April 2020 - SUNY Ulster News Blog

Get Involved in Virtual Get-Togethers

April 29, 2020April 27, 2020 by SUNYUlster

Group photo of the E-sports club with Professor Sheehan

So, here we are.

Home. All the time! Boredom setting in. Isolated from our friends. What can we do to stay sane? Let’s figure out how to get out of our chairs, put the remotes down, and be a part of that thing called LIFE!

Well, Get Involved, Of Course!

At SUNY Ulster we have a number of groups and activities reaching out to each other and the community. Thank goodness for modern technology! With so many outlets for communication and participation, we never have to be bored.

An example of a great give-and-take opportunity is the Story Time on Demand available to the entire SUNYUlster family. This provides multicultural themed stories to participants read by fellow students and faculty. You can participate by viewing as well as recording a story for others to access.

For more information about this and other opportunities to interact contact the Coordinator of Campus Life, Meg Sheeley at sheeleym@sunyulster.edu .

Another opportunity for connecting with others is through various clubs at SUNY Ulster. My spotlight is going out to the ESports Club. ESports are a great way to interact while still practicing social distancing. They have an amazing tournament coming up which is open to ALL 64 SUNY schools! Chancellor Johnson wanted to make a way for students to get creatively involved throughout this time.

The ESports tournament will include games like Fortnite and Super Smash Brothers. The tournament will work to raise money for #SUNY Together Student Emergency Funds.

So, come out! Support your school, help your fellow classmates, have a great time!

For more information about the club and its upcoming activities you can contact Professor Sheehan, the Advisor for the ESports Club, at sheehanj@sunyulster.edu or Ryan Shepard, the ESports Club President, at shepardr57@my.sunyulster.edu .

In addition, Adult Education has multiple web-based get-togethers. For more information about these online gatherings contact the Associate Dean of Adult Learning, Mindy Kole at kolem@sunyulster.edu .

Discover The World, Be Involved

Missing nature, long walks, beaches, mountains, and amusement parks, and just, well, everything?
Well then, take a virtual trip to the zoo where you can visit the animals, learn everything about them, and enjoy watching them in their daily habits. There are quite a few places to go but my favorite is the Cincinnati Zoo. I use it every single day for homeschooling my grandson. It is a lot of fun and there is just so much to explore there.

How about hiking up a mountain. The beautiful views, the precarious climb to the summit, and the beautiful scenery. My personal favorite is rafting through the Grand Canyon. It feels like you’re actually there. If you have a virtual reality headset it’s even better! Either way, it’s a great time and there are hundreds to choose from.

Feeling like you need to help out? Well, I found the easiest method for making masks on YouTube. They aren’t medical-grade but they’re great for everyday use. The best thing was that I had plenty of material to use. Didn’t we all clean out our closets over the last month? I know I did! Our first few tries didn’t go that well. But eventually, we got rolling and made 22 masks for our family and friends!

So There You Have It

The SUNY Ulster newsletter gets sent to every single SUNY Ulster student on Fridays. It is packed full of information and opportunities to interact with each other. Take a few minutes and check it out, you won’t be disappointed!

There is a whole world out there to be explored. There are groups, clubs, and activities to stay involved. So put down your remote and set the popcorn aside!

Search, Click, Discover!

The Senators’ Stockade Banner Design Contest

April 17, 2020 by SUNYUlster

Text composition saying "Senators Stockade"

Has Social Distancing Got You Down?

Are you sitting at home feeling isolated and left out? We are still SUNY Ulster! We aren’t going anywhere! Show your school spirit by entering the Senators’ Stockade Banner Design Contest!

Rules & Guidelines

The Senators’ Stockade will be a cheering section at athletic events where we can cheer, chant, yell, sing and otherwise show our support & appreciation for our SUNY Ulster teams & coaches.
The winning design will be proudly displayed on a standing banner.

• Deadline

– EXTENDED until May 10, 2020
– The winner will be announced on the Student Portal on Friday, May 15th.
The winner will also be featured in a blog on the SUNY Ulster Homepage.

• How To Enter

– Submit your entry electronically to: recognition@sunyulster.edu

• Who can Participate

– This contest is open to all currently enrolled SUNY Ulster students –
enter on your own or as a group!

• General Guidelines

– Only digital submissions will be accepted.
– Multiple submissions are accepted separately.
– Submission must be original artwork.
– Aspect: Portrait/Vertical orientation.

• Final File Delivery Requirements

– Hi-Resolution TIFF or EPS files
(avoid JPEGs or GIFs because these formats are compressed and have degraded image quality).
– CMYK format.
– Dimensions: 33”x 80” oriented vertically.
– Minimum resolution of 300 DPI at FULL size.
**SUNY Ulster is responsible for final print-ready format.**

For assistance in in guidelines or specifications
contact Bob Johnson, Director of Graphics (HAS109), johnsonr@sunyulster.edu or 687-5097.

• Ownership & Licenses

-**Submissions become the property of SUNY Ulster**
They may be used in banners, posters, social media,
websites, marketing and advertising.
**SUNY Ulster may edit, alter or add to the final artwork in order to render final banner correctly.**

The SUNY Ulster College Appreciation Committee thanks you for your interest in designing a banner for The Senators’ Stockade.

Top 5 Reasons Community College Is Right For You

April 17, 2020 by SUNYUlster

Phew, Finishing High School…Now What?

Woohoo, graduating High School, the whole world is ahead of you, your future starts now! What do all those cliches mean? Well, it means that it’s time to make some decisions. Do you go to a four-year college? Will you be able to live in the dorms, and live the whole “college” experience? With so much in flux right now, maybe your best move is to attend what BestColleges.com has ranked the #1 Community College in New York State – SUNY Ulster.

There’s No Place Like Home.

Community College allows you to get a real idea of what college is like. You’ll be exposed to new work habits and study habits to find what works best for you. You can find your own learning style while deciding what you really want to study.

The beauty in this is that you would be close enough to home have your friends and family at hand. It’s a big transition from high school to college, and having support and encouragement can be beneficial.

But I Already Know What I Want To Be!

Community colleges offer Job Training/Certification programs and Applied Associates in Science (AAS) degrees. You can get certified in a number of areas that can further your current employment or assist you in obtaining new employment. The AAS degrees will get you started in your desired field and allow you to continue further education at a four-year institution when it’s convenient for you. Or you can simply transfer straight to a four-year college and continue your education while working in your desired field.

Money Makes The World Go ‘Round.

Higher education can get very, very costly. There are many factors to consider. If you go to a community college, you generally have far fewer expenses than going to a four- year institution. You don’t usually have to worry about housing and a food plan. The tuition at a community college is also far less than a four-year college.

At a four-year college you commonly have to pay for housing, food, entertainment, and a multitude of other items. Any toiletries or furniture that you might need has to be added to all of this as well. That is all on top of tuition itself.

According to U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT the average tuition for the Academic year 2019/2020 was $10,116 for in-state public colleges and $36,801 for private colleges. U.S. NEWS & WORLD Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and information, which includes their website and annual print and e-book versions of its authoritative rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools and Best Hospitals. This is an extremely helpful resource for researching your educational choices.

Flexibility Matters

Community colleges offer an array of learning options to accommodate the needs of a diverse group of students. Smaller class sizes allow for a more interactive learning experience. Online classes offer options for those that already have a rather full schedule.

Community colleges are also crucial for the returning student who has been away from the education system for an extended period of time. What about that person who struggled to make it through high school? How intimidating does “COLLEGE” seem to them? Community colleges offer a more personal approach to higher education based on a smaller student body. SUNY Ulster also offers a variety of tutoring outlets, advisement, and counseling for students.

Getting To Know All The Players

Community colleges offer a number of programs, clubs, and activities. These provide an opportunity for students to practice social networking. This can aid in your future career by developing relationships and contacts. If you take on a leadership role in clubs and student government, it looks amazing on a job resume or an application for a transferl institution.

Community colleges also make it easier from day one to obtain internships in your field of study which can give you the hands-on knowledge to add to your resume. This is important in any and every field of study as almost every place of employment will want on-the-job experience.

Where Do I Start?

So now you have some ideas running around your mind. Do some research. Poke around some websites. Get informed! And don’t forget to get your FAFSA done. What is FAFSA? It’s a Free Application For Federal Student Aid. It’s a fairly easy online application, so why wait? Get started on your journey today!

Faculty & Staff Are Here To Help

April 1, 2020 by SUNYUlster

Text composition saying "Together we'll succeed"

You Are Not Alone

Online learning has successfully begun here at SUNY Ulster. Although all classes are being taught through remote instruction it is important to remember that all of SUNY Ulster’s staff and faculty are at your disposal. You are definitely not in this alone! We will succeed together!

Every single department is functioning . Most business is handled by phone, e-mail, and video conferencing. If you need to contact anyone in the SUNY Ulster network simply email them and they will respond quickly.

Access to Resources

If any student needs to access the campus they simply need to go to the Public Safety Office located in Hasbrouck 133 or the lobby of the KCSU facility to sign in. The health of our community is our main concern. Therefore, you will have to get your temperature taken as a safety precaution. Before leaving, just let the Public Safety Office know so they can dispatch Housekeeping to sanitize the area for the next user. You can also call ahead if you are unsure if access will be allowed. The direct phone number to do this is (845) 687-5053.

For additional information on the many resources available and contact information visit: https://www.sunyulster.edu/campus_and_culture/campus_resources/covid-19-resources.php.

We Can Succeed Together!

Do not get discouraged. Your instructors and advisers are an invaluable asset to you. Reach out to them with any questions or concerns. Everyone at SUNY Ulster is invested in your success. We want to see you succeed in this unprecedented time in our institution’s history!