discover how they can help build a smarter, more sustainable world.”

Advancing these opportunities is very much in line with the goals of ESF, and speaks to the value of, and interest in, engineering careers.

“This program gives high school students the opportunity to experience engineering the way we teach it at ESF — through hands‑on learning, real‑world problem‑solving, and direct engagement with our expert faculty,” said Dr. Lindi  Quackenbush, provost and vice president for research, and former chair of the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering. “This experience introduces participants to the strength of ESF’s engineering programs, which consistently lead to excellent job placement and prepare graduates for some of the most valuable STEM careers in the field.”

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.