Public Events, Exhibits and Lectures

Four Students Recognized by SUNY, Phi Theta Kappa, & EOP for Academic Achievements

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May 14, 2026 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster celebrates its students recognized for their academic achievements. Each of these individuals are pursuing careers in different fields and are on a successful path toward realizing their collegiate and personal goals.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence recognizes students for outstanding academic achievements, leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts. This award is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by the State University of New York. The 2026 Chancellor’s Awards go to Aidan Banbury and Tuwana Leonard.

Since enrolling at SUNY Ulster in Fall 2024, Aidan Banbury, a resident of Hurley, NY, has demonstrated strong leadership as a Student Admissions Ambassador and as Student Government President for the 2025–26 academic year. A member of Phi Theta Kappa and a President’s List recipient, this reflects his strong commitment to academic excellence. Aidan is completing an Associate in Science in Individual Studies and plans to transfer to Siena College to major in Political Science. Following his undergraduate studies, he plans to attend law school and pursue a career in multiple areas of civil law.

Tuwana Leonard, an Individual Studies major who earned her certificate in General Management, is graduating with an Associate in Science while simultaneously completing the Medical Office Assistant microcredential, as the first SUNY Ulster student to earn this microcredential. Additionally, she recently earned certification as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. Committed to academic excellence, Tuwana is a Dean’s List recipient, a member of Phi Theta Kappa and is proud to serve as President of SUNY Ulster’s Black Student Union. A Kingston-based community advocate, Tuwana inspires and uplifts those around her, including her family through leadership exemplifying resilience, purpose, service, and learning, demonstrated by completing six credentials in three years.

The Phi Theta Kappa All-New York Academic Team recognizes high achieving college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society.  Aidan Banbury and David Velasquez Sierra are the 2026 recipients of the Phi Theta Kappa – All New York Academic Team.

David Velasquez Sierra of Gardiner, NY, started his journey at SUNY Ulster as a Human Services major earning his Associate in Science in Fall 2025. He aspires to transfer to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees with a career goal of working in healthcare and/or education in the discipline of psychology or sociology.  A member of Phi Theta Kappa, David is committed to academic excellence, is an active volunteer in his community and is a passionate advocate for people with learning disabilities.

SUNY’s Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Student Excellence is awarded to Shantol Martin. Now celebrating its seventh class of honorees, the award recognizes outstanding EOP students for their academic merit and perseverance.

After arriving in New York from Jamaica at age 14, with Jamaican Creole as her primary language, Shantol worked diligently graduating in two years with her A.A. from SUNY Ulster in Fall 2025. Throughout her time at Ulster, Shantol demonstrated discipline and determination by consistently attending tutoring sessions, meeting with counselors and professors, and staying committed to her studies while also serving as a caregiver for her siblings at home. Beyond the classroom, Shantol has contributed generously to the campus community as a student ambassador, admissions event volunteer, tour guide, and EOP student mentor. Shantol is attending SUNY New Paltz where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

SUNY Ulster President Alison Buckley, Ed.D. said, “I am extremely proud of our students’ individual and collective commitment to academics, service, and excellence as they reach their educational goals by starting here at SUNY Ulster and Going Far!  Their hopes, ambitions, hard work, and needs remain at the heart of everything we do. As we educate the individual and elevate the community, our students’ achievements continue to give purpose and meaning to our work and inspire our unwavering commitment to their success.”

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SUNY Ulster to Celebrate 62nd Commencement on May 16

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2026 Graduates

87% of SUNY Ulster’s Class of 2026 Graduates Debt Free

May 14, 2026 – Stone Ridge, NY – As SUNY Ulster prepares to celebrate its 62nd Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 16, preliminary data shows that 87% of the college’s Class of 2026 completed their education debt free, a powerful reflection of SUNY Ulster’s commitment to affordability, access, and student success.

The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the Senate Gymnasium on the Stone Ridge campus, where President Alison Buckley, Ed.D., will confer degrees and certificates upon 124 graduates participating in the event.

The Class of 2026 includes 326 graduates overall, with 270 students earning associate degrees and 60 receiving certificates. The graduating class spans generations, ranging in age from 16 to 72.

Among this year’s graduates:

  • 72 students earned Highest Honors
  • 69 students earned Honors
  • 9 students will receive the President’s Medal of Highest Honor for maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA
  • 49 graduates are members of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community colleges
  • 16 students will receive the Darlene L. Pfeiffer Medallion of Excellence as recipients of the President’s Challenge Scholarship
  • 6 students are recognized as College Scholars

In addition, 23 nursing students will participate in the annual Nursing Pinning Ceremony, and 18 Veterinary Technology students will take part in SUNY Ulster’s inaugural Vet Tech Pinning Ceremony on Friday, May 15.

“Our graduates have inspired us through their hard work, perseverance, and passion for learning,” said SUNY Ulster President Alison Buckley, Ed.D. “What makes this class especially remarkable is that 87% of our graduates completed their education debt free, demonstrating that a high-quality college education can remain affordable, accessible, and transformational for students and families across our region.”

“As both a SUNY Ulster alumnus and Chair of the Board of Trustees, I am especially proud to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2026,” said Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq. “Our graduates represent the strength and promise of this institution, and I look forward to the many ways they will contribute to our communities and beyond.”

The commencement keynote address will be delivered by Rodney Shealey, Advisor with HarbourView Equity and former Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings. Throughout his career, Shealey has worked with internationally recognized artists including Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez. A strong advocate for higher education and economic mobility, he has spoken at Columbia University, New York University, and Syracuse University.

The alumni address will be delivered by Marcia Zwilling, entrepreneur, songwriter, and Managing Director of the Diane Warren Foundation. Zwilling is the founder of EquestrianSingles.com, a nationally recognized platform featured on Today, CNBC, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Representing the graduating class, student speaker Natalia Seager will address attendees. Seager is graduating with High Honors in Liberal Arts: Math and Science and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She serves as a math and psychology tutor at SUNY Ulster, volunteers with the Ulster County SPCA and the American Red Cross and founded the college’s Criminal Justice Club.

“Being part of the SUNY Ulster community has shown me how transformative an accessible and supportive education can be,” said Seager. “I’m honored to represent my classmates as we celebrate everything we’ve accomplished together.”

Student Trustee Gunnar Bednarz, graduating with High Honors in Environmental Studies, will serve as a student marshal. Bednarz will continue his studies at Binghamton University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree focused on botany and marine science.

Guests attending commencement should note that large bags and backpacks are prohibited. Large purses and diaper bags will be subject to inspection, and strollers must be left in designated areas.

Each participating graduate will receive six guest tickets. Doors to the Senate Gymnasium will open at 9 a.m. Family and friends unable to attend may watch the ceremony live at SUNYUlster.edu/graduation and on the SUNY Ulster YouTube channel.

SUNY Ulster looks forward to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026 alongside family, friends, and the community.

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Elizabeth Gross Horticulture Lecture Series at SUNY Ulster Presents “Twelve Months of Garden Inspiration” with Karl Gercens

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Karl portrait

April 22, 2026 – Stone Ridge, NY – Just in time for gardening season, the Ulster Garden Club presents the Elizabeth Gross Horticulture Lecture Series, featuring an engaging program, “Twelve Months of Garden Inspiration,” by renowned horticulturist Karl Gercens. Sponsored by the Ulster Garden Club, the lecture takes place on April 28 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the College Lounge, Vanderlyn Hall on the Stone Ridge campus. This event is free and open to the public.

Born in Mississippi, Gercens’ passion for horticulture began early. The long Southern growing seasons gave him room to experiment and innovate, eventually leading him to earn a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from Mississippi State University. His impressive career includes internships at Walt Disney World and the Filoli Estate in California, and today he curates many of the spectacular seasonal displays in Longwood’s world-famous four-acre Conservatory. With a distinctive eye for combining colorful trees, shrubs and perennials, Karl’s work has earned him recognition across the country and around the world. He has visited public gardens in all 50 U.S. states and over 24 countries, each journey deepening his expertise and inspiration.

This annual program is made possible through a generous bequest from longtime member and Kingston resident, Mrs. Elizabeth Terry Gross. Affectionately known as Betty, Mrs. Gross was part of a prominent Kingston family that owned and operated the Terry Bros. Brickyard. Alongside her husband, Conrad “Bob” Gross, she was deeply committed to civic engagement and philanthropy, contributing to numerous local and national organizations. Betty is fondly remembered for her warmth, generosity, and deep appreciation of flowers—an enduring passion that inspired her legacy gift to the Ulster Garden Club.

Founded in 1914, the Ulster Garden Club has spent more than a century enhancing the community through horticulture, conservation, and civic improvement initiatives. Among its longstanding contributions, the Club maintains the gardens at the Senate House Museum in Kingston and has led transformative efforts at Academy Green Park.

The Club’s impact extends throughout the region, with support for landscaping and tree planting projects at Frog Alley Park, the Ulster County Historical Society, SUNY Ulster, Forsyth Nature Center, and Storm King Art Center.

The Elizabeth Gross Horticulture Lecture Series continues this tradition by fostering education, appreciation, and community engagement in horticulture. Through this series, the Ulster Garden Club honors Betty Gross’s legacy while inspiring future generations to cultivate both gardens and community connections.

For more information about the lecture series or the Ulster Garden Club, please contact foundation@sunyulster.edu.

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