Since spring 2023, Farmingdale State College (FSC) has been proud to partner with the Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) to drive innovation and support for emerging STEM talent across Long Island through a unique internship initiative. 

Overall, 75 FSC interns from fields across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have been successfully placed through the strategic experiential learning partnership. Participating students’ academic majors have included bioscience, mechanical and manufacturing engineering technology, civil engineering technology, applied psychology, business analytics, medical laboratory science, and science, technology, and society (STS).

“We are grateful to our partners at the Estée Lauder Companies. Through our robust applied learning program, students gain hands-on experience working alongside experts in cutting-edge fields such as research and development (R&D), global regulatory affairs, manufacturing engineering, and supply chain operations,” said Rena Varghese, executive director of the Nexus Center for Applied Learning and Career Development, who also recognized FSC faculty and staff for their tremendous efforts. 

“Our faculty, including department chairs, Ned Douglass of STS and Lauren Price of biology, as well as Bioscience Internship Supervisor Lisa Prazak, work closely with our students to ensure their internship experiences are academically rigorous. Assistant Director for Applied Learning Inesa Mott works closely with faculty across the College to recruit and place students in these opportunities while helping ensure they successfully complete the applied learning graduation requirement,” Varghese added.

Since 1946, Estée Lauder--ELC’s flagship brand--has gained a worldwide reputation for elegance, luxury, and superior quality through its extensive research and stringent product evaluation. Additionally, ELC is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products with products sold in approximately 150 countries and territories. In 2025, ELC reached more than $14 billion in net sales while committing to give back $50 million in social impact investments by 2030.

"At The Estée Lauder Companies, we are proud to partner with Farmingdale State College to help develop the next generation of STEM talent,” said MaryAnn McKeever-Alfieri, ELC vice president, research and innovation. “These internships provide students with hands-on experience solving real-world challenges while bringing fresh perspectives that help drive innovation across the prestige beauty industry. The success of this program reflects the strength of our shared commitment to learning, scientific discovery, and opportunity. Together, we're creating meaningful opportunities for students to explore careers at the intersection of science, innovation, and beauty."

Student Perspectives
Through her recent internship, Jiya Patel, ’27, an STS major with a Microcredential in data analytics, shares she developed technical laboratory skills, became more comfortable analyzing scientific data, and improved her communication and teamwork skills. 

“More importantly, the experience helped me realize that I genuinely enjoy working in a laboratory and solving problems through experimentation,” she said. “Being able to see chemistry applied to real products opened my eyes to career opportunities I had never considered before and never knew existed,” added Patel, who conducted stability testing and studied temperature, viscosity, pH, and surfactant subphases in products. “My experience was extremely valuable and gave me the opportunity to work alongside chemists, engineers, and directors. Every day, I was able to learn something new. I got to see how much teamwork and attention to detail goes into creating a product before it even reaches consumers.”

For Allan Boateng Anfom, ’26, an STS major with a double minor in cyber security and computer forensics, the experience has been so rewarding he has interned with ELC four times, with a fifth internship starting this fall. 

“Before this internship, I honestly didn't know much about ELC or the work that goes into developing cosmetic products,” he said. “Taking this opportunity to learn and grow, gave me the chance to gain hands-on experience in a professional laboratory, develop technical skills, and see how science and technology are applied in a real-world setting. Every day presented something different, which made the internship both engaging and educational. 

“One of the coolest parts of the internship has been getting an inside look at products before they're released to the public,” Boateng Anfom added. “It's exciting to know that I've had the chance to work around and test products that consumers haven't even seen on store shelves yet. It really gave me a new appreciation for the amount of research, testing, and teamwork that goes into developing them.”

“I was responsible for assisting in experimental setup and cleanup, daily sample collection, and recording experimental observations and data. I got to work alongside an incredible team that I was very fortunate to learn from and be a part of. This internship was an opportunity that I was very grateful to have experienced,” said Allyson Bernardo, ’26, a recent bioscience graduate who interned in the ELC’s biofermentation lab. “My time as an intern with Estée Lauder has helped me become more confident in my skills as a scientist. I was able to take the knowledge I gained through my courses, both labs and lectures, and apply it to the experiments I was assisting with. The internship also helped me improve upon my communication skills and time management, two things that I felt were very important to my experience in the lab,” added Bernardo, who will be returning to ELC this month as an associate scientist.”

Stephanie Vasquez, ’26, an STS major with a pre-health concentration, was drawn to an ELC internship this past spring after taking a medical microbiology course at FSC. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the lab aspect of that course so the opportunity to continue developing my knowledge while working with cosmetics was an experience I could not pass up,” she said. “The ability to apply the concepts I learned within the classroom in a professional setting has been extremely rewarding. I had the space to develop my skills while understanding the role microbiology plays in the cosmetics industry. As a consumer of these products, contributing to the R&D team made me gain a higher appreciation for every person involved in their creation.”

Vasquez believes FSC students should “without a doubt” consider a similar experiential learning opportunity.

“Especially those who have never done [an internship] before or think they’re not qualified enough. I was in that boat,” she added. “I’m a first-generation student taking 18-credit semesters while working a full-time job. I must emphasize that the impact of this experience goes beyond the applied learning you do. For me, working in an environment where the lead scientists are women of color continues to motivate me in my pursuit of higher education. You owe it to yourself to seek good opportunities (such as this internship) whether you fail or succeed.”

“Even if you're unfamiliar with the cosmetics industry, it's a great opportunity to challenge yourself, learn something new, and grow both personally and professionally,” agreed Boateng Anfom. “This internship has helped me gain skills that will benefit me in any future career.”

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