Governor Hochul Appoints New Members of the Ulster Board of Trustees

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Press Release New Board Members

Governor Kathy Hochul Appoints Bryant “Drew” Andrews and Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq., to the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees

March 12, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Bryant “Drew” Andrews, of Kingston, and Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq., of Kingston, to the College’s Board of Trustees.

As the co-founder of the Kingston, NY-based Center for Creative Education (CCE), Drew Andrews originated the Artistic Director role in 1999 and has been serving as the Executive Director of the non-profit organization, whose mission is to enrich the social and cultural awareness of children, youth, and the community through arts, wellness, and education since 2016. A dynamic community leader, Drew has an unbridled passion for the arts and has dedicated his life to working and mentoring in the community through arts education and wellness. Bringing over 30 years of Human Services experience working with youth and advocating for the welfare of children and young adults, Drew joined the Board of Directors for the Ulster Community College Foundation in March 2020, serving through 2021.

A true philomath, Drew has enhanced his degrees in human services and youth counseling with professional development at Stanford and Harvard Universities.

He founded Energy Dance Company, winning national and international awards and recognition for over 25 years and DXF®, a high-energy community-based fitness program. Mr. Andrews was appointed as the Common Council member, Ward 7 Alderman, for the City of Kingston and also sits on the board of UPAC/Bardavon Theater. Drew was recognized by the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc., as an honoree at the annual Gala, Community Impact In Motion, for his contributions as a dynamic individual leading his organization, building centers of opportunity for our community through philanthropy, public service, community engagement, and the arts.

Drew has shared, “At CCE, we envision every child having access to affordable, equitable, inclusive, and innovative programs, where students are mentored from early childhood through high school and beyond, building a legacy of confidence, integrity, intelligence, and creativity, developing their own voice and propelling them into the future leaders of tomorrow. I am eager to bring this focus and energy to my role as a Trustee at SUNY Ulster.”

SUNY Ulster alumnus Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq., specializes in Real Estate Law with an office in Kingston, New York. He represents clients throughout the Hudson Valley, primarily with the purchase and sale of residential and commercial real estate. Along with individual and corporate clients, Robert represents various local and national lenders in the mortgage closing process.  He is also a licensed New York State Title Insurance Agent and is the owner and president of the Title Service Company, which is a registered agent with nationally known underwriter Westcor Land Title Insurance Company.  He is admitted to practice law in both the states of New York and Connecticut.

A graduate of John A. Coleman High School, he received his Associate in Science in Business Administration from SUNY Ulster in 1998 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the State University of New York at New Paltz, and his Juris Doctor from

Western New England University School of Law.

Mr. Jacobsen and his wife Carly, were recipients of the 2019 SUNY Ulster Distinguished Alumni Award! Robert has been serving on the City of Kingston Planning Board for the past 13 years and is a member of the New York State and Ulster County Bar Associations.  He has served as a member of the Ulster Community College Foundation Board of Directors since 2019 and is a 2020 SUNY Ulster Alumni Hall of Fame inductee.

Mr. Jacobsen believes in the value of a community college education, “…SUNY Ulster is just the best financial decision one can make at the beginning of their lives. I have seen too many students and parents go into debt for college, and I strongly believe this debt is just crushing people before they can even get a start in life. Financial freedom in life is very important to allow people to continue to grow and take risks to better themselves either personally, financially, or creatively in both their personal and professional lives. It gives you the freedom to live and do what you want in life. I am honored to serve as a Trustee at SUNY Ulster.”

SUNY Ulster President, Alison Buckley, Ed.D., stated, “We are fortunate to have the support from Governor Kathy Hochul, Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger in endorsing our newest Trustee appointments to serve our SUNY Ulster students and community of learners.  Governor Hochuls’ advocacy and support of our Trustees to serve as community stewards to hold the commitment of ensuring access to affordable higher education has been paramount.”

SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees Chair, Deborah Briggs shared, “The SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees looks forward to working with Trustees Andrews and Jacobsen as we focus on the future of SUNY Ulster in our Ulster County community as we serve the needs of our residents.”

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Drew Andrews
Photo: Bryant “Drew” Andrews
 Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq.
Robert R. Jacobsen, Esq.

 

 

 

Submit A Song To SUNY Ulster’s Student Spotify Playlist

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SUNY Ulster is putting together a Spotify playlist featuring YOUR favorite songs this semester! This is your chance to share your musical taste and collaborate on a project involving the whole SUNY Ulster community.

 

What Songs Are Eligible?

We’re open to all genres! SUNY Ulster prides itself on diversity, and this playlist will be a reflection of that. However, to ensure the playlist is enjoyable for everyone, we ask that you keep a few guidelines in mind:

  • Song submissions can be from any decade or period. This is a playlist of what students are listening to now, not a list of new songs from this season.
  • From rap to country to jazz or K-pop, every genre is welcome. We’re excited to see the variety of musical tastes within the student body.
  • The songs should be free from explicit content. We aim to create a playlist that’s accessible to all students.

 

How To Submit Your Favorite Song

To submit a song to the SUNY Ulster Student Playlist, just fill out our song submission form with the song’s title and artist. Including a Spotify link to the song helps ensure that we are including the right song in the playlist.

By submitting a song, you’re contributing to the creation of a shared campus experience. This playlist will not only be a way to discover new music and appreciate the diverse tastes of our student body, but it will also act as a snapshot of what SUNY Ulster’s students were listening to at this point in history – a musical time capsule.

Don’t miss this opportunity to help us create the perfect soundtrack for Spring 2024!

SUNY Ulster Welcomes Alumnus Ryan Snair as New Baseball Coach

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

February 26, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster is pleased to announce the hiring of Coach Ryan Snair as Baseball Coach. Ryan brings 20 years of coaching experience to Ulster, having spent the last 14 years at SUNY Sullivan as Coordinator of Field House Operations & Equipment and then Head Men’s Baseball Coach.

Ryan graduated from SUNY Ulster in 1996. A pitcher for Ulster’s baseball team while studying here, he was awarded 1st Team All-Region and 1st Team All-American Honors. He then attended Hofstra University on a full athletic scholarship and St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He then returned to SUNY Ulster, where he started his coaching career as Assistant Men’s Baseball Coach. While at SUNY Ulster, Snair coached the team to the College World Series in 2004.

“Ryan’s coaching experience and ability are significant, and we are excited about the future of our baseball team with him at the helm,” said SUNY Ulster President, Alison Buckley, Ed. D. “His record, both at SUNY Ulster and SUNY Sullivan is exceptional, and we look forward to his leadership.”

“I am happy and honored to return to SUNY Ulster as Baseball Coach and am excited about the opportunity to foster the growth of the student-athletes here both on the field and in their academic pursuits,” stated Ryan Snair.

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Portrait of Ryan Snair

 

From Farms to Incubators Presentation by Award-Winning Journalist Amy Wu

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From Farms to Incubators, Amy Wu

SUNY Ulster Introduces From Farms to Incubators a Presentation
on Women Driving the AgTech Boom by Award-Winning Journalist Amy Wu

February 22, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster is excited to welcome Amy Wu, award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and the founder of From Farms to Incubators. This multimedia platform tells the stories of women founders in AgTech.  This event takes place on March 7, 2024, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the College Lounge, Vanderlyn Hall of the Stone Ridge Campus, and is free and open to the public.

The presentation includes a documentary screened at SXSW and information from a newly published book of nearly 30 portraits of women entrepreneurs in the fast-growing sector of AgTech, each of whom presents inspirational solutions to the many growing issues affecting our food production.

Ms. Wu will discuss how women are driving the current AgTech boom and why the initiative is crucial to the future of farming and climate change. While sharing more about the evolution of From Farms to Incubators, Ms. Wu will discuss how she overcame skepticism, outdated traditions, and adversity to achieve her calling as a journalist and entrepreneur.

The talk follows with a film screening and book reading/signing. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Jennifer Guiher at guiherj@sunyulster.edu.

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Exhibition of Visiting Artist James E. Ransome

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

Visiting Artist James E. Ransome Exhibition at the SUNY Ulster Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery February 23 – March 8

February 21, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – The SUNY Ulster Visiting Artist Series brings the work of local artist James E. Ransome to the Muroff Kotler Visual Arts Gallery on the Stone Ridge campus from February 23 to March 8. An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 23, from 4 – 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit, A View from My Window, is a retrospective spanning Ransome’s 34-year career as an acclaimed illustrator of more than 70 notable and award-winning children’s books. With mediums ranging from oils, acrylics, watercolors, and collages, his work has taken on many forms, from books and posters to paintings and murals.

James E. Ransome earned his BFA from Pratt Institute and a Master’s from Lesley University in Massachusetts. He has been honored with the 2023 Children’s Literature Legacy Award by the American Library Association, the Coretta Scott King Award, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, ALA Notables, a Jane Addams Award, and NAACP Image Award.

James E. Ransome’s journey in art began in the rural South, devoid of direct exposure to art galleries or museums, yet fueled by a deep-seated passion for storytelling and illustration. His career is a testament to the power of perseverance and talent.

 The Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery at SUNY Ulster serves as a center for creative activity at the College and within the community. It also functions as an environment for teaching, performing, and exhibiting.

                 For more information, please contact Chris Seubert at seubertc@sunyulster.edu.

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Pinting detail of person with visor

 

Herrington Showcase Concert Returns to SUNY Ulster and Honors Memory of Former SUNY Ulster Bandleader, Lee Herrington

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

 February 20, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – On Wednesday, February 28, at 7:30 p.m. the music ensembles of SUNY Ulster will perform a concert to honor the memory of Lee Herrington. Herrington was a dedicated musician and mentor, the former band director at SUNY Ulster, a longtime Rondout Valley music teacher, and the former director of the Kingston local American Federation of Musicians Concert Band. The event will be held in the Quimby Theater, Vanderlyn Hall on the Stone Ridge campus.

This annual memorial concert will have multiple performances with groups that include current SUNY Ulster and New Paltz students, area High School students, faculty, staff, and community members. Musical groups include the College Chorus, directed by Janet Gehres with accompanist Edward Leavitt; the College/Community Band, directed by Vic Izzo; and the African Music Ensemble directed by Paul Chambers.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Janet Gehres at gehresj@sunyulster.edu. A snow date is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

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SUNY Ulster Celebrates Black History Month with ‘Your Black History’ Showcase on Campus

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Press Release Your Black History

February 12, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY — SUNY Ulster invites the Ulster community to join the College community in a showcase of “My Black History” by coming to the Macdonald DeWitt Library (DEW 101B) on Tuesday, February 20 or Thursday, February 22 between 10 and 11:30 am to record your story.

Your story can be communicated in one of two ways:

  • The Communications COM 131 Digital Storytelling class will record your story with an audio or video recording device.
  • A StoryCorps-Inspired Recording Booth will be available for recording stories with the assistance of a COM131 student.

All stories will be made into one-minute audio-video portraits to be shared on SUNY Ulster’s social media and the SUNY Ulster Blog.

For more information or questions, please contact Meg Sheeley, Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs and Adjunct of Digital Storytelling at sheeleym@sunyulster.edu.

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SUNY Ulster Launches Art & Literary Magazine, Calls for Submissions

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banner introducing the new art & literary magazine

Created by and for SUNY Ulster students, the now defunct Slate Art & Literature Magazine was a platform for students to showcase their developing creative skills on their own terms, outside the limitations of traditional classroom assignments. Each piece published in it was, by nature, distinctly individual; however, as a whole Slate represented the voice of the entire student body – a voice that has been noticeably absent since the publication was retired.

two magazine covers showing a head made from strips of white material and a comic book style collage
Old issues of SUNY Ulster’s Slate Art & Literature Magazine

But now SUNY Ulster students have decided it’s time to reclaim that voice with a new art & literary magazine. No longer called Slate, the name of the new publication will be chosen from suggestions submitted by students. It will showcase a wide range of art forms, from prose and poetry to photography, sculpture, fashion design, and more. The mission of the publication is to showcase the best creative efforts the student body has to offer, and to reflect the diversity and talent of the SUNY Ulster student community.

a photograph of a woman surrounded by colored rocks and smoke and a sketchbook page with human figure studies
Art pieces formerly featured in SUNY Ulster’s Slate Art & Literature Magazine

Student contributions are now being accepted across a wide range of creative disciplines, with a submission deadline of March 1st set. The selection process will be spearheaded by a committee which will determine which submissions are to be featured in the magazine.

This opportunity is exclusive to current students, who are encouraged to submit their work, as well as their ideas for the title of this new publication. Title suggestions can be submitted via Google Form or at stations located outside the Student Life Dining Hall, inside CAPS, and in the Library lobby. The selected title will earn the submitter a $25 Amazon gift card, the same prize that will be awarded to the artist of the magazine cover, which will also be chosen by the selection committee.

Interested in sharing your work? From now until March 1st, submit your work via Google Form.

 

SUNY Ulster Makes Getting to Know Us Easy with Information Sessions & Campus Tours Scheduled throughout the Winter & Spring

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press release campus tour

February 7, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – What better way to get to know SUNY Ulster and the programs offered than to take advantage of one of the many information sessions and campus tours held throughout this winter and spring?

At Information Sessions, prospective students and parents will get detailed information on programs, support services, campus life, and more while also learning about our admissions process.

Tours are led by current students who will take you through academic buildings, dining areas, the library, bookstore, gymnasium, and more. Meet with an Admissions Representative following the tour.

Admissions Information Sessions
4-5 p.m.

Wednesday, February 21 (Zoom)
Wednesday, March 27 (on campus)
Wednesday, April 17 (on campus)

Campus Tour Tuesdays
3-4 p.m.

  • February 20
  • March 5
  • March 19
  • April 2
  • April 16
  • May 14

For more information or to register for any of these events please visit www.sunyulster.edu/visit.

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SUNY Ulster Holds Financial Aid Workshops

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SUNY Ulster Press Release

Get Hands-On Help Filing the New FAFSA

February 6, 2024 – Stone Ridge, NY – SUNY Ulster has scheduled multiple virtual financial aid workshops to be held via Zoom to help students and parents file their 2024-2025 FAFSA. During the workshops, a SUNY Ulster Financial Aid Counselor will walk participants through the entire process.

Virtual Workshops via Zoom will be held from 2 – 3 pm on the following Fridays:

  • March 8
  • April 12
  • May 10
  • June 7
  • July 12

SUNY Financial Aid Day will be held on February 17 from 9 am to noon. This is an in-person workshop taking place in Hasbrouck Hall on the Stone Ridge campus. Registration is required.

For all financial aid events, students and parents are asked to bring their 2022 tax returns and create an FSA ID at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch before attending. Registration is required at sunyulster.edu/visit.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at 845-687-5058 or email financialaid@sunyulster.edu.

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stack of books with an apple on top and a text overlay introducing the event