Richie Sebuharara named to 2026 SUNY Leadership Institutes Fellowship

Richie Sebuharara, MS ’19, director of Binghamton University’s TRIO Upward Bound program, is one of 29 faculty and staff across the SUNY system to be named to the 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY’s Leadership Institutes. The fellows include individuals from all backgrounds who are on a leadership trajectory at their respective institutions and who are committed to supporting the success of all students, including those who experience significant barriers to higher education.

Fellows are selected based on their proven leadership, administrative experience, and evidence of their dedicated pursuit toward a higher education career in leadership roles within SUNY.

“I want to give a lot of praise to Karen Jones for nominating me, and to Brian Rose for supporting my participation,” said Sebuharara, referencing the University’s vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and vice president for student affairs. “Binghamton University has always given me opportunities I might not have seen for myself. I’m super-grateful and happy to be a part of this cohort.”

Sebuharara and the rest of the 2026 cohort will attend multiple workshops in Albany, participating in large discussions, breakout sessions, and cross-campus networking to develop their collaboration and leadership skills. These opportunities are already shaping the way that Sebuharara thinks about collaboration, programming, and student support.

“Being able to learn from other campus leaders, how they run their programs, how they build partnerships, is huge,” he said. “There are schools across all of SUNY doing amazing work. This program opens the door to conversations about how we can strengthen those connections between campuses. I’m excited to bring those ideas back to our students.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. sees the program as one way to ensure that SUNY institutions provide students with the ability to grow, thrive, and unleash their full potential.

“These programs help develop the next generation of leaders and bring new perspectives to our campuses,” Sebuharara said. “Our student populations are becoming more diverse and more complex. The more we know as leaders and professionals, the better we can help students feel acclimated, supported, and able to thrive from the moment they arrive until the day they graduate.”