Month: April 2018

Epic Diversity Web Page Launch!

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hoto of 5 students in their graduation cap and gowns with smiles on their faces with their left hands in the air.

Did you know SUNY Ulster has its very own Diversity Web Page now? Check it out today!

Cultural Diversity Day promotional poster of the Statue of Liberty's glowing torch.

Explore the Diversity Web Page at: http://www.sunyulster.edu/campus_and_culture/diversity.php

Our Mission.

The launch of this web page for the college is highly anticipated and includes the official SUNY Ulster statement on diversity that in part reads: “Our mission is to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion through on-campus programs and activities, and to welcome a variety of voices, viewpoints, and backgrounds on campus.”

Photo of the main campus, and "Ulster County Community College" sign during the autumn.

Diversity Video Series.

Featured on the diversity web page are SUNY Ulster students’ own stories and experiences of diversity on campus in our “Voices on Diversity” videos series. We are proud to have SUNY Ulster students of various backgrounds speaking about the importance of culture on the college campus. Everyone has a story to tell, and you will surely be inspired by the stories of the individuals who you pass by in the hall and sit next to in class everyday!

You can share your SUNY Ulster Pride on Facebook by using our specially designed “We Are One. SUNY Ulster” Facebook page overlay! 

Photo of 5 students in their graduation cap and gowns with smiles on their faces with their left hands in the air. Join us in adding this frame to your Facebook profile picture as we learn and grow together as one campus community.

Official Campus Resources:

Chief Diversity Officer: Lorraine Lopez-Janove at lopezjal@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5131, VAN 212.

Affirmative Action Coordinator: Jennifer Mullan at mullanj@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5101, CLI 213.

Director of Accessibility: Eric Fortune-Reader at disability_services@ sunyulster.edu  or 845-687-5121, VAN128E.

Office of Public Safety and Security: publicsafety@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5023, HAS 134.

TRIO Offices: TRIO@sunyulster.edu or 845-688-6054, VAN 101.

The Value of Attending Open House

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Prospective students looking at materials during Open House

If you’re a high school or homeschooled student thinking about college, you are probably wondering where to begin your search. While you have to start with finding a college, the next step, naturally, is visiting it! There are many reasons to do this. I recommend visiting the college at least twice before committing: once during an open house and again when it’s a regular school day for students. There are many reasons to attend an open house, including how you can:

Experience Campus Life

The importance of seeing the campus before committing to a college cannot be overstated. There’s something called campus culture that you can only see and feel when you’re at a school and interacting with the people there. For some colleges, the culture is fun and quirky, for others, rigorous and academic, and for some others, sports are the only thing that matters. Know which is the case, so you can tell if the college will be a good fit for you!

Meet the Faculty, Staff, and Fellow Students

Similar to campus culture, it’s important to find out what kind of people work and go to the school. Most colleges, like SUNY Ulster, have a diverse culture and community. However, if the college has a particular niche (say it is almost entirely filled with athletes or mostly filled with business students), it helps to know beforehand, so you can decide if that niche is right for you. It also helps to meet some people and establish relationships before classes begin. It makes you feel less alone on the first day!

Explore Majors and Careers

Many incoming college freshmen have no idea what they’re interested in studying. That’s fine! Attending an open house offers students the opportunity to see what majors are offered and what they can do for careers with those degrees.

Get Financial Aid and Scholarship Advisement

Possibly the biggest concern about college is how to fund it. Open houses have someone on staff who can help you find out how much college will cost for you, as well as how you can obtain financial aid and scholarships. They can also determine a rough estimate of how much financial aid you’ll receive.

Get Application Assistance

If you’re ready to apply, there are admissions officers on campus during an open house that can help you complete an application! This can be a great help when there are questions on the application that you’re not quite sure how to answer.

Attend Today!

SUNY Ulster is having its own Open House on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the Stone Ridge campus, where you can experience all the things mentioned above and more! For more information and to reserve online go to: www.sunyulster.edu/visit.

SUNY Ulster COIL Scholarship Recipients Travel To Mexico!

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COIL students from Mexico greet SUNY Ulster students

SUNY Ulster Students Travel to Mexico!

During the week of March 16th, 2018, SUNY Ulster students Kia Ward-Fashion Design Major, Kailey Campbell-Human Services Major, John Bove-Independent Studies/Fashion Major, and Natasha-Pico Aulicino-Business and Entrepreneurship Major all traveled to Obregon, Sonora, Mexico (the second largest city in northern Mexico) as recipients of the Sheldon COIL Academic Travel Scholarship!

Group of students and staff posed holding "Welcome Sign" for SUNY Ulster students arriving at airport in Mexico.

The Students Arrival!

The recipients were welcomed by students, professors, and staff of Universidad de la Salle NoroEste! The recipients had already met some of these students when 25 of the ULSA students traveled to SUNY Ulster to meet their COIL collaboration team in October 2017.

Large group of students sit around a rectangular cafeteria table smiling at the camera.

Young male SUNY Ulster student speaking at the front of a classroom during a presentation. Group of students in classroom sitting in desk arranged in an oval in deep discussion.

SUNY Students In The Classroom.

The SUNY Ulster students spent their week in Mexico attending classes and presenting projects to the Universidad de la Salle NoroEste classes they had COIL-ed with previously. The time outside the classroom was spent sightseeing and making lifetime friends with their host families! This was a great opportunity to dive deep into the wonderful and diverse Mexican culture, as well as utilize global citizen skills as ambassadors of SUNY Ulster.

Three female students posed to resemble the large owl mural they are standing in front of.

Group of nine smiling students posed in front of wall of Mexican artifacts. Photo of eight students and one staff member posed closely together smiling. Twelve students smiling on the sidewalk in Mexico. A group photo of students and staff posed in a classroom setting.
A huge thank you to all the hardworking individuals who helped to make this trip a possibility!

5 Great Summer Session Classes to Take in 2018

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Woman reading a book while dog is nearby

Summer will be here before we know it! With summer at SUNY Ulster comes Summer Sessions, our yearly offering of on-campus and online classes. This year, there will be several Summer Sessions to choose from: those occurring from May 21-July 2, from May 21-July 31, and from July 5-August 15. We’ve already talked about the benefits of summer session classes, but you may not know what specifically is being offered! Well, there’s a comprehensive list on our site. And to give you a preview, here are just a few great options for you to pick from this year, out of over 80 classes offered between the three sessions:

ENG 216-Science Fiction Masterpieces

Offered Online May 21-July 2

Spend your summer days reading by the pool, and get college credit for it! As long as you’ve taken ENG 102 and LIB 111 you can take this fun course, in which you read and analyze some of the great science fiction authors’ works.

COM 105-Public Speaking

Offered On Site July 5-August 15

Let’s face it, none of us really want to do public speaking, but we all have to, either in the form of Public Speaking or Oral Communication (which are basically the same thing). Why not get it over and done with during the summer? It’s also usually a smaller class. This course is taught by Jennifer Patterson.

ART 130-Photography

Offered On Site May 21-July 2

What better time to learn how to take good pictures than in the summer, when you can explore nature and take lots of photos of the great outdoors? This fun class lets you explore your creative side and learn helpful photo editing skills along the way.

ESC 114-Geology of the National Parks

Offered Online July 5-August 15

Learn about our National Parks from the comfort of your own home (but maybe take the time to visit one before the fall semester starts!) This course is designed for non-science majors, so as long as you’ve finished your English requirement you can take the class.

And last but not least…

Any Math Class

MAT 098, 100, 105, and 115 (and even a few beyond!)

Offered Both Online and On Site During Most Times

Math can be a challenge for many students (even for some of you STEM majors; it’s okay to admit it). Because it can be tough, why not take a summer class where you can focus solely on fractions, graphs, and quadratic equations with the help of an instructor? Burn through the rough stuff this summer so you can head into the fall semester ready to tackle the next class up, or, if you finish, enjoy the rest of your time at Ulster math-free. See the full listing to find out what all are available.