Stony Brook University Partners With Santander Bank to Build Workforce Skills for First-Generation Students

The State University of New York at Stony Brook has received a grant from Santander US to fund the university’s new Pathways to Employability initiative, a two-year program designed to equip first-generation and Pell-eligible college students with career-relevant experiential learning opportunities and essential workforce skills.

Administered through the Stony Brook Career Center, the program will offer customized professional development workshops, mentorship and corporate site visits — all aimed at helping students build confidence, gain industry exposure and secure internships. Funding will also support scholarships and graduate student program coordinators.

“Being the first in your family to attend college means blazing a trail without a clear map,” said Associate Vice President for Career Readiness and Experiential Education Marianna Savoca. “At the Career Center, we want to be that guide — helping our ‘firsts’ navigate with confidence and excitement. With Santander’s generous gift, we’re building a model that can grow here and inspire replication across other institutions.”

“We are incredibly thankful to Santander US for their support in helping advance equity and opportunity,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Rick Gatteau. “This grant will strengthen our efforts to expand experiential learning opportunities, ensuring that every Seawolf has access to the tools and experiences that foster success beyond graduation.” 

The grant reflects Santander’s ongoing commitment to educational equity and workforce readiness. The introduction of university grants in the U.S. builds on Santander’s commitment to provide open access to world-class resources, reinforcing its belief that lifelong learning is essential in today’s dynamic job market. 

“At Santander, we believe in creating opportunities that help every student succeed. Through our partnership with Stony Brook University, we are proud to support initiatives that provide students with the resources, programs and experiences that make a meaningful difference in their education and future careers,” said Angela Moultrie, Region President, Santander Bank, N.A. 

With Pathways to Employability, Stony Brook continues to advance its mission of inclusive excellence — ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive, lead and shape the future. The program will begin serving students in January 2026.

About Santander US

Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) (Santander), recognized as one of the world’s most admired companies by Fortune magazine in 2025, with approximately 178 million customers in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. As the intermediate holding company for Santander’s U.S. businesses, SHUSA is the parent company of financial companies with more than 11,300 employees, 4.5 million customers and assets of $165 billion in the fiscal year ended 2024. These include Santander Bank, N.A., Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Banco Santander International, Santander Securities LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC and several other subsidiaries. Santander US is recognized as a top 10 auto lender, a top 10 multifamily bank lender and servicer and has a growing wealth management business. For more information about Santander US, please visit www.santanderus.com.

About Stony Brook

The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York’s flagship university and its No. 1 public university. It is one of America’s most dynamic public universities, a center of academic excellence and an internationally recognized research institution that is changing the world. It is part of the State University of New York system. After more than 65 years, Stony Brook is ranked No. 59 among U.S. universities and No. 26 among public universities in the nation.