News

Two SUNY Ulster Students Receive 2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence

by
SUNY Ulster Press Release

April 26, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster is proud to announce Mark LaBorde and Arianna Moore, both of New Paltz, NY as the recipients of the 2023 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. This award recognizes students who have demonstrated academic excellence along with significant campus, community, or career accomplishments. A ceremony took place on Monday, April 24 at the Albany Capital Center in Downtown Albany, NY.

Mark LaBorde is a Music Major with a concentration in Voice and is President of the SUNY Ulster Music Club as well as a member of the Environmental Club. Mark is also a member of the Alpha Rho Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and currently holds a 3.6 grade point average and was named on our 2021 Dean’s list for both semesters and President’s list for fall 2022. After graduation this May, Mark plans to attend SUNY New Paltz.

Arianna Moore is a Fine Arts Major and is an active member of the SUNY Ulster community. Arianna is a member of the Student Government Organization as well as a member of the Alpha Rho Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. In addition to her extracurricular activities, Arianna maintains a 3.9 grade point average and her artwork has been accepted and displayed in the Chancellor’s Gallery. Currently Arianna is a student aide for both the Community Relations Department and the Fine Arts Department at SUNY Ulster. Due to her commitment and dedication to her academics as well as her community, Arianna has been recognized on the college’s past three President’s Lists, has been awarded the College Scholars Award, and the SUFA: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award for both 2022 and 2023.

“SUNY Ulster’s award recipients are a tremendous source of inspiration,” said Alison Buckley, Ed.D., President. “Both Arianna and Mark, our 2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence honorees, serve as leaders within our institution, are engaged in student life, prioritize their academic coursework, and serve our community. Congratulations on your contributions to SUNY Ulster as you Start Here and Go Far!”

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and have been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, or career achievement. Each year, SUNY campus presidents establish a selection committee, which reviews the accomplishments of exemplary students. Nominees are then forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office for a second round of review. Finalists are then recommended to the Chancellor to become recipients of the award.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and each of the students recognized today is an example of our extraordinary student body and their rich and diverse ‘SUNY stories,’” said Chancellor King. “Student success is at the core of everything we do, and I am honored to celebrate students from 63 SUNY campuses who are receiving this year’s Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence. Every student can find their community at SUNY, and I congratulate each of the CASE winners for making the most out of their college experience.”

###

 

SUNY Ulster Holds Spring 2023 Music Concerts for April and May

by
SUNY Ulster Press Release

April 17, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster will hold its second and third ensemble concerts of the spring semester on Wednesday, April 26 and Wednesday, May 3 in the Quimby Theater in Vanderlyn Hall on the Stone Ridge campus. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. The concerts are free and open to the public.

The April 26 concert will feature the SUNY Ulster College/Community Band directed by Victor Izzo. Dr. Adam Fontana, director of Ensembles at SUNY New Paltz will be the guest conductor and will direct La Fiesta Mexicana by H. Owen Reed. Additional selections are:

    • La Fiesta Mexicana – H. Owen Reed
    • Conga del Fuego Nueva – Arturo Marquez
    • Symphonic Dance No. 3 – Clifton Williams
    • San Antonio Dances – Frank Techeli
    • La Mezquita de Córdoba – Julie Giroux

La Fiesta Mexicana composed in 1954 and established a framework for many concert band compositions using Hispanic musical influences. Although each of the other pieces are unique in their melodic themes, there is a thread commonality that formed the basis for this program.

On May 3, the SUNY Ulster College Chorus directed by Janet Gehres and accompanied by Edward Leavitt will feature a diverse choral program of music from the Renaissance, Zambia, Vocal Jazz, operetta, and 21st Century America. Also performing is the African Drumming Ensemble directed by Paul Chambers, and will be played on traditional African instruments. In addition, this concert will feature performances by the spring 2023 Honors Recital Winners and The SUNY Ulster Jazz Combo Alumni Band.

For more information, please contact Janet Gehres at gehresj@sunyulster.edu.

###

 

Chorus Singers

Community Band

SUNY Ulster Presents Poet and Author, Kimiko Hahn 2023 Ellen Robbins Poetry Forum

by
Portrait photograph showing Kimiko Hahn's side profile

SUNY Ulster Presents Poet and Author, Kimiko Hahn 2023 Ellen Robbins Poetry Forum

April 11, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster presents the 2023 Ellen Robbins Poetry Forum with poet and author Kimiko Hahn on Thursday, April 27, at 10:15 a.m. in the College Lounge in Vanderlyn Hall on the Stone Ridge campus.

The event, moderated by Dolores Quiles, Professor Emerita will include a reading, interview, and question and answer period. Books will be available for purchase.

Kimiko Hahn was born in Mount Kisco and grew up outside New York City.  Hahn is a distinguished professor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Literary Translation at Queens College, The City University of New York. Hahn earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Iowa before returning to New York to attend Columbia for her Master’s Degree in Japanese literature. Hahn has published ten poetry books including Foreign Bodies, Brain Fever, and Toxic Flora. In addition, she previously served as President of the Board of Governors, Poetry Society of America from 2016 to 2019.

To date Hahn has won the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, the American Book Award, and the Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America. She has also been awarded fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 Sponsored by the Ulster Community College Foundation, The Poetry Forum is an annual event that brings well-known and award-winning poets to SUNY Ulster for intimate question and answer sessions. In 2007, the program was renamed the Ellen Robbins Poetry Forum to honor the memory of Ellen Robbins (1952-2006) who was on the faculty at SUNY Ulster from 1994 until 2006, and Chair of the English department from 2002-2006.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kari Mack at mackk@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5214.

###

SUNY Ulster Police Academy Information Session Scheduled for April 29 

by
Police Academy 2022v Graduates posing for photo

Next Police Academy Begins July 2023

April 14, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster’s Criminal Justice Department welcomes prospective students to attend a Police Academy information session on April 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This information session is mandatory for anyone interested in the upcoming academy class running from July 2023 to December 2023. The information session will be held at the Kingston Center of SUNY Ulster. The information session will also have a Zoom option. During the information session attendees will meet the academy staff, learn about physical fitness, understand academic requirements, and review academy rules and regulations.

At the completion of the Police Basic Training Certificate program, a student will be able to demonstrate working knowledge of New York State law including; penal law, family and juvenile law, mental hygiene law, vehicle and traffic law, and criminal procedure law. Students will also be able to demonstrate knowledge, actions and procedures required of police officers such as applying various laws to established police procedure and public safety response techniques.

The 30-credit hour certificate program is achieved through collaboration between SUNY Ulster and the Ulster County Law Enforcement Training Group (UCLETG) and incorporates all of the NYS approved pre-employment curriculum and objectives. Although the program does not guarantee admission into a police department, all requirements of a full-time basic police academy apply to this program, including physical fitness, para-military organizational development, attendance, and academics.

According to Jim Truitt, Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice & Human Services, “between 80-85% of our PBT program graduates consistently go on to be successfully employed in the policing field upon program completion. Most of the graduates find employment locally, but our students generally come from five to six surrounding counties.”

Registration is required:   For more information, contact Mike Polcari at polcarim@sunyulster.edu or 845-688-1590.

###

SUNY Ulster’s Spring Open House Returns to Campus May 6

by
Save the Date, Open House Satursday May 6 9am-12, Stone Ridge Campus

April 10, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster will hold its Spring Open House on the Stone Ridge campus on Saturday, May 6 beginning at 9 a.m. Prospective and accepted students and their families are invited to attend this informative and fun event.

Attendees will be able to learn more about SUNY Ulster’s programs, athletics, student support services, campus life, and more. Visit our College Services Fair, take a campus tour, attend an academic program showcase presented by SUNY Ulster faculty in their academic departments, and learn everything you need to know about our college admissions and registration process.

Prospective students will be able to get help applying to SUNY Ulster, filling out their financial aid applications, and are encouraged to schedule a future one-on-one session with an Enrollment & Success Counselor for guidance through the entire admissions process.

Accepted students will be able to schedule an advisement and registration appointment to complete their fall schedule.

All open house guests will receive a discount on all SUNY Ulster Spirit Wear in the Senators Store, and there will be local Food Trucks on site with refreshments for purchase.

Registration is required for this event. For more information, please contact SUNY Ulster Admissions, Enrollment & Success Center at admissionsevents@sunyulster.edu or (845) 687-5022.

###

Dr. Alison Buckley Joins Panel in 2023 AAUW NYS Celebration of College Women Presidents

by
Portrait photo of Dr. Alison Buckley

April 4, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – The American Association of University Women has invited SUNY Ulster President Dr. Alison Buckley to participate on a panel in their 2023 AAUW NYS Celebration of College Women Presidents. This celebration will be presented via Zoom on Saturday, April 8; from 9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Dr. Buckley will take part during panel II at 11 a.m. where she will discuss her unique experience as SUNY Ulster president, her mentors, and the challenges that appear with incoming academically unprepared students from 2020.

In addition to Alison Buckley, Ed.D., other panelists include Denise A. Battles, Ph.D. from SUNY Geneseo; Katherine S. Conway-Turner, Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo State University; Kristine D. Duffy, Ed. D. from SUNY Adirondack; Amy Kremenek, D.M. from Tompkins Cortland Community College; Mary C. Toale, Ph.D. from SUNY Oswego; and Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D. from SUNY Empire State College.

AAUW has been a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization promoting equity and education for women and girls since 1881. This organization advocates for women, helps women pursue graduate studies, and empowers women to challenge sex discrimination.

Dr. Buckley established her presidency of SUNY Ulster in July 2022. Before her role at SUNY Ulster, she served as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD. During her time there, Howard was consistently recognized for best practices in the field of enrollment management and had the strongest enrollment among Maryland’s community colleges. Following that Dr. Buckley was Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Connecticut State Community Colleges in New Britain, CT. In this role she was responsible for establishing the strategic enrollment management direction for the state’s community colleges and led the reform efforts for student affairs to ensure all community college students had the support and resources needed to be successful.

Dr. Buckley received a bachelor’s degree from Randolph College, a master’s degree in history and a postgraduate certificate in museum studies from the University of Delaware, an M.Phil. in women’s studies from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a doctorate in organizational leadership studies from Northeastern University.

SUNY Ulster Named a Top Ten Gold Military Friendly School

by
SUNY Ulster Press Release

SUNY Ulster Named a 2023-2024 Top Ten Gold Military Friendly® School Designation

March 21, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster announces it has earned a Gold top ten spot in the 2023-2024 Military Friendly® School designation. Military Friendly®  is the designation that measures a school’s commitment to veterans, current military members, and their dependents.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2023-2024 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

“Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard,” reports Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.  Manuel Torres, SUNY Ulster’s Director of Military Affiliated Services, says,” Working together with our military affiliated students we design individualized programs to help the students reach their desired goals. This begins by providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere for the military affiliated students and providing up to date information on how to maximize their available benefits. We further support our military affiliated students by providing the necessary resources to help them succeed”.

Interested veterans and their families can learn more about SUNY Ulster’s military veteran opportunities by contacting Manny Torres at torresm@sunyulster.edu or call (845) 688-6003.

###

top ten military

SUNY Ulster Associate Professor Selected as a 2023

by
Portrait Photograph of Jennifer Guiher

SUNY Ulster Associate Professor, Jennifer Guiher, Selected as a 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition Honoree 

March 20, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – This month the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has announced their 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition Honorees, among that list is Dr. Jennifer Guiher. Named in honor of former AACC President and CEO Dale P. Parnell, this designation has been established to recognize individuals making a difference in the classroom. Recipients for the faculty distinction recognition demonstrate passion for the students and the classroom and show willingness to support students, inside and outside of the classroom. In addition, individuals awarded the Dale P. Parnell also go beyond what is required to ensure that students are successful in their academic endeavors.

Dr. Guiher received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 2005 and her Master’s in Biology in 2007 from The College of Staten Island, NY.  She finished her formal education at CUNY Graduate Center in New York after achieving her Ph.D. in Biology; Evolution, Ecology, and Animal Behavior in 2013.  An Associate Professor of Biology at SUNY Ulster and Coordinator of the Environmental Studies program, Dr. Guiher teaches courses such as Microbiology, General Biology, Environmental Themes, Human Biology, and Anatomy & Physiology. In addition to her classes, Dr. Guiher is an advisor of the SUNY Ulster Environmental Club.

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents more than 1,000 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and nearly 12 million students. The AACC strives to provide a national voice and advocacy for the community college mission as well as create opportunities for peer networking and interaction at all levels, professional initiatives, dialogue, and community-building.

###

Discover the Arts – Wednesday, March 22 from 4 to 6 p.m.

by
Professor with student in art classroom

March 9, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – On Wednesday, March 22, come learn about SUNY Ulster’s Arts Programs, and preview student work. Prospective students are invited to participate in an optional Portfolio Review of their work, and tour the art department facilities including the Gallery, Print Shop, Mac Lab, Mac Studio, and Inner Space. This event will be held in the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery in Vanderlyn Hall, room 265. Registration is required. The snow date is March 23, 2023.

Attending SUNY Ulster for the first two years of your college journey can be beneficial and fiscally strategic. Currently, SUNY Ulster offers $1 million in scholarships to students annually, and with financial aid, many of our students graduate with zero debt. Having a tight knit college community provides our students with the opportunity to explore their interests and reinforce their strengths before entering a career in the Arts, or transferring to another college.

SUNY Ulster graduates have transferred on to attend four-year colleges such as Fashion Institute of Technology, Pratt, School of Visual Arts, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase, and much more.

For more information, contact SUNY Ulster Admissions, The Enrollment & Success Center at admissionsevents@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5022.

###

Marielena Ferrer as Spring 2023 Visiting Artist

by
SUNY Ulster Press Release

Broken Monarchs Exhibit: March 10 – April 14 

Artist Lecture/Opening Reception: March 10

Community Art Workshop: March 21 & March 23 

March 2, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – This spring SUNY Ulster welcomes Marielena Ferrer as their Visiting Artist. “Broken Monarchs” will open on March 10 in the Muroff-Kotler Gallery on the Stone Ridge Campus with an opening reception from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The artist will present a lecture at the beginning of the opening reception. This event is free and open to the public.

The public is invited to participate in two 45-minute public workshops in collective artmaking on March 21 from 10 am to noon and March 23 from 2-4 pm in the Gallery. Learn about the monarch butterfly migration quest and its symbolic connection to migrant children at the U.S.-Mexican border. Registration is required. 

Marielena Ferrer’s work “Broken Monarchs” is a unique representation of the effects of confining animals that naturally migrate and how we see similar activities in our own society today. Ferrer takes the audience on a trip through her eyes on the “zero tolerance” policy at the U.S.-Mexican border.

Marielena Ferrer is a socially engaged artist who serves as the chair for both Kingston City Arts Commission and the Alianza Cultural de Kingston. The Kingston Arts Commission’s purpose is to strengthen the local economy by attracting and promoting artists, arts venues, and arts entrepreneurs and encouraging cultural tourism. The Alianza Cultural de Kingston is a committee that is working on the findings of the Kingston Latino Cultural Study to bring programming and other activities to the Hispanic/Latino community in Kingston. Additionally, Marielena sits on the Family of Woodstock Board of Directors, Arts Mid-Hudson Advisory Board, and is a teaching artist at the Department of Regional Art Workers, the D.R.A.W., in Midtown Kingston.

Originally studying architecture at Central University of Venezuela, Marielena later earned a certificate of distinction in “Leadership and Empowerment” from Spain’s Polytechnic University of Valencia and a diploma in “Gender Leadership” through the EQUAL Transnational Cooperation Community Initiative of the European Social Fund. She also earned a University Expert Diploma in “Mental Health, Cultural Processes and Psychological Interventions With Immigrants, Minorities and the Socially Excluded” from the University of Barcelona. Marielena holds a BFA in Sculpture and is currently pursuing her MFA in Sculpture from SUNY New Paltz.

The Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For special viewings or more information, contact Christopher Seubert at 845-687-5134.

###

Students looking at Art Exhibit