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SUNY Ulster Hosts Annual “Future Voices” Art Exhibit Showcasing Local High School Talent

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

May 30, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – Ulster County high school students will be showcased in an exhibit of their artwork with “Future Voices 2023: High School Art from Ulster County,” opening June 9 and running through June 23, at the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery on the Stone Ridge campus. The opening reception is on Friday June 9, from 4 – 6:00 p.m.

This annual exhibition features artwork from high school students throughout Ulster County. Participating schools include Saugerties, Onteora, Rondout Valley, Kingston, Ulster BOCES, New Paltz, Ellenville, Marlboro, Highland, Wallkill, and Woodstock Day School. The show will include a wide variety of media including painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, sculpture, digital media, and more.

The Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. is offering prizes to the artists with the three best pieces in the show. There will be one $100 best-in-show award and two honorable mentions, worth $50 each.

The exhibition is being curated by Allison Constant, owner and founder of Art Bar in Kingston. Ms. Constant is a SUNY Ulster fine art program alumna. In addition to her work at Art Bar, she has curated exhibits for the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum and Woodstock Jewish Congregation. She has also exhibited her own work at The Farber Center in New York City, Samuel Dorsky Museum at SUNY New Paltz, and The Shirt Factory in Kingston, among others.

The Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and by appointment. It is closed on college holidays and weekends. The show and opening reception are free and open to the public. For more information please contact Gallery@sunyulster.edu or call 845-687-5113.

Students in an art Gallery

SUNY Ulster Student, Marissa Dawson Takes First Place at Business Plan Competition

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

SUNY Ulster Student, Marissa Dawson Takes First Place in Services and Software Category at New York State Annual Business Plan Competition

Dawson outpaces tough competitors from undergraduate and graduate students of four-year universities to secure funding for her new business.

May 25, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – The New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) announces 2023 prizewinners at Venture, NY, and the marquee event for early-stage companies, investors, and innovators hosted by the Upstate Capital Association of New York. SUNY Ulster’s very own Marissa Dawson of New Paltz, a Business & Entrepreneurial Studies student placed first in the Services and Software category.

Since March, Student competitors have been competing at the semi-final competitions hosted by partner colleges and universities held in all 10 regions of New York State. Top teams from each region advanced to the statewide finals. In all, a total of 75 teams placed in the top of their tracks during regional competitions and advanced to the NYBPC Finals. SUNY Ulster was one of only two community colleges to compete in the NYBPC finals.

On April 27, 2023, The NYBPC culminated with student competitors pitching live to judges at the OnCenter in Syracuse, New York. Over the course of the competition, over 150 judges volunteered, setting aside time from their work as venture capitalists, angel investors, investment bankers, experienced entrepreneurs, and leaders from the business community to share their input on these student-led ventures.

Marissa presented her business, Sage’s Sudzee Dudz, which provides horse blanket cleaning. Business Professor, Daniel Boice, was her coach with support from Adjunct Professor, Pat Phelan and the entire SUNY Ulster Business Club. Daniel Boice said SUNY Ulster was the
“only community college represented at the Regional” level. The ten state finalist teams in the Services and Software category included teams from Cornell University, Binghamton University, Wagner College, and many more. Each first place category winner, including Marissa, received not only a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain feedback from industry leaders but also a cash prize.

Marissa said, “Thanks to SUNY Ulster I was given the opportunity to learn about business and entrepreneurship. The bonus launch of my own small business has been a rollercoaster, but it is well worth it.”

Upstate Capital Association President and CEO, Noa Conger Simons said, “This program helps cultivate investable early-stage companies, provides a launch pad for all kinds of new ventures, and develops skills and mindsets that all competitors take forward with them in their careers. Since its inception in 2010, the NYBPC has impacted more than 6,000 students with more than $150 million of economic impact that can be attributed to student-led ventures that have gone through the program and hundreds of innovations that have led to commercialization over the past decade.”

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Marissa Dawson

SUNY Ulster Summer Arts Academy for High School Students

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

May 24, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster announces registration for its Summer Arts Academy is now open. We are offering six workshops in a variety of media taught by practicing artists in the field. All workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  • Digital Drawing + Painting will be held from July 17 – July 20.
    Learn the basics of digital drawing and rendering, how to translate traditional art to screen by utilizing various digital brushes and textures, quick tips and tricks that can simplify the drawing process, as well as what goes into marketing your work to an audience online.

Instructor: Kat Farrell

  • Printmaking will run from July 17 – July 19.
    The Printmaking workshop will introduce you to the three basic types of printmaking: Relief, Intaglio, and Planographic by exploring the techniques of Linocut, Collagraph, and Monotype. This is a hands-on class in which you will use new tools to create and print multiple images while learning the basics of working in a printmaking studio. No previous printmaking experience required.

Instructor: Joan Ffolliott

  • Sculpture: Creating Art in 3 Dimensions will run from July 24 – July 27.
    Together we will investigate the question: “How do you make a sculpture?” You will have the opportunity to experiment with a variety of materials as we explore how art concepts apply to creating in 3 dimensions.

Instructor: Sam Goldberg

  • Digital Photography & Image Editing will run from July 24 – July 27.
    This intensive photography workshop will provide everything for the aspiring photographer. We will take advantage of the extended time together to photograph inside and outside using our cameras to full effect. Learn all about camera functions, camera usage, studio lighting, and printing photographs as well as introductions to photographics artists and how they can teach us how to make powerful images.

Instructor: Seth Rubin

  • Developing Personal Narrative in Drawing runs from July 31 – August 3.
    In this workshop you will learn to use your own objects, photographs, and memories combined with landscapes and text to create more personal story – telling drawings. Classes will center on learning positive and negative drawing techniques in charcoal and graphite.

Instructor: Kristin Flynn

  • Animation 101 also runs from July 31 – August 3.
    In this intro level class, you will learn the basic principles of animation. Using these principles, you will be able to see your animated projects come to life using both traditional and digital techniques. We will then work through various animation exercises to create a demo reel showcasing your animation skills.

Instructor: Cassiopeia Ottulich

To register for any of these courses, a parent or guardian must first complete our online Pre-Registration form. After the form is complete you will receive a registration link to pay for the course(s). For more information, contact Continuing Education at cereg@sunyulster.edu or 845-339-2025, or Christopher Seubert, Fine Arts Visual Arts Department Program Coordinator at seubertc@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5134.

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Registration Opens for SUNY Ulster’s Newest Microcredential: Pet Sitting, Training, and Grooming 

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

May 17, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – For anyone who loves working with animals, SUNY Ulster introduces a new microcredential, Pet Sitting, Training, and Grooming. In this microcredential, students will learn key skills and knowledge needed for pet sitting, training, and grooming services. Students will also learn how to successfully start a business to offer these services and the business skills they will need.

Microcredentials are short programs that provide relevant skills needed in today’s marketplace. They take less time to earn than a degree or certificate, achievable in one year or less. Once the requirements of a microcredential are achieved, you are awarded proof in the form of a digital badge that can be added to your resume or LinkedIn.

This microcredential is composed of four to five classes totaling between 9 and 12 credits. After the completion of this microcredential, students will be able to analyze strategies for dealing with pet behavioral issues, identify grooming tools and demonstrate understanding of their uses, and create a business plan for a pet business including start-up costs as well as the ongoing costs of running a pet business.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “About 80,900 openings for animal care and service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade”. In addition, animal care and service worker employment is projected to increase by 29% from 2021 to 2031.  As the number of pets in households rise, and travel becomes more accessible, there is an increasing need for animal caretakers.

To learn more about the Pet Sitting, Training, and Grooming Microcredential visit SUNY Ulster’s website or contact Admissions at admissions@sunyulster.edu or 845-687-5022.

 

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Photo by John Halpern

Student with dog

SUNY Ulster Holds 59th Commencement on May 20, 2023

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SUNY Ulster Graduate holding up diploma

May 11, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster’s seventh President, Alison Buckley, Ed.D. will preside over the College’s 59th Commencement on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. on the SUNY Ulster Soccer Field/Louis Berger Athletic Fields on the Stone Ridge campus. President Buckley will present 130 students with a degree or certificate at the Commencement ceremony.

Graduates marching in academic regalia will receive four tickets each for guests to attend the commencement. The Soccer Field will be open for guest seating at 8:30 a.m., and the ceremony starts at 10:00 a.m. In the event of light to moderate rain, a decision for the outdoor ceremony to be moved inside will be made and communicated to graduates as soon as possible.

The event will be video streamed live for guests without tickets and can be viewed from any remote location as the ceremony occurs from our website at sunyulster.edu/graduation or from our YouTube channel . The graduating class consists of 429 students. Three hundred twenty-nine (329) will receive associate degrees and 100 will receive certificates. The youngest graduate is 17, and the oldest is 64. Of the class, 73 are graduating with highest honors, 145 are graduating with honors, 3 students are graduating with the Honors Studies program distinction, 7 students are being recognized with the President’s Medal of Highest Honor for earning a 4.0 GPA, and 57 are members of the national honor society Phi Theta Kappa. There are also 21 students graduating as nurses.

Tim Guinee, actor and environmental activist will give the keynote address. Tim Guinee is the President of Climate Action Now and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Commission on Accelerating Climate Solutions. As a leader in former Vice-President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, he has given presentations on the climate emergency all over the U.S., Canada, and North Africa. He is also the founder of The Climate Actors and serves on the Leadership Council of Riverkeeper, the board of the Ashokan Center, and the board of Green Product Placement. He is the official climate change liaison for the town of Marbletown, NY with the Climate Mayors, and serves as the New York legislative action director for the New York Climate Reality Chapters Coalition. Mr. Guinee earns his living as an actor and has performed in hundreds of films, plays, and episodes of television.

Other speakers include Grand Marshal Kari Mack, Director of library studies, Faculty Marshal Kevin R. Stoner, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty; Deborah Briggs, Board of Trustees Chair; The Honorable Patrick K. Ryan, United States Congressman; The Honorable Michelle Hinchey, New York State Senator; The Honorable Sarahana Shrestha, New York State Assemblymember; The Honorable Jen Metzger, Ulster County Executive; The Honorable Tracey A. Bartels, Ulster County Legislature Chair; Christopher Mikesh, Esq., Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc., Secretary; and Matthew Goodell, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, & Academic Senate Chair.

SUNY Ulster held an inaugural student speaker competition and Logan Erlwein was selected to deliver remarks to his fellow classmates and serve as student marshal.

The Reverend Allison Moore, Ph.D., of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, New Paltz, will deliver the invocation and benediction. Music will be performed by members of the College Choral Ensemble directed by Janet Gehres, and Old Capital Brass directed by Victor Izzo, Jr.

The security policy does not permit large bags and backpacks. Large purses and diaper bags will be checked. Guests will be asked to leave their strollers in a designated area on the soccer field.

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SUNY Ulster Holds May Fine Art and Fashion Design Student Exhibitions 

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

April 25, 2023 – Stone Ridge, NY – Students from the Fine Art: Visual Art and Fashion Design programs of SUNY Ulster will hold exhibitions of their work on the Stone Ridge campus. The Fine Art/Visual Art will be held on Friday, May 5 in the Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery from 4 – 6 p.m. and the Fashion Design Annual Exhibition and Runway Show will be held in the College Lounge Friday, May 12 from 5 – 7 p.m.

The Fine Art/Visual Art Exhibition will feature work from various art courses including Drawing and Composition II, Painting, Printmaking, Watercolor, Intro to Drawing, Photography, Intro to Design Foundations, Dimensional Design, and Digital Visual Narrative.

The Fashion Design exhibition will feature work from both freshman and sophomore students and include a runway segment. The runway segment will run from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and will display shirts, skirts, and other garments. In addition to the show, our student designers; Sarah Connolly, Anna Thomas, Mikyla Hough, Sophie McCarthy, Vera Hrab, and Monserrat Medina will be available to talk about their pieces and portfolios.

SUNY Ulster’s art programs provide students with foundation courses and career skills, taught by faculty who are working professionals in their fields. Students learn artistic, technical, and theoretical skills in addition to general education courses that prepare them for transfer to complete their four-year degree or enter the job market. Many of SUNY Ulster’s art graduates transfer to top art colleges such as Fashion Institute of Technology, School of Visual arts, SUNY New Paltz, and more.

Both events are free and open to the public. For more information on the Student Art Exhibition, contact Chris Seubert at seubertc@sunyulster.edu. For more information on the Fashion Exhibition, contact Kristin Flynn at flynnk@sunyulster.edu. Refreshments will be available at the Fashion Exhibition.

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Art Photo

Title: Music; Artist: Margaret (Maggie) Melanson; Medium: Gouache, Ink, Oil Pastel on paper
Fashion Photo: Sophomore students – Sarah Connolly, Anna Thomas, Mikyla Hough, Sophie McCarthy, Vera Hrab, and Monserrat Medina

 

This week’s #MadeitMonday goes out to Stefan Ryan

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Headshot of Stefan in a suit

 

Stefan Ryan is a SUNY Ulster alum who graduated in 2014 with an associate’s degree in Engineering Science: Electrical Engineering. Stefan was familiar with the successful foundation SUNY Ulster provides students before enrolling here because both of his parents were also alumni! Stefan knew entering college he wanted to be an engineer, and he also knew the first two years of most college engineering programs were very similar. With this in mind, he made his decision to attend SUNY Ulster. He knew he “ would receive an equivalent education from SUNY Ulster as [he] would have at a 4-year University”. 

After Stefan’s graduation, he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic University for a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. During his time at RPI, he worked part-time as an application developer at IBM. After graduating Stefan began working at Lockheed Martin, and while working full time, completed his Masters of Engineering from Cornell University in 2018. Eventually, Stefan made the decision to move from Electrical Engineering to Cyber Security and relocated to Orlando, FL. 

Stefan says “The professors I had at Ulster were the biggest part of my success in education”.  Reflecting on his time here, Stefan looks back fondly on Professor Plumb, Professor Mistry,  Professor Douglas Furman, and “most of all Jules Albertini. They taught me the fundamentals of Engineering in Calculus and Differential Equations”.

Having been part of a family of SUNY Ulster graduates Stefan advocates for people to go to two-year colleges first. SUNY Ulster is a “great alternative to the growing pressure for all high school graduates attending a four-year college right after high school.” Stefan was able to pay for his entire associate’s degree and accrued zero debt before transferring to a four-year school. 

Stefan receiving and award

Congratulations on your accomplishments Stefan!

SUNY Ulster Police Academy Information Session Scheduled for April 29 

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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.

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SUNY Ulster Named a Top Ten Gold Military Friendly School

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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.

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top ten military

This week’s #MadeitMonday goes out to Alejandro M. Duran Sanchez

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Portrait Photograph of Alejandro

Business Administration 2019’

Alejandro Sanchez graduated from SUNY Ulster in 2019 after completing his Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. Sanchez’s road to success was not always easy but he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Alejandro’s decision was solidified when he found out his peers who had attended four-year colleges “had outstanding debt, well over $25,000” after their first two years.

After graduating from high school Alejandro Sanchez’s family was incredibly unhappy with his decision to attend a community college instead of a four-year college, but he insisted it was the right choice for his future. “To this day I’m happy with the decision I made in attending SUNY Ulster”. Once Alejandro completed his Associate’s Degree he transferred to SUNY Albany and in two years finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. 

During his time at SUNY Ulster Sanchez remembers conversations with William Russell, a Library Assistant on campus. The two would meet weekly and Russell would share his wisdom with Alejandro. Alejandro specifically remembers a quote William Russell once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” 

Alejandro Sanchez is currently the founder and CEO of Volna Unalign, a digital marketing agency located in the Hudson Valley. He acknowledges that being a business owner can be taxing but rewarding and believes he “wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for SUNY Ulster”.

Finally, Alejandro has his own words of wisdom for all students currently enrolled in SUNY Ulster, “Don’t give up, find your gift, and remember to share it with everyone.” He continues, “We all started somewhere, now it’s your turn to go far.”

Alejandro at scholarship ceremony