Day: June 15, 2026

High School Seniors to Compete in Anita Williams Peck

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Kingston High School Seniors to Compete in Anita Williams Peck Public Speaking Competition for $7,500 in Scholarships

Sponsored by the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc.

June 10, 2026 – Stone Ridge, NY – On Monday, June 15 at 6:00 p.m., seven Kingston High School students will compete in the annual Anita Williams Peck Public Speaking Competition for $7,500 in scholarship awards for the best public speaking presentations. The event will be held at SUNY Ulster in the College Lounge in Vanderlyn Hall on the Stone Ridge campus.

The event will feature qualifying seniors presenting five-minute persuasive speeches on current event topics of their choice before a panel of noted judges.

Three scholarship awards totaling $7,500 will be presented: 1st place, $3,500; 2nd place, $2,500; and $1,500 for 3rd place. Judging the competition will be Stephen Balantzian, Associate Professor of Communication & Theatre, and Coordinator of Media & Performing Arts, and Mary Tarzca ‘78, Professor of Communications.

Established through a partnership between the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc., and Kingston High School, with a charitable gift from Anita Williams Peck, who continued to support the program annually, the competition is designed to encourage students to refine their oral communication skills.

“Communicating effectively and speaking with confidence are among the most valuable skills students can develop,” said SUNY Ulster President, Alison Buckley, Ed.D.  “The Anita Williams Peck Public Speaking competition celebrates the power of ideas, the courage to share them, and the opportunity for students to discover the impact of their voices. We are deeply grateful for Anita’s enduring legacy and impact in making this possible, which continues to invest in students as they develop the confidence, communication skills and leadership abilities that will serve them throughout their lives.”

The College and members of the community experienced a great loss with the unexpected passing of Ms. Peck in January 2019. Longtime proprietor of Williams Lake, Ms. Peck is also remembered for her civic leadership and guidance as a past chair of the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. Anita Williams Peck’s legacy includes her personal dedication to others, her spirit, and her generosity to so many.  She endowed the Anita Williams Peck Public Speaking Competition with a major gift to the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc., which ensures the continuation of this event in perpetuity.

This event is free and open to the public.

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SUNY Ulster Announces President’s and Dean’s Lists for Spring 2026

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June 15, 2026 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster releases its President’s List and Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester. Of the 328 full-time and part-time students who made the President’s and Dean’s lists, 72 are Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. scholarship recipients.

Full-Time President’s List

A total of 102 students who attended classes on a full-time basis at SUNY Ulster have been named to the President’s List for the Spring 2026 semester, reported Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President, SUNY Ulster.

The list, compiled each semester, is comprised of students whose final average for the period of all courses taken is 3.75 and higher, plus other requirements.

The full-time Spring 2026 President’s List, by area, is as follows:

  • Accord:  Matthew Beesmer, Sophia Johnson, Nora Suszczynski.
  • Albany:  Manu Almonte-Cabrera.
  • Bearsville:  Navah McElroy.
  • Catskill:  Aidan Ryan.
  • Clintondale:  George Space.
  • Cold Spring:  Doris Jean Kolarek.
  • Ellenville: Meadow Concepcion, Matthew Urquia.
  • Gardiner:  Jordan Delano, Mackenzie Kwak.
  • Hartsdale:  Asif Bhuiyan.
  • High Falls:  Nate Borner.
  • Highland:  Maddyson Jones, Manny Markman.
  • Hurley:  Austin Bonse, Garrett Parker.
  • Kerhonkson: Janette Bower, Tucker Chase, Kendra Lake.
  • Kingston:  Chloe Auringer, Joseph Cafaro, Cristian Chun Coy, Angelica Cullo, Melissa Engracia, Riley Fisher, Katherine Jones, Kimberly Kilbride, Anne Larsen, Rui Li, Catherine Maisonet, Kaya McDowell, Claire Nelson, Leila Ohkawa, Liza Mae Robison, Lillian Sherman-Godfrey, Oliver Tixi.
  • Lake Katrine:  Hannah Blass, Scott Burke, Brianna Constable, Max Molyneaux.
  • Middletown:  Steven Potenzieri.
  • Napanoch:  Ethan Cataldi, Daniel Farfan.
  • New Paltz:  Marilyn Abangwaoh, Braxton Lehman, Austin Moore, Marisa Morreale, Stella Muyanga, Tsumugi Sakamoto, Natalia Seager.
  • Newburgh:  Robert Conti, Chase Rounds, Trisha Van Tassel-Betley.
  • Olivebridge:  Abby Taylor.
  • Phillipsport:  Richard Rober.
  • Pine Bush:  Salina Julio.
  • Poughkeepsie:  Latte Martin.
  • Salisbury Mills:  Henry Faber.
  • Saugerties:  Raya Ackert, Jack Bucci, Isabella Clausi, Christina Cox, Gigi Jacques, Riley Naccarato, Anna Peterson, Joseph Schaffer, Mackenzie Zeidler.
  • Stone Ridge:  Sophia Clark.
  • Ulster Park: Nicholas Coutant, Hans Fraude.
  • Wallkill:  Joseph Alvarado, Amin Booker, Jeff Conroy, Alex Crandon, Khalil Farrell, Pablo Garcia, Rohan Hamilton, John Hamlett, Donell Jackson, Pochly Jean Baptiste, Patrick Jeanty, Kevin Maldonado-Irizarry, Jared Manuel, Reginald McDonald, Donald Michel, Joseph Moss, Raymond Mundo, Anthony Nash, Igborakiniun Papalegba, Rasheed Rice, James Richard, Joel Roberts, Aenghus Rose, Lucien Salnave, Derven Thompson, Hasan Vaughan, Zachary Williams.
  • West Hurley:  Mara Dean.
  • Woodstock:  Adam Funk, Vivian Leon.

Part-Time President’s List

  • A total of 28 students who attended classes on a part-time basis at SUNY Ulster have been named to the President’s List for the Spring 2026 semester, reported Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President, SUNY Ulster.
  • The list, compiled each semester, is comprised of students whose final average for the period of all courses taken is 3.75 or higher, plus other requirements.
  • The part-time Spring 2026 President’s List, by area, is as follows:
  • Accord:  Ryan Brennan, Cleo Gebert.
  • Albany:  Trisha Churchill.
  • Gardiner:  Benjamin Diemoz, Adolfo Garcia.
  • Highland:  Dia Dearstyne Hoste, Tyrese Gardener, Lee Towsley.
  • Kerhonkson:  Michele Ramos.
  • Kingston:  Melissa Clark, Samuel Kane-Horrigan, Sam Wolven.
  • Lake Katrine:  Zachery Ryan.
  • New Paltz:  Leo Beaumont, Julia Breaux, Jonah Grossman, Vlada Zhilnikova.
  • Newburgh:  Stephen Conti.
  • Palenville:  Brittany Topple.
  • Pine Bush:  Johanna Neville.
  • Pleasant Valley:  Angela Curcio.
  • Port Ewen:  Matthew Wright.
  • Saugerties:  Terri McAleer.
  • Stone Ridge:  Lyndsey Borzumato-Seeman, McKenna Frentz, Phoebe Stewart.
  • Wallkill:  Aaliyah Gaston, Justin Sprankle.

Full-Time Dean’s List

A total of 155 students who attended classes on a full-time basis at SUNY Ulster have been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester, reported Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President, SUNY Ulster.

The list, compiled each semester, is comprised of students whose final average for the period of all courses taken is 3.30 or higher, plus other requirements.

The full-time Spring 2026 Dean’s List, by area, is as follows:

  • Accord:  Hunter Ridgely, Jake Short.
  • Albany:  Laiya Jade.
  • Boiceville:  Hudson Anderson, Adam Rose.
  • Brooklyn:  Neal Santos.
  • Cairo:  Lela Valles.
  • Clifton, NJ:  Austin Blesing.
  • Clintondale:  Lucia DeAngelo, Maya Kodra.
  • Connelly:  Alexis McArthur.
  • Cottekill:  Odin Vitek.
  • Dover Plains:  Amber Polocko.
  • Ellenville:  Bella Duarte, Luvian Escalante, Sara Gonzalez, Gabriel Julca.
  • Gardiner:  Nicholas Caracciolo, Tate Mattioli, Evan Trifilo.
  • Greenville:  Samuel Buquet.
  • Haverstraw:  Mohamed Fadl.
  • High Falls:  Chloe Goodin.
  • Highland:  Giovanni Arpino, Rachel Robinson.
  • Hopewell Junction:  Culann Gage.
  • Hurley:  Sean Cornelison, Bean Crane-Euvino, Troy Hajba, Wade Holsapple, Anna Tochterman, Aneska Zindulka.
  • Kerhonkson:  Jon Chamberlain, Ella Drouin, Candice DuBois, Keara Johnson, Abriana Pennacchio.
  • Kingston:  Elizabeth Amell, Gabe Auringer, Kailee Cammarata, Rafael Castillo, Mia Chambers, Cesar Dacosta, Evan Fasano, Ayla Fish, Shade’ja Florence, Carly Frasch, Aurora Garcia, Liam Griffin, Kyle Guido, Brian Hilton, Sonia Irizarry, Haven Kara Forte, Dominique Kelley, Ayden LaBounty, Jake Martino, India Martinson, Daniel Moeykens, Amber Murchison, Dylan Murphy,  Kimberly Olson, Joseph Orlando, Esther Pallas, Emiliano Ramirez Navarrete, Katherine Sagastume Beb, Katheryn Salguero, Giuliana Schleuderer, Zion Solis-Jackson, Jamie Temple, Gianna Vianello, Julissa Vizcaino, Liliana Wallace.
  • Lake Katrine:  Emily Cardis, Jillian Prendergast, Abraham Ramesh.
  • Lake Worth, FL:  Alexander Joseph.
  • Marlboro:  Charles Gent, Jennifer Waage.
  • Middletown:  Adam Coddington.
  • Montgomery:  Abigayle Wilson.
  • Monticello:  Tyler Beadle.
  • Napanoch:  Conner Beckley, Kal’el Hull.
  • New Paltz:  Gabriel DeFoe, Aidan Ellis, Benjamin Fromm, Jonah McDuffie, Mercedees Rosado, Adam Snyder, Nino Tuccillo, Jenna Vasquez, Gabriella Walsh, Yating Yang, Wendy Zhao.
  • Newburgh:  Jadin O’Neill, Giada Post, Jonathan Roosa, Angel Rosario Giron.
  • Oceanside:  Daniel Pignataro.
  • Olivebridge:  Josh Kurz.
  • Plattekill:  Jelissa Ortiz.
  • Port Ewen:  Madison McDermott.
  • Poughkeepsie:  Aiden North, Maxen Rodriguez, Alyssa Young.
  • Red Hook:  Connor Gibson.
  • Rifton:  Kaylee Galewaler.
  • Rosendale:  Matt Carvin, Emmett Feldman, Michael Sweeney, Angelina Williams.
  • Saugerties:  Denise Augustus, Dakota Balding, Katie Bucci, Sullivan Callahan, Aiden Carlotti, Cameron Churchill, Miya Gambino, Bruce Lent, Kelly Mazzuca, Holden Myers, Mya Pineiro, Caden Powers, Sydney Sidor, Jordan VanValkenburg.
  • Schenectady:  Alyse Conseillant.
  • Shokan:  Brenden Lomoe-Thompson.
  • Stone Ridge:  Ethan Bowman, Sierra Hikade, Kylie Ivan, Charlotte Smiseth.
  • Tillson:  Juliana Hartwell, Israel Valdez Sanchez.
  • Ulster Park:  Benjamin Dudley, Latoya Green-Grant.
  • Wallkill:  Michael Bonagura, Gabriel Crespi, Hamilton Croft, Shamali Curry, BrookLynn DeRosa, Camila Gomez, Willie Jackson, Shannon Lovitt, Kaia Mohammed, Giovanni Paneto, Leroy Porteous, Richard Poux, Andre Rodriguez, Maya Rodriguez, Lawrence Watson.
  • Wawarsing:  Alexander LaBounty.
  • West Hurley:  Marena Quick.
  • West Shokan:  Nico Paynter.
  • Willow:  Luca Roefs.
  • Woodstock:  Sable Bielawa.

Part-Time Dean’s List

A total of 43 students who attended classes on a part-time basis at SUNY Ulster have been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester, reported Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President, SUNY Ulster.

The list, compiled each semester, is comprised of students whose final average for the period of all courses taken is at least 3.30 or higher, plus other requirements.

The part-time Spring 2026 Dean’s List, by area, is as follows:

  • Accord:  Louise Rizzuto.
  • Bala Cynwyd, PA:  David Garzon.
  • Ellenville:  Ryan Barbieri.
  • Halfmoon:  Michael Luck.
  • High Falls:  Jade Cruz.
  • Highland:  Alexandra Grant, John Martin, Chelsea Medina, Jack Vett.
  • Hurley:  Carlos Perez-DuBois.
  • Kerhonkson:  Keitha Brown.
  • Kingston:  Marquita Byrd, Christopher Decker, Sia Duncan, Rosemary Gonzalez, Manuel Guerra, Macey Hahne, Lydia Haynes, Cody MacLeod, Michael McGrath, Desire Rodriguez.
  • Monroe:  Michele Capizzuto, Jordan Fusco.
  • Napanoch:  Laura Stevens.
  • New Paltz:  Nylla Gullickson, Spencer MendezNewell.
  • Olivebridge:  Victoria Amarilla-Barrios.
  • Pine Bush:  Isabella Neville.
  • Port Ewen:  Maeve Halliday.
  • Poughkeepsie:  Alicia Barnes, Dana Sky Faison.
  • Red Hook:  Prestell Pinckney.
  • Rhinebeck:  Margaret Gutmann.
  • Saugerties:  Tracy Lynch-Steyer.
  • Shady:  Rio Frisina.
  • Stone Ridge:  Carsyn Wolford.
  • Tillson:  Sophie Ennest
  • Ulster Park:  Kenny Winters.
  • Wallkill:  Kiera Bartelt, Grey Lowell, Michael Piaquadio.
  • Wawarsing:  Giselle Gonzalez.
  • West Shokan:  Ava Calinda.