SUNY Morrisville graduates go straight to work in the renewable energy industry

SUNY Morrisville graduates celebrate on commencement day. According to the university, many graduates started their careers in the renewable energy industry immediately after graduation. PHOTO: FRANCI VALENZANO

MORRISVILLE — Recent SUNY Morrisville graduates are wasting no time in getting into jobs in the renewable energy industry, the university says.

One graduate, Malcolm Ivers, is moving from Rochester to start a new job with RWE Renewables on June 3 at the 34.5-MW Munnsville wind farm in Madison County. His new job will include general maintenance and electrical troubleshooting, according to a press release from SUNY Morrisville.

Iver, who earned a degree in renewable energy technology, attended SUNY Morrisville to pursue a career in onshore wind energy.

“I knew I would be in my dream position after completing the program based on what I had learned, skills and real-world experience,” Ivers said in the release.

Graduate Jake Hartnett, who earned a bachelor’s degree in renewable energy technology, completed an internship at Nickels Energy Solutions that led to a full-time job as a solar project manager, SUNY Morrisville said. He is responsible for the design and planning of residential photovoltaic projects from start to finish.

“SUNY Morrisville has played a key role in this with its in-depth, hands-on curriculum, great internship opportunities and caring teachers with real-world experience,” he said. “For this position in particular, networking through classmates and industry partners in the program helped me get my foot in the door.”

Another SUNY Morrisville graduate who went straight to work in the environmental field was Aurora Haines. She is a wildlife specialist with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in Rensselaer. Haines graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental and natural resource management from SUNY Morrisville.

SUNY Morrisville’s main campus in Morrisville offers more than 50 associate and bachelor’s degrees in fields such as agriculture, technology, business, social sciences and liberal arts. This includes programs in specialized areas such as renewable energy, environmental protection, aquaculture, automotive technology, equine science, dairy management, nursing, wood technology, hospitality management and information technology. The Norwich campus offers postgraduate programs. The campus currently serves commuter, career and technical students, as well as liberal arts transfer programs.