Month: June 2019

FAFSA: It’s Been Made Easier!

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Two open faced hands hold a big ball of crumpled bills in them above a brown and green background of blurry foliage. A metaphoric representation of financial aid such as FAFSA

Let’s Break Down What it is First

FAFSA: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form to be filled out by current and future college students in the US. Its purpose is to find out if they qualify for student financial aid from the government, and how much.

A cluttered desk of notebooks, a plant, and a computer with a piece of paper showing that depicts a stick figure developing a finance plan.
Photo by Rawpixel.com

An initiative of the Higher Education Services Corporation has made this part of college easier recently. This has made FAFSA and the Tuition Assistance Program, TAP , easier to access than ever before in my opinion. Plus the web pages feel much more friendly to use from the perspective of someone who has filled out FAFSA a few times before.

FAFSA & TAP: A Few of Many Ways to Fund Your Success

FAFSA and TAP are just a few of the ways that you can find resources to succeed using financial aid. You can use the US Department of Labor’s free scholarship search tool or read up here at StudentAid.gov on exactly how and where to find the perfect scholarships for you. The College Scholars Program is a marvelous way to fund your future if you can swing it. The Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Awards Program are some other things that have been affected by the modernization. They’re incorporated into the new section of NY.gov called “Start Here Get There” that we’re talking about.

It Was High Time for a FAFSA Rejuvenation, and That’s Exactly What We Got.

New York is really trying to work with students and make it less painful to fill out your forms every year that you’re going to school. The Department of Education is stepping up their game, and personally, I appreciate it. Less runaround and more getting things done, which is what we’re all about, right? Step-by-step instructions on how to complete the fafsa form can be found on the state’s new section of their website: StartHereGetThere.ny.gov.

A cork board of sticky notes with one in the middle, larger than the rest, that says "Make things Happen"
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

There’s Also A FAFSA App: myStudentAid

a screenshot of the Federal Student Aid app as seen from an iPhone when one searches for FAFSA.
The app as seen on an iPhone

The reviews on this app are the usual, ranging from rants to raves. From the need for an update to the ease and simplicity compared to the old method of filing FAFSA. In general, it’s safe to say that you should fully investigate how you like the app before taking anyone else’s word for it. You might just think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, who knows.

A screenshot of the Federal Student Aid app as seen on an Android phone when one searches FAFSA.
The app as seen on an Android phone

Finding the app was fairly simple, I merely searched “fafsa” in each of the app stores and it was one of the first apps to pop up, right after the ads of course.

If You Need Help:

There are also some numbers to call if you do get stuck somewhere during the process. If you need help understanding, the number for the Federal Student Aid Information Center is 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Another method of finding help is the FAFSA Assistance Hotline 1-800-808-1790, open Monday – Thursday, 9am – 5pm. You can also email them, simply address it to: FAFSAhelp@hesc.ny.gov or if you’re already logged into Facebook and want to message someone directly you can visit the page for New York State Financial Aid.

What Are You Waiting For? We’re Down to The Wire!

Now that you’re loaded up with resources and ways to fund your college journey, go apply for FAFSA here. You’ll want to apply ASAP so that everything is in place for the beginning of the Fall semester on August 26!

Ready, Set, Fashion! Calista’s Journey to Entrepreneurship

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A green sewing machine works on a blue cloth with a spool of red thread sitting next to a pair of scissors

Coauthored by Calista E.

A fair skinned woman with light colored hair, profile shot.
Calista Allen, SUNY Ulster Class of 2018

Another person has started here, to go far in the community with her newly learned skills. Calista chose SUNY Ulster over a well-known private college and says it was “it was one of the best decisions I have ever made” as she knew she wanted to be an involved part of a small business and remain local.

Calista has been designing and sewing for about ten years now. She credits her grandmother for teaching her garment creation basics before her time in college. Saying that her grandmother has been one of her biggest supporters and inspirations.

Most recently, she has turned her long time love of sewing and designing into a blossoming career. Thanks to the real world experience gained from her time in the fashion design program.

SUNY Ulster, Here to Help.

The fashion curriculum at SUNY Ulster has provided continuous opportunities that have shaped Calista’s life, livelihood, and career. The professors on campus encouraged and emboldened Calista to explore her talents and perfect her skills. She enhanced her design methods, portfolio building and interview skills to graduate at her highest potential as a result. Along with the well planned curriculum, the program offered Calista many internship opportunities that were vital to learn the industry first hand. Therefore she interned with brands you might know like: the Robert Tonner Doll Company, Eleven Six Knitwear, and Karina Dresses.

A sewing mannequin stands with a tape measure wrapped around it's top

Calista was proud to say that this school guided and molded her into a networking queen! To clarify she recalls one of the most impactful parts of her educational journey; that SUNY Ulster “provided endless opportunities to meet new people and interact with other local businesses and entrepreneurs in the fashion industry.”

A woman stands in a white dress with leather sleeve and belt accents
The Robin Dress ( made of chiffon with leather details).

After completing her internship with Karina Dresses, the company offered her a full time position. They realized the vigor and passion she had started to hone in on and wanted her skills to stay at their business. Calista has been working there for almost three years as the Social Media Manager and Junior Design Assistant for the brand located in Uptown Kingston. She continues gaining skill and experience while starting ventures of her own in the world of fashion.

Her design aesthetic is athletically inclined clothing with an elegant flair; a mix of sporty and sophistication. In her own words “I enjoy playing with style lines and geometric shapes to create a unique style.” She has used that as a base for a children’s clothing line, entirely of her own making, coming soon.

What’s Next for Calista?

Blue/White Gingham Dress
Cali Bee Kids Spring Line

Calista was happy to express how grateful she is for the fashion program at SUNY Ulster. The way it offered various tools and resources to kickstart her passion, and build strong relationships that continue to support and guide her future to this day. In addition, this driven young entrepreneur has started her own Spring kid’s clothing line. It’s called Cali Bee Kids and is set to launch this August! To check it out for yourself click here: http://bit.ly/CaliBeeKids

When asked what her best memory of her experience here was, she responded: “I don’t have a specific favorite part of earning my degree at SUNY Ulster, because I loved everything!”


Yes, You Should Go Back to College!

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Adult student sitting in library with laptop

Whether you’re a recent high school grad, a retiree, or happily employed, you should still go back to college! That’s because you can take a number of great credit or non-credit courses that will enrich your work and personal life. These courses allow you to build new skills, earn microcredentials, or start a whole new career. You can meet new people, learn new things, and have many experiences you never would have expected. This is true whether you’re 18, 81, or anywhere in between!

Learn a New Skill or Hobby

You’ve probably heard about the arts and crafts classes offered at places like Michaels, but did you know that SUNY Ulster offers some that are very similar? In the last few months, we’ve offered watercolor, perspective drawing, and sewing classes for the community! If you’re not interested in art, you can always learn how to fly drones, speak a new language,  or start a blog! The possibilities are endless with the SUNY Ulster Office of Continuing and Professional Education, where we offer a wide variety of credit and non-credit classes that can teach you new and valuable skills.

Earn a Valuable Microcredential

Nowadays, it’s unusual to go to college, earn your degree, get a job, and continue doing the same job that you studied for year after year until retirement. Microcredentials give you the opportunity to expand what you already know and give you an added edge in the workplace. Check out our full list of microcredentials, and read up on the most recent microcredential we created in partnership with Mohonk Mountain House!

Pursue Your Career Dreams

Whether you’re an adult learner interested in trying college for the first time or already have a degree and want to pursue another, there’s no reason not to try college! Take the first step by entering a program to follow that dream. Whether you want to go through a regular degree or certificate program or earn a certificate or trade license through Continuing Education programs, you can make your career goals a reality at an affordable price.

Now Discover Your Potential!

As you can see, there are many reasons to go back to college, whether you’re planning a new career or not! Check out all the classes, programs, and events SUNY Ulster has to offer students and community members on our website.

What are some classes/programs at SUNY Ulster that you recommend? Let us know in the comments!

How to Build a Great LinkedIn Profile

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Resume graphics with the LinkedIn logo

Now that you know why you should join LinkedIn, you may be wondering where to begin. If you’ve signed up for the site and glanced over your profile, you can see that the information you include and the layout of a profile page differs a bit from other social media sites. That said, it’s pretty simple to fill in once you know what to do with each section!

Use a Picture

As long as you have no privacy concerns, you should add a nice, professional picture of yourself to your page. The key is professional, but that doesn’t necessarily mean boring! For most careers (think business, computer science, accounting, marketing, etc.), the ideal profile picture will be a clear and well lit picture of you in business attire, but there may be leeway with some other careers. For example, someone in vet tech may have a picture in scrubs with an animal, and an artist or someone working in arts may be dressed in clothing appropriate to their work and have some filters or edits to their image.

Complete Your Introduction and About Section

The first thing people will see after your name on LinkedIn is your introduction, which includes a headline, relative location, and a summary bio. Your headline is generally what you do, but you can spruce it up by adding pertinent adjectives. If you’re between positions, say something like “Accounting Professional in Transition” or “Marketing Specialist Seeking Challenging Employment Opportunity.” Your summary “About” section should detail your history and skills, as well as what your goals are for the future. This is possibly the hardest section to write, but there are many tips and guides for what to write out there, and you can always look at your connections and others in your industry to see what people are using for this section!

Work and Education History

Naturally, one of the most important parts will be your work and education history. Design this similarly to your resume: keep details simple, and use bullet points to give added information. There is even an option to import your resume, if you want it to be identical. If you have any pictures or websites you can link to, be sure to do so. For Education, you should add any significant clubs, student government positions, honors programs, or awards you may have received, and if you did exceptionally well, you may want to add your GPA. Make sure you add SUNY Ulster to this section! In addition to the main two sections, you can also add languages, volunteer, and projects sections to better highlight your skills and accomplishments.

Skills & Endorsements

Think about what you do at your job. What can you confidently say you’re good at? Are you a videographer who knows Premiere and Vegas inside and out? Put that down. Are you a business student with team management skills? Put that down too. If you’re a writer with great editing and grammar skills, add that. Really any program, competency, or specific skill you’ve acquired can be put down here. Your connections can vouch for ones that you have put down through endorsements, so don’t hesitate to put yourself out there!

Now Make It Yours!

It’s important that your profile reflect who you are as an employee and individual, as well as what you bring to the table. Don’t hesitate to write about your skills, positions, and activities that make you unique and which you are passionate about.

How are you using your LinkedIn profile? What tips and tricks do you have for other users? Let us know in the comments!

New Customer Service Microcredential with Mohonk Mountain House

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Mohonk Mountain House Hotel overlooking pond

SUNY Ulster has opened registration for a new 15-credit Customer Service Microcredential!  We’ve collaborated with Mohonk Mountain House to offer students and community members the opportunity to earn and learn by taking a series of five classes, including a paid Mohonk internship! This is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in the hospitality field.

The Customer Service microcredential consists of five courses, including the paid internship (based on interview). All classes other than the internship can be taken online, at the Stone Ridge Campus, or at the Kingston Center of SUNY Ulster, so there’s always a fit for your needs and schedule.

Mohonk Mountain in the fall

Just like with our other microcredentials, students will receive a web-based Digital Badge which allows employers to learn about the skills the student has gained through the program. Microcredentials like this one can give you an edge over the competition when applying for jobs. Check out one of our past blog posts to find out what else microcredentials can do for you!

Find out more about the Customer Service Microcredential or our other microcredentials by visiting our microcredentials page, contacting Admissions by phone at (845) 687-5022, or emailing admissions@sunyulster.edu. Students are now being admitted for the fall 2019 semester, so register today!