Campus Life

Registration is Open for COIL Summer Institute – Join Us!

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SUNY Ulster President, Alan Roberts with visiting students from Fatec Americana in Mexico.

Join an International Community of Learners to Explore Innovative Global Business Models at SUNY Ulster’s COIL Summer Institute!

Collaborate Online: June 5 – July 3
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Learn Face to Face: July 3 – July 14

What is COIL Summer Institute?

SUNY Ulster is offering students and community members the unique opportunity to study both online and on campus in their COIL International Summer Institute – a blended course on innovative global business models. The course entitled, Special Topics in Entrepreneurship – BUS 280 – will run online from June 5th to July 3rd and then on the Stone Ridge Campus from July 3rd to July 14th.

It can be taken for credit or noncredit, and is a blended course in which SUNY Ulster students study together with students from

  • Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
  • Fatec Americana
  • Universidad La Salle Noroeste ULSA

to explore the entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and techniques required for the development of new and disruptive business models for a global economy.

Study the growing clean energy, sustainability, and high tech industries of the Hudson Valley as well as those from The Netherlands, Mexico and Brazil. Learn about the importance of social entrepreneurship to all businesses in the 21st century.

Work Online: June 5 – July 3

Explore the intercultural competency, business terminology, and background discussions of the entrepreneurial mindset and disruptive business models of thriving and developing businesses such as Uber, Airbnb or MercyVirtual (a telemedicine firm). Learn about the cultural impact of these businesses and the technology that drives these businesses without borders.

Learn Face-to-Face: July 3 – 14

Students from the International colleges will be traveling to SUNY Ulster to join in face-to-face learning:

  • Visit and shadow local Hudson Valley entrepreneurs to learn their stories, understand their entrepreneurial mindsets and business models.
  • Participate in classes and group work focused on international marketing and cross cultural mindset.
  • Take trips to local maker spaces, tech meet-ups and more.
  • Collaborate in cross-cultural teams in a Biz Model Challenge to develop new business ideas/models.
  • Hear speakers from local businesses:
    • Integral Building & Design – Bringing new products, solar, and passive house designs to fruition for efficiency, health and safety
    • Sustainable Hudson Valley – Holistic approach to sustainability from a community standpoint
    • Evolve Media & HV Tech Meet Up – Community of tech professionals breaking down barriers for synergistic connections
    • Hudson River Maritime Museum – Creating community-based business lines unusual for a museum for growth to 5 million dollar organization
    • Fala Technologies – Tool & die company developing innovative partnerships for a manufacturing community that share clients
    • Applestone Meat

Costs:

For Local Students

The cost for this 3 credit course, Special Topics in Entrepreneurship is $794.50 for local students. It includes all tuition, fees, food during the class, a welcome lunch, a farewell dinner celebration, and a SUNY Ulster t-shirt.

For International Students: $2,850

Lodging is single occupancy, food, activities around the Hudson Valley, transportation including to and from the airport.

For more information:

Mindy Kole
Assistant Professor of Business
Director, Darlene L. Pfeiffer Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
kolem@sunyulster.edu

Patrice Macauley
Program Coordinator, Continuing & Professional Education
macauleyp@sunyulster.edu

To Register:

Contact Student Accounts at (845) 687-5099.

Meet our Student Admissions Ambassadors

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Here at SUNY Ulster, we have an elite team of student ambassadors that are in charge of portraying the persona of the student community. They are in charge of helping prospective and new students gain special insight into the SUNY Ulster experience through a student’s own perspective. Student Ambassadors are available to help a prospective student make an informed decision about the college, by sharing their own personal experiences with them.

Being a Student Admissions Ambassador will help a SUNY Ulster student earn valuable experience to boost their resume, help them develop excellent communication and leadership skills, make important connections for their future, get SUNY Ulster gear to wear for Admissions events, and most importantly, get to know other SUNY Ulster students. One of the most attractive benefits of being a Student Admissions Ambassador is that one can serve as an Admissions Tour Guide and receive payment in the summer for service.

In order to become a Student Admissions Ambassador, one must have excellent communication skills in one-on-one and group settings, good listening skills, be organized, possess excellent time management skills, and be able to work with a diverse group of students with different needs. They should have a positive attitude, be outgoing, enthusiastic, dependable15281014_10207618412525417_617954290_n, and in good academic standing. Anyone can be a Student Admissions Ambassador, from someone with a history in community service and volunteerism to having a strong interest in public relations and marketing. They serve as volunteers at various Admissions events, are able to help staff with recruitment efforts at local college fairs and community events, contribute to social networks, set up to assist prospective student, participate in open houses, lead campus tours for prospective students and visitors, and best of all, earn college credit as an intern.

It’s a great way to become involved right off the bat and immerse the average student in the college experience, as well as the local community. They meet on Wednesdays at 1pm in the Dining Hall. In order to become more involved myself, I met with one of the Student Ambassadors in person and asked her about the experience. Mariana Mena, an outstanding student athlete who has won Scholar Athlete of the Year, majors in Independent Studies and is due to graduate this upcoming spring of 2017. When asked why she likes the experience, she said, “It’s allowed me to learn a lot about communicating with others, and I overcame my shyness when it comes to talking to strangers. It taught me great leadership qualities, and allowed me to become more aware of the events around campus. Personally, getting involved with open houses was fun, and you could see the appreciation in people’s faces when they got to learn about the school through a student’s perspective.” She encouraged me to join as well, because SUNY Ulster gives you an opportunity to learn about college life before you move onto a huge college, get involved and educated, and allows you to meet people you probably wouldn’t have classes with. Best of all, it looks great on a college resume!

To learn more about becoming a Student Admissions Ambassador, contact Lucia Pecore at pecorel@sunyulster.edu.

If you want to talk to a Student Ambassador firsthand, Mariana Mena can be contacted at menam44@my.sunyulster.edu.

And, if you want to schedule a campus tour with a Student Admissions ambassador, go to the Visit page on our website to set up an appointment.

SUNY Ulster Students Work with Local Designers, Host Special Fashion Event

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Students and models looking at camera

31043996405_692f88f0a9_kStudents in the fashion, entrepreneurship, and music departments successfully planned and produced their very own fashion show this past week! Members of the Introduction to Fashion and Introduction to Entrepreneurship classes collaborated to create outfits and plan Fashion & Entrepreneurship: Stories and Role Models, a fashion show and informative discussion held on Wednesday, November 16, at the Stone Ridge campus. The event highlighted the designs, merchandise, and entrepreneurial stories of seven fashion companies from the local community. The designers and companies who worked with the students included Leong Ong, Pool 28, LLC; Cal Patch, Hodge Podge Farm; Karina Cousineau, Karina Dresses; Margrit Wenzel, LGND Supply Co; Beth Petramale, Next Boutique; Ryan Roche, Ryan Roche Fashion; and Kelly Lyndgaard, Unshattered. A following panel discussion with the business owners offered wisdom and advice for the up-and-coming designers and entrepreneurs, as well as the public.

31043857995_68d4e19a5c_kTo create the show, the Fashion and Entrepreneurship students were put into teams and received valuable experience while they studied the work of the fashion companies, met with the business owners, held interviews about their designs and companies, and planned the fashion show. The students compiled what they learned about each company into a story that they shared at the show. Designs were showcased using students as models. A group of students studying Music Entrepreneurship designed the music for the event, and students planned and implemented the marketing for the fashion show.

Assistant Professor Mindy Kole, Director of the Darlene L. Pfeiffer Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, was enthusiastic about
the event and its importance to Ulster: “Projects like Fashion & Entrepreneurship: Stories and Role Models are what set SUNY Ulster apart from other colleges and universities. Here at SUNY Ulster, students don’t just learn about entrepreneurship and fashion from lectures and textbooks, they learn by30929930491_a1047e69e5_k immersing themselves in the real world, they learn by doing and spending time with experts.  Students actually practice skills and the characteristics of an entrepreneurial mindset through projects like this. This is truly the SUNY Ulster way.”

We commend the SUNY Ulster students for all their hard work, and thank the business owners for their support and participation!
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Top Ten Reasons to Choose SUNY Ulster

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SUNY Ulster in front of the fountain in fall

Affordable EducationTaraFitzgerald
The cost of attending a four-year college is high and going higher. You can greatly reduce the cost of gaining a bachelor’s degree by graduating from SUNY Ulster and transferring to finish to a four-year institution to finish your degree. At SUNY Ulster, 70% of our students graduate with no debt and more than 200 students per year receive scholarships. Discover how Tara Fitzgerald saved to reach her goals.


Flexible Scheduling
If you need to make college fit in with job and family obligations, SUNY AudreyPottingerUlster offers daytime, evening, weekend and online classes to help you accomplish your educational goals. Did you know, we also offer seven different start dates to help get you going. See how Audrey Pottinger used every scheduling option to get herself across the finish line.

The Power of SUNY
The SUNY System has a policy of seamless transfer for those graduating from a New York community college with an A.A. or A.S. degree. Our Transfer Office can help ensure the credits you earn at SUNY Ulster will earn you placement as a junior in the four-year SUNY college or university of your choice.

Faculty Focus on Teaching VincenzoAgostaroCapture
Our professors don’t just teach a course, they live it. Experts in their fields, they bring real life experiences to the classroom. Classes are small, so faculty have the ability to inspire and mentor.

Support Services for Success
We strive to address the needs of all learners. From academic advising and tutoring to counseling and career services, we help you develop to your fullest potential.

Internships & Real World Experience
From day one, you’ll have the opportunity to register for an internship or academic travel. In addition, many of our programs provide real world experiences such as creating graphics or developing drafting proVictorCuevaCapturejects for real clients.

College & Career Options
If you’re like most students, you may not yet know your career path. SUNY Ulster is ideal for exploring fields that interest you to find your passion. Choose from career-oriented programs if you want to enter the job market with your associate degree, certificate or diploma or from transfer programs if you’d like to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Vibrant Student Life
Join a club. Run for office. See a play. Visit the gallery. Play for one of our athletic teams. Join us for BBQs, workshops, lectures, demonstrations and more.

Caring Community
You can feel it the moment you step foot on campus. We’re a community of helpers and doers, cheerleaders and mentors. You’ll quickly discover that faculty, staff and your fellow students become family.

Global Opportunities
Experiencing the world and connecting with other students from around the globe is easy for SUNY Ulster students. In addition to international and domestic travel, we are a leader in COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning). COIL classes use Internet-based tools like Skype and Moodle to connect with students from other institutions around the globe, without ever leaving campus. Learn with students from Mexico, Beirut, and Italy, among others.

Nursing Club

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Student and professor during nursing class

Here at SUNY Ulster, we have an active Nursing Club that’s always looking out for our health! These hardworking students do a great deal to help each other and the community, so we contacted them to learn a little more about what they do.

Previous Work: Last spring, the club teamed up with the LGBTQ Club to host a speaker on giving optimal health care to LGBTQ patients. They have worked with the College Health Services to run a health and wellness challenge. Some students may have seen their annual Angel Tree pop up in the Hardenbergh Breakfast Café, which helps provide a Christmas for struggling families in Ulster County. Every April, the club holds a cancer awareness campaign. In the past, they have raised funds for the American Cancer Society.

Plans for the Year: The club will be doing their annual cancer awareness campaign next month, during which they will hold an item and fund drive to help Ulster County Cancer Support. They are also hosting an all-day nursing symposium regarding career options for nurses on April 30th; this event is open to students and nurses from surrounding colleges and nursing facilities as well. The club hopes to take a trip to the Bodies Exhibit in New York City sometime this year.

See Them On Campus: Nursing Club makes an appearance at all campus events involving clubs and attends all SGO meetings. They also have a table during open houses.

As A Club Member: Members of the Nursing Club work hard and encourage each other to be the best nursing students they can be. Active members practice their nursing skills, seek to improve the health of the campus and community, and have the opportunity to become better leaders, all while being supported by their fellow nursing students.

Join In: Are you a nursing student or interested in becoming one? Attend a club meeting! Nursing Club meets on the first Monday of every month at 12:15, in HAS 101. You can also email club advisor Pam Pierce at piercep@sunyulster.edu for more information.

 

Cleaning Up Your Social Media for Graduation

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Person holding cell phone with two hands, sitting between two other people

According to the Pew Research Internet Project, approximately 74% of those with access to the internet use social media. Included in that 74% are recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers looking to get a better view of who you are as a person. Companies are becoming more interested in the whole life of their employees, either to help create company culture fits or to weed out those that may not fit from the start.

The reality is that some of those Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts can land you in serious hot water. Let’s remember the young woman who was fired before her first day at a pizza place because she decided to complain about it on her Twitter account. It’s your choice to share, but keep in mind you could be risking your chances of getting a new job or even keeping the position you already have.

Your social pages are basically your personal advertisements. You’re building a brand here, people!

  • Be outgoing.
  • Be yourself.
  • But be conscious.

What’s your end goal? Are you on these channels to network with desired industry insiders? Socialize? Either way, people are looking, from friends to the public. Don’t let your social media channels hold you back.

Pay close attention to these tips on what to leave off the web – for good:

Complaints About Your Current Job or Internship

This is one of the worst offenses someone can make. If you’ve had a bad day, week, or month, the last place to vent is online. Your current employer may never see your comments, but there’s always the chance a future employer will. Or worse – a fellow employee with a chip on his or her shoulder. Also, recruiters and hiring managers will look at how you present yourself online during an internship or work you currently and form an opinion about how you may act online in the future.

Also, the way you interact with your school, professors, and administration online will be watched as well. To sum it up, how you interact with people is important as it does reflect on your personality and ability to blend into community culture.

Takeaway: Save yourself the drama, and address the situation head-on in person but not online. Even if you and your manager don’t end up seeing eye-to-eye, you’ve earned their respect in the workplace.

Passive Aggressive Comments

There’s a lyric to go with every mood, person, and situation. That doesn’t mean you need to put those cryptic words on blast to your 700+ Facebook friends when someone at work crosses you. Nine times out of ten you’ll delete this post later, making it seem like you can’t handle your emotions.

Takeaway: Leave the salt for your food. Grudges can only last so long, but your social-savvy friends and coworkers will always remember the time you called them out – not so discreetly.

Inappropriate Photos and Videos

While you may have already deleted all your Facebook albums after starting to read this article, don’t forget to look at your tagged photos as well. These are often overlooked – but not by employers or recruiters. If you have public accounts, employers can use these images as a benchmark of how you’ll perform on the job. Private accounts are not as private as you think. Photos and videos can be shared, and screenshots can be made. Some very popular memes were created from private photos.

Takeaway: Snap your best foot forward. What if your Instagram was filled with such great food shots, your manager hires you to be the official ‘grammer’ of the company? Leave your options open. Keep it clean, folks!

In The End, Do You.

If you’re thinking, filters be damned – I’m posting whatever I want, whenever i want, then make your page private. Most social media platforms allow for customized privacy settings.

Our tip? Use social media, but use it wisely. Put the same efforts into your posts as you do in choosing the right Instagram filter. And if you currently have a job – don’t use social on your shift.

Sports Make a Difference

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SUNY Ulster Senators with symbol

College is scary. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The teachers are intimidating and the students are scary and as you’re wandering around the campus looking at your schedule you’re wondering if it’s HAR for Hardenbergh Hall or if it was a mistype and had meant HAS for Hasbrouk Hall. For a two year college, it’s harder to meet people because there isn’t any housing on campus like four year colleges and the social life is mostly small circles of kids who already knew each other before entering college.

There is a way around that vicious cycle of “oh my gosh who are these people” and that is joining a sport. As said previously, SUNY Ulster is a two year college and since either you know some people or you know no one, the best bet to meet people and to be most comfortable in your four (or three, two, one) semesters here is to join one of the sports that are offered giving you a great opportunity.

In the fall there is the Men’s Soccer team, the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country team, and the Women’s Volleyball team who made the fourth spot on the Division III NJCAA standings. In the Winter Men’s Basketball is played and in the spring Baseball, Men’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, and Softball are all played. For each season, there is some way for girls and boys to get to know one another and for people to get connected with each other.

Your teammates are there to support you. College is a stressful and difficult time for anyone and to be able to socialize and have someone next to you to pat you on the back makes all the difference. Your teammates motivate you to do your best in your sport and in your studies and your team makes you want to be the best that you can be. It doesn’t matter if your team is one of the better ones in fact it doesn’t even matter if your team is one of the less successful ones. What matters is that the teammates and the athletes have the camaraderie that bind them together.

So, if you are feeling at a loss with this semester with meeting new people, the best idea that there is would be to join one of the four sports that are offered. You can get exercise and get motivated to have a fantastic semester here at SUNY Ulster.

SUNY Ulster President Dr. Alan Roberts

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President Alan Roberts standing with Nick Carchidi

Occupation: SUNY Ulster President
Community College Attended: North Country Community College
First Generation Student

What made you decide to start at a Community College?
Convenience, Affordability, and Accessibility.

When did you figure out your career major?
I began as an accounting major in community college but once I furthered my education I found that I had a passion for more of the marketing and other fields involved with business.

What is the difference between Community College then vs. Community College now?
Technology, I just read that 70% of students need technology to study and 30% can’t leave their phone alone for 10 minutes. Now, with the Technology Revolution though, I can’t leave my phone alone either.

Describe your journey from Student to President.
I began studying Accounting at North Country Community College. Then I worked in the business field for years but wanted a more fulfilling job. I then started working as an Accounting professor at Indian River State College, moving up to a department head, a Dean and now as the President of SUNY Ulster.

What is your favorite thing about SUNY Ulster?
The Instructors: They are exactly what I was hoping faculty would be at every community college. They care about the students. The success of their students is number one in their mind and they go about & beyond in that they spend more time with students, they help, they mentor, they guide, and they love being here.

Pres15vertWhat are your Favorite Places on Campus?
I love the Music and Art Departments since I’m a musician.
The STEM Department interests me because of all the cool technology in the classrooms. And, of course, the Cafeteria because that’s where the students are and I love to interact with them.

What tips do you have for Students?
Start on day one: Get class scheduling, financial aid, book purchasing out of the way before the first day of class. Focus on your studies. Learn how to be a student: Figure out how to be independent and how the college system works while at community college.

Giving Thanks

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Apple on open book in front of blackboard with math equation

Apply on textbook
Now that we are towards the end of the semester, there’s time take a look at your grades, your efforts and your teachers. I looked and realized that there was one adjunct professor that I really felt grateful to. I decided that it would be nice to give her a professional recommendation for her personal file. If there’s a teacher who you feel has gone above and beyond, you may do the same. Don’t worry about whether it’s geeky or not. Yes, being grateful may not look cool to your friends but it’s good karma and you can use all of that you can get, especially when you’re the one looking for a job later.

Here’s my letter, and yes, you may use the format or any style ideas from it to thank the professors who are making a difference for you.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter of recommendation for Heidi L. Ferry because I truly believe she needs some credit for being a terrific math teacher. She is currently teaching Basic Algebra 091 and is the only math teacher that I’ve ever had that could explain to me the “why’s” of the math operations clearly. She has a lot of patience and checks with us to make sure we are getting the concepts right. Before tests, she gives us reviews and for the first time in my life, I don’t feel like a hopeless dunce in math. I have an A average; me, the girl who in first grade was told nicely by my math/reading teacher that “It’s okay, not everybody’s a math person.” I thought she was being kind pointing out that it was just the way nature made me. My non-mathematic-English-artsy brain just couldn’t deal with all those number thingies.

Thirty some-odd years later, I’m happy to say she was wrong. It is with the help of Professor Ferry that I have this confidence. Most of my class and I wish she could stay our teacher throughout our college experience but know this cannot be the case. I hope my next algebra teachers will be as thorough and patient as her and I wish her all the best in her career.

A Very Thankful Student,

Jennifer Smith-Jamieson
SUNY-Ulster Community College

Thanks to Professor Heidi L. Ferry.

SUNY Ulster in the News! Article about SUNY Ulster Theater Production

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Screenshot of Spoon River at SUNY Ulster Almanac article

Masters remastered: Spoon River Anthology on stage at SUNY-Ulster

Posted by Debra Bresnan on November 12, 2015 in Stage for The Almanac Weekly

Edgar Lee Masters based his epic collection of poems, Spoon River Anthology, upon the lives of real people he knew, heard about or represented in his legal practice as a public defender. Many of Masters’ characters bore a striking resemblance to his former townspeople in Lewistown and Petersburg, Illinois, and when the collection was published in 1915, it created enormous community unrest and embarrassment.

In 1963, actor and playwright Charles Aidman chose 75 of Masters’ original Spoon River Anthology epitaphs and conceived and directed them, accompanied by musical interludes. The New York Times described this Broadway production as “a glowing theater experience…A brooding and loving American folk poem brought to life on a stage” and the New York Post called it “an evening of astonishingly stirring emotional satisfaction.”

Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, Spoon River Anthology will open at SUNY-Ulster’s Quimby Theater on Thursday, November 19. The play is directed by Richard Cattabiani, adjunct professor in the English Department under the Dean of Faculty Office at SUNY-Ulster.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE