Camp Ulster Hosts MLK Basketball Camp on January 20, 2020
January 3, 2020 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster’s Camp Ulster will host a full day basketball camp for ages six through thirteen on January 20, 2020 in the Senate Gymnasium on the College’s Stone Ridge campus from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Activities for the day include stations and drills in the morning, with competitions and games in the afternoon. Campers will get to learn from college players and watch a basketball orientation movie during lunch. Campers should bring a lunch that requires no refrigeration and a reusable/refillable water bottle.
Justin Maxwell, Head Coach of the SUNY Ulster Men’s Basketball program will lead this camp. Coach Maxwell has led the Men’s Basketball team to one National Championship, one Conference Championship, and three playoff appearances in his four seasons as Head Coach. He has also earned two Coach of the Year awards.
Space is limited and registration can be completed online at www.sunyulster.edu/campulster or by calling (845) 339-2025. The cost is $50.
Do you love the outdoors? Are you passionate about nature and wildlife? Would you like to make a difference for the ecosystems that make up our world? If so, an Environmental Studies A.S. degree might be for you!
With environmental issues continuing to grow in severity and importance, Environmental Studies graduates leave Ulster prepared for a field with a steadily expanding job market. Graduates can use their knowledge to help with any issue they’re passionate about, whether that’s food insecurity, climate change, pollution, wildlife endangerment and extinction, resource depletion, or anything else.
Graduates have found jobs at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the Ulster County Department of Health, as well as at private companies and local municipalities. The demand for environmental expertise is very high in the Hudson River Valley and Catskills Watershed region, so this career path can be great for students who want to stay local.
In the program, students gain skills in and out of the classroom. Students have the opportunity to explore nature and get hands-on experience as part of their classes. The program includes comprehensive courses in biology, environmental science, mathematics, and chemistry, so students are prepared for a variety of careers in environmental and scientific fields. In addition to the program itself, students can join the SUNY Ulster Environmental Club, which has taken part in several exciting sustainability and restoration activities in the last few years.
Students can take part in studies relating to stream management, wetlands, forestry, invasive species, pollinators, and fisheries through a variety of field‐based internships. Environmental Studies students also have exclusive access to paid internships with the NYC DEP.
Program graduates who decide to begin working immediately after graduation are qualified for jobs as environmental technicians, laboratory technicians, wetland field technicians, and environmental trainees. For those who want to continue their education, the program prepares students for fields like environmental law and environmental engineering. The program is also a terrific foundation for students who choose to pursue careers in other science fields, such as biology. The program affords easy transfer to schools such as SUNY ESF, SUNY Plattsburgh, and SUNY New Paltz, as well as many private colleges.
One recent graduate began a very meaningful project for the local community! Michael Burke, a 2018 program graduate, was awarded a 2017 Barnabas McHenry Hudson Valley Award from the Open Space Institute to work with the Rondout Valley Growers Association to address food insecurity in Ulster County. The culmination of his work was a forum on campus in which local organizations and the community were invited to discuss the issue of food insecurity and potential solutions.
Another alum, 2016 program graduate Alex Lemus, transferred to SUNY Albany to study biochemistry and molecular biology. He is now a graduate research assistant at SUNY Albany and is pursuing a doctorate. He has already published his first research article!
Whether your goal is to improve pollution policies, study renewable energy resources, or help wildlife in their natural habitats, an Environmental Studies degree can be the perfect place to start! Learn more about the program by contacting admissions@sunyulster.edu.
It can be hard to readjust to a studying mindset once you’re out of the habit for a few years, but with a few tips and some helpful resources, you’ll be studying effectively in no time!
Manage Your Time Wisely
Adult students tend to have more work and family obligations than the traditional student, and that can make it difficult to get classwork done. The solution? Plan ahead. Set aside a quiet time and place each day to catch up on your work, even if it’s just to study your notes and complete textbook readings. Start on your assignments as soon as you get them, just in case anything comes up closer to the due date.
Know Your Computer
If you aren’t confident in your computer abilities, then it’s time to learn to use one! Almost every class you take in college will require using a computer for studying and completing assignments, and online classes are, well, fully on a computer. Get familiar now. Learn how to use Microsoft Word, an internet browser, your course sites, and the Portal, at the very least.
Use a Variety of Resources
Remember that you have more than just your textbook if you need assistance. Many services and programs are available through the Macdonald DeWitt Library. Professors will often post extra information, links, and notes for studying on your class Blackboard site, so make sure you check course sites regularly. You can also take a look at some other great online resources we’ve curated for you.
Get Tips for Memorization
There are lots of different methods for learning and memorizing information, including using mnemonics, mapping, and more. Many suggest that physically writing down notes is an effective way to familiarize yourself with information, so don’t be afraid to use a notebook and pen, even if you’re trying to use your computer more often. Check out some of our other tips for boosting your memory skills.
Get Help if You Need It
Remember: there are special resources on campus if you need extra assistance! Visit the Writing Center and Math Center for help with English or math. Tutoring, study help, and other services are available through the Center for Academic Planning & Support (CAPS), formerly known as the Learning Center. If you need assistance with any course, don’t be afraid to reach out to caps@sunyulster.edu or stop by their offices in VAN 247. The staff and peer tutors in these departments are always happy to help!
Maintain a Balance
Don’t forget to take a breather once in a while! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by your coursework and other responsibilities, which only makes studying that much harder. Take advantage of on and off campus opportunities to relax, and make sure you’re eating right and sleeping well. Keeping your mind sharp will do wonders for your grades!
LinkedIn serves a special purpose in the world of social media. While sites like Facebook and Instagram primarily connect you with family and friends, LinkedIn is designed to connect you with employers, coworkers, professors, and other professionals in your field. It’s important to have a good mixture in your network, but how do you make that happen? Here’s a few easy ways to get started:
Have a Stand Out Profile
Naturally, one of the most effective ways to be seen by professionals who matter is to have a great profile. Add a professional picture, organize your education and work history, and add a brief summary and headline that showcases what your specialties are. Learn more about how to do that in our post on building a great LinkedIn profile.
Join Groups
… and we’re not talking about the one for your Dr. Who fanclub! Focus on groups with people who have similar education, employment, and career backgrounds to you. A great place to start is your college’s alumni page, since you are likely to find people you know who might have some expertise or job opportunities to share. You should also join ones specific to your niche. Are you a Hudson Valley entrepreneur? Find groups on entrepreneurship and Hudson Valley businesses. Or if you’re a recent Computer Science grad, you can focus on groups working in the same field you want to, like game development or network architecture.
Connect with Employers, Coworkers, Professors, and Students in Your Field
The foundation of your LinkedIn connections should be people you’ve worked with who like and respect you, and who you like and respect in turn. These are the people who will give you positive reviews and interactions, useful feedback, and can alert you (maybe even recommend you!) for employment and engagement opportunities in the future. You can find some of your professors and fellow students by checking out the SUNY Ulster page.
Connect with Other Professionals in Your Field
This one can be a little harder, but it’s certainly not impossible! If you don’t know a professional, you may have to prove to them why they should connect with you. For someone you met at a recent conference or hiring event, you might want to acknowledge where you met and what you discussed. If the person is someone you’ve never interacted with before, but would like to, you might tell them what you enjoyed about a book they published or that you watched/attended a talk they gave. If you have mutual connections with someone, you could ask your mutual to introduce the two of you.
Now Engage!
You’ve got your connections. Great! Now comes the point of actually having them: interaction. If you’ve just connected with an interesting professional, make sure you develop a good relationship with them. Do they post useful information on their status? Be sure to like and comment if you have something to add to the conversation. Similarly, when you have something of value to share or ask, don’t hesitate to share it as a post of your own. Just make sure you keep it professional and relevant to your career!
Get Started Today
By following even a few of these tips, you should see an increase in your accepted connections and have more interaction with the ones you already have! As always, be sure to follow our LinkedIn page. If you’re not sure whether you need a LinkedIn profile or not, check out one of our blog posts that will help you decide.
If you’re interested in a rewarding career where you can make a real difference in the world, consider earning a Criminal Justice A.A.S.! This program differs from the traditional A.S. program, as it is designed for graduates to go directly into police and security work. The degree is often combined with a 30-credit Police Basic Training program.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of police and detectives is expected to increase by 7% between 2016 and 2026. The A.A.S. Criminal Justice degree prepares students for this with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for entry-level positions as police officers, corrections and community supervisors, and security guards in the private sector. This program is also ideal for corrections or police professionals already working in their chosen fields who are looking to earn a degree for self-improvement and advancement.
More than 80% of graduates who also completed the Police Basic Training program are currently employed as police or corrections professionals. Completion of both programs leads toward New York State municipal police certification. The combined programs provide an ideal situation where students graduate already prepared for employment, saving their communities significant time and community resources for training.
Many Criminal Justice A.A.S. graduates do exceedingly well as developing professionals and are now in leadership positions. Graduates perform meaningful work in their community while also earning attractive salaries and benefits. Potential earnings in New York State average $78,930 at the 50% mark, which increases if employment is found with state or federal entities.
Sophie Epstein, a recent graduate, says, “I loved the Criminal Justice program at SUNY Ulster. I strongly feel that the program helped to better prepare me for success in both Police Basic Training and my career in law enforcement! The professors teach you so much more than what is in the textbooks – they teach based on their experiences in law enforcement, which made class very enjoyable! I would recommend the program to anyone who is considering entering the law enforcement field, or anyone who is looking to learn more about the criminal justice system!”
College is expensive. Even with great scholarships and programs like Excelsior, College Scholars, and federal aid, you still have to pay for housing, food, transportation, textbooks, and more. How can you make sure that you can afford it? Learn about managing finances! Here’s how:
Figure Out Your Budget
Take a realistic look at all your expenses. If this is your second year of college, figure out how much you spent last year, and plan to need at least as much this year, if not a little more. If you haven’t started college yet, just figure out your current budget and research common costs for college for others with your major/living situation. Don’t hesitate to overbudget; it’s better to have too much than too little.
… And Stick to It!
If you can’t pay for it and it’s not in the budget, don’t buy it! Things like new gadgets and electronics, clothes, and getting food and drinks at restaurants should be put on the back burner at this time. Buy used and dependable electronics on eBay, find clothing and room decor at thrift stores, learn to cook, and make your own coffee. These simple changes can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Plan to Save
If you expect to pay out of pocket for tuition at a four year school, start saving now. Every bit you set aside will lower the cost of the loan you have to take out, be it for tuition, housing, or something else. Check out our tips for saving money to get started! Even if you don’t have something you need to save for anyway, try to set aside a little bit as an emergency fund. If you don’t have emergency money and you find yourself in financial trouble while at SUNY Ulster, contact the SUNY Ulster Foundation about Lights for Learning.
Pay Attention to Your Credit Card
Credit cards are usually good. Some offer great rewards programs, and it’s nice not to have to carry a bunch of loose change around all the time. Where you may run into trouble is the “credit” part; just because your card has a super high limit doesn’t mean you should hit it! You should use your credit card just like you would a debit card: be careful where you use it, and don’t spend more than you have available in your bank account. You should be paying off your bill in FULL each month to avoid charges and make the most of your credit card benefits. Doing so will also earn you an excellent credit score for when you actually need to take out a loan or apply for a new apartment.
Manage Your Debt
This is something you want to avoid if it all possible, but you may have to take out a loan, or you may have already accrued some credit card debt. How should you tackle it? It’s recommended that you pay off at least your interest each month, so you prevent unnecessary compounding. Avoid debt by getting scholarships; there’s one for almost everything you could need while a student! Check out SUNY Ulster scholarships whether you’re a new, current, or graduating student, and contact the SUNY Ulster Foundation in Clinton 203 if you need help or have questions!
It can be hard to establish good financial habits, especially if you’re not used to careful budgeting. With a little bit of effort and practice, however, you can achieve all your financial goals and come out ahead!
If you’re an adult going to college this semester, congratulations! You’ve already taken the first steps toward your future. Now it’s time to get ready. Whether you’re returning to college after a few (or many) years out of academic life or are beginning your college journey for the first time, there are a lot of things to take into consideration when starting. Here’s how to prepare yourself!
Map Your Degree/Certificate Program
Want to stay on track? Even when you know exactly what you’re going for, unexpected things can pop up that make it hard to get all the credits you need. Make a tentative schedule now, before you start, of exactly what courses you need to take and what semester you will take them, based on how many you would like to take per semester and allowing for prerequisites and fall or spring-only classes. If you need help with this, talk to your academic advisor!
Make a List of What You Need to Buy
No matter what your major is, you will need a few things you probably haven’t bought or budgeted for in a while: notebooks or notepaper, pens, pencils, your textbooks (find out which ones you need from your syllabus or by going to SUNY Ulster’s bookstore), a pack to carry everything in, and, if possible, a personal computer or laptop. You may also want to get some hand sanitizer, food for lunches or dinners, and other personal items to take with you. Depending on your classes, you may also need things like specific calculators, special software, tools, or other major-specific supplies. Refer to your syllabus and professor for the specifics of each class!
Prepare a Study Space and Time
As an adult student, you often have responsibilities at work and with your family beyond what a college student straight out of high school would, like a full-time job, children, or aging parents. This makes it all the more important that you set aside a time and place now where you will have as few distractions as possible for studying and writing. While this isn’t foolproof, having a typical schedule and room/cafe/library where you can go get work done will help you stay on track in classes. You can get creative as well, like sitting around the table with your children and doing your homework while they do theirs (provided they aren’t prone to getting distracted).
Plan Finances and Make a Budget
College costs a lot; in addition to your tuition and the items mentioned above, you’ll need to have housing, food, and transportation. If you have children, you may need to pay for childcare. On top of all the additional expenses, you may have less money coming in if you aren’t working as much. Set aside emergency money for things like car and house repairs, and plan out your monthly budget. To help with costs, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Ulster Community College Foundation. They can help you find scholarships that will help!
Get in the Mindset to Learn and Have Fun!
You can do any number of things to physically set up your new college life, but if you have a negative attitude going in, you’ll have a much harder time. Get excited about learning new things, meeting new people, and starting your path to a new career! College has a lot to offer, through intellectual pursuits and new friends to make (yes, you will find plenty of other adult students to connect with and support). It may take a bit to get back into the swing of things at college, but that’s okay. You’ve got this!
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!
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!
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.
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!
