SUNY Ulster News Blog

Have You Considered These 5 Reliable Degrees?

August 9, 2018July 31, 2018 by SUNYUlster

figure of male walking among library stacks

Reliable degrees at SUNY Ulster Community College.

When you begin exploring potential reliable degrees, it is important to consider a field that you are interested in working in, as well as one that is experiencing growth within its own respective industry!

There are many beneficial degrees offered here at SUNY Ulster, but in this particular article we will explore in more detail five of the most reliable degrees offered at SUNY Ulster.

(SUNY Ulster rated 5 out of 25 of the top New York State Community Colleges.)

Public Safety and Criminal Justice:

The Criminal Justice program at SUNY Ulster is designed to offer an educational experience for criminal justice practitioners, individuals seeking employment in the field, and concerned citizens wishing to become better informed about the administration of justice. Various job positions in the criminal justice field consistently have openings, making it one of the most reliable degrees offered at SUNY Ulster!

SUNY Ulster Offers: Criminal Justice (AS), Criminal Justice (AAS), and Police Basic Training (Certificate)

Paralegal:

The Individual Studies Paralegal degree at SUNY Ulster is a jointly registered program with Marist College. Here you can study in a program that is designed to prepare students for employment and transfer into a bachelor’s degree program. Graduates of this program at SUNY Ulster earn an Associate in Science in Individual Studies and a Paralegal Certificate from Marist.

SUNY Ulster Offers: Individual Studies/Paralegal (AS).

Technology:

Technology is something we use every day, so it should come as no surprise that the technology field is rapidly growing! If you decide to study technology at SUNY Ulster you will have the opportunity to potentially strengthen your computer science, programming, designing skills set, and beyond. Specific programs require various curriculum levels of mathematics, manufacturing processes, computers, drafting/blueprint reading, communication skills, and liberal arts!

SUNY Ulster Offers: C omputer Game Design (Credential),Computer Science AS,Computer Science Online AS,Green Building Maintenance & Management AAS,Industrial Technology: Drafting & Design AS,Industrial Technology: Drafting & Design AAS,Manufacturing Technology (Certificate),Mobile Application Developer (Credential),Network Administrator AAS,Network Administrator (Certificate),Web Application Developer (Credential).

Engineering:

Engineering at SUNY Ulster provides the basic preparation for students who plan to continue studying engineering at a four-year college. If you plan to attend you should keep in mind that applicants should have above-average grades in high school mathematics and chemistry. High school physics is also recommended for incoming students.

SUNY Ulster Offers: Engineering Science AS, Aeronautical, Civil, Industrial, Mechanical & Nuclear, Chemical, Computer, Electrical.

Technology and Engineering students can enjoy learning in state of the art classrooms as a part of the Pfeiffer Technology and Innovation Lab expansion.

You Can Learn More Here: http://blog.sunyulster.edu/the-pfeiffer-technology-lab-at-suny-ulster/

Nursing:

The Nursing program at SUNY Ulster has a long history of graduating some of the best nurses in the area! The Nursing program can be completed in two academic years or extended and pursued on a part-time basis. Nursing courses, however, must be taken consecutively and it is recommended that they are taken without interruption. Recently, SUNY Ulster and Empire State College announced that they would be partnering up to help allow Registered Nurses (R.N.) to secure their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in the Hudson Valley. A reliable degree with many growing opportunities locally and nationally.

You Can Learn More Here: http://www.sunyulster.edu/academics/credit_programs/nursing-rn-bsn.php

SUNY Ulster Offers: Nursing (AS), Nursing (R.N. to B.S.).

Why You Absolutely Should Attend Campus Connect!

August 8, 2018July 26, 2018 by SUNYUlster

two smiling students with SUNY Ulster folder

Welcome to SUNY Ulster!

If you’ve been accepted to SUNY Ulster and are now enrolled, you may be thinking “Whats next?” By now you have probably received your checklist of things the college requires from you before you start classes. As the first day of the semester approaches you probably have a lot more questions about what you need to fill out, submit, and when you should do so. That’s where Campus Connect comes in!

What is Campus Connect?

Campus Connect is an opportunity for students to meet our faculty and soon-to-be classmates, learn more about your major, pick up your class schedule, and explore our beautiful campus! The purpose of this event is to help answer students’ questions, give them insight about campus life, and allow students to establish themselves for academic success! As a mandatory event, Campus Connect holds great importance in launching your college career.

What Kind of Opportunities are at Camps Connect?

Campus Connect is the perfect opportunity for you as a student to get a guided tour of your campus, take part in an in-person orientation, as well as a chance for you to learn more in-depth about internships, academic travel, the potential of your major, and how advisement will help YOU succeed.

Who Will You Meet?

This event allows you to meet and mingle with other students, student leaders, and faculty. The connections you may make during this event may even lead to internships, employment opportunities, and valuable mentorships. College is a lot of learning, and expanding your social circle, and forming lifelong friendships!

To register for upcoming Campus Connect dates click here: https://www.sunyulster.edu/admissions/info/campus_connect

Have Any Questions?

campusconnect@sunyulster.edu

845-688-6042

Professor Iain Machell’s Art is on Display this Summer!

July 25, 2018 by SUNYUlster

Our Fine Arts Program Coordinator and Professor, Iain Machell, has artwork on display at several galleries this summer!

Machell’s stone sculpture, “Quarries,” is currently on display at the Unison Arts Center for the “What’s Next?” outdoor sculpture garden. “What’s Next?” features sculptures and events by thirty-five artists living in the Northeast who represent an emerging art movement known as Eco Materialism. This outdoor exhibition has several connections to SUNY Ulster; it is the initiative of Michael Asbill, a former SUNY Ulster adjunct, and three of the students working on the project are Ulster Fine Arts alums! For more information on the showing, visit https://www.unisonarts.org/event/sculpture-garden-opening/.

Machell will have several art showings in Saugerties over the next month, including an open studio in the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour. His studio in Malden-on-Hudson will be open to the public on August 11^th and 12^th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be an exhibition of tour artists at Kiersted House Barn in Saugerties on July 28^th and 29^th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as well as one at Opus 40 in Saugerties from August 11^th to September 10^th, with an opening reception on August 10^th at 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Saugerties Artists Tour, visit http://saugertiesarttour.org.

Machell has a drawing included in “The River Flows Both Ways” at the Hastings Village Hall Gallery, sponsored by the Hastings Village Arts Commission and Newington-Cropsey Foundation in Hastings-on-Hudson from September 1^st to November 3^rd, with an opening reception on September 6^th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/hastingsartscommission/.

Be sure to check out Iain Machell’s artwork when you’re in these areas over the summer! Check out his website at www.iainmachell.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/iainmachellstudio/ for more of his art and gallery news.

5 Fun Ways to Maintain Your Mental Strength This Summer!

August 8, 2018July 19, 2018 by SUNYUlster

Three lawn chairs in a row on a beach with the ocean in the distance.

As the hazy lazy days of summer approach a college student such as yourself may have fallen into a not so productive routine. You may have adopted an unsteady sleep schedule, a habit of not keeping up with news and advancements in the industry that you are studying, as well as watching maybe one (or 5) too many episodes of your latest Netflix binge.

But alas the sharpness of your mind is not completely lost! We have compiled a list of “Five Fun Ways to Maintain Your Mental Strength This Summer”so that you may have a chance at entering into the fall semester knowing maybe even more than you did before the end of the last semester.

Volunteering:

Two women pose together for a photo wearing shirt that read "Volunteer" . — Photo: rawpixel via Upslash.com

Volunteering is a great way to no only lend a helping hand in your community, but make potential employment connections, as well add true substance to your resume! You may consider volunteering at a local nursing home/rehabilitation center working with the elderly, spending some time in a local soup kitchen, joining an environmental clean-up group, as well working with animals in a shelter, or helping kids!

Listen to a Book or Podcast:

This time spent outside of the classroom does not mean that your quest for knowledge has to a stop. Summer provides an awesome opportunity for you to listen to a new book or podcast! The true perks of being able to “read” while on a walk, while you clean, or during the commute to your vacation destination is incredibly valuable. Take advantage of this time where you can choose what you want to “read” before it is time to dive back in to your mandatory textbooks reading!

Go Outside/ Get Active:

Young man standing on top of a mountain hands up in the air. — Photo by Jake Ingle via Unsplash.com

This tip may seem unrelated- but hear me out! The best part of the summer (in my personal opinion) is the ability to get outside and explore! Getting active is a great way to give your mind a chance to absorb and potentially even apply all that it has learned during the past semester. Relieve yourself of stress- explore, learn, think, and be free!

Work on your Resume:

Time outside of the classroom is the perfect chance for you to begin putting together, or sprucing up your existing resume. You never know when an internship or job prospect may present itself and you want to be prepared to apply! Add any skills or certifications you have earned over the past few semester, as well as any volunteer and campus club activities you have been involved in!

Need some tips for writing a resume? Check out our blog post : https://wp.me/p5odWC-7O

Binge a Netflix Documentaries:

Woman in a room on a laptop — Victoria Heath via Upsplash.com

If you absolutely feel the need to chill and watch Netflix (or whatever your preferred streaming service is) why not have it be something that will make you smarter? As of April 2018 there were 1402 movies in Netflix US library. Pick something you know a little about, or a topic that you have not yet explored and expand your horizons!

Go to SUNY Ulster Tuition-Free with the Excelsior Scholarship!

July 10, 2019July 6, 2018 by SUNYUlster

Text composition saying Free SUNY tuition

You may have heard of the Excelsior Scholarship, but what exactly is it? Do you qualify? What does it cover? Read on to find the answers to these questions, and visit www.sunyulster.edu/excelsior to learn even more!

What is the Excelsior Scholarship?

The Excelsior Scholarship is a scholarship that, combined with other financial aid programs, allows New York students in families making less than $125,000 a year the opportunity to go to SUNY colleges for free.

What is covered by the Excelsior Scholarship?

The Excelsior Scholarship covers the tuition fee for a college education. It does not cover textbooks, housing, or any other expenses associated with being a college student.

How do I know if I qualify?

New York residents (defined as having resided in New York State for 1 year or longer) who are U.S. citizens in a family making less than $125,000 a year in their combined family household adjusted gross income and who hold a U.S. high school diploma or high school equivalency are eligible. Current college students are also eligible depending on their situation; see links at the bottom for specific details.

So what’s the catch?

Recipients of the Excelsior Scholarship must fulfill certain requirements during their time in and immediately following college. They must attend college full-time (30 or more credits a year) for each academic year they receive the scholarship. They must pass all classes each academic year, as well as maintain GPA requirements for any other financial aid they receive in addition to Excelsior. After graduating, recipients are required to live in New York for the same number of years they received the scholarship (for example, an Ulster student who graduates in May 2020 and received the Excelsior Scholarship in 2018-19 and 2019-20 must live in New York until 2022). If the student does not live in New York for the duration following graduation that they received the scholarship for, the scholarship becomes a no-interest loan that must be repaid.

Where can I learn more and apply?

More information is available at www.sunyulster.edu/excelsior and www.suny.edu/excelsior. You can apply online at www.hesc.ny.gov/excelsior.

An Excelsior Scholarship recipient tells his story:

Experiencing Korea’s Gwangjang Market (광장시장) Through Studying Abroad

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 by Nikki Gould

Flags flying on the ceiling of Gwangjang Market

☆ On the second day after my arrival, I visited Gwangjang Market, Korea’s first permanent market. Gwangjang Market is a very popular tourist attraction located in Seoul. You can find clothes, blankets, handmade crafts, and a large variety of food options. Shown in the picture is the entrance to the market, and it’s a rather pleasant and welcoming one with all of the different countries’ flags dispersed across the ceiling. There were also staff members in red shirts who spoke different languages and were ready to assist tourists from different countries. I found this to be a really cool foreign experience, and I would recommend it to any traveler/tourist! Be warned that if the weather is hot outside, the market will feel a bit confined. ☆

You can learn more about Gwangjang Market by visiting http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu.

Nikki Gould, an Advertising & Graphic Design major at SUNY Ulster, is spending the summer semester studying abroad at the International Summer Campus program at Korea University.

Expanded Scholarships Now Available for New Paltz Residents!

June 20, 2018 by SUNYUlster

The Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. is now offering expanded scholarships for New Paltz residents attending SUNY Ulster for the fall 2018 semester. We encourage recent high school graduates and adult learners from New Paltz to apply! Scholarships range from $2,000 annually to a fully paid tuition based on academic merit and/or financial need.

One of the scholarships available for fall enrollment for all New Paltz residents is the Frank G. Elliot Scholarship. This scholarship is available for eligible residents of the Town of New Paltz. There is $30,000 in scholarship funding available for the upcoming academic year, and there is a chance to renew for multiple years of study at SUNY Ulster.

The other expanded scholarship available is the George Devine Future of New Paltz Scholarship. This awards $2,000 annually to residents of the Town of New Paltz. Any student who graduated from New Paltz High School is also eligible.

The deadline for priority consideration for these scholarships is July 18, 2018, but scholarship applications are accepted all year on a rolling basis. New Paltz residents still have time to enroll at SUNY Ulster for the fall 2018 semester and apply for these scholarships. All majors and courses of study are eligible. Students can be day, evening, or online students.

To learn more and get started, contact the Enrollment Center by phone at 845-687-5022 or by email at admissions@sunyulster.edu.

Graduating High School Soon? Apply to Community College!

June 4, 2018 by SUNYUlster

Graduates throwing hats into the air on a field

If you’re about to graduate from high school, you probably have a lot of questions about what the future holds. Many graduates find that heading to college immediately after high school is a great option when life and finances allow. Even if you haven’t decided for sure what you want to do after graduation, it doesn’t hurt to apply to SUNY Ulster! There are a number of reasons to go ahead and apply, and to consider getting a degree from Ulster after you graduate high school rather than waiting until later in life.

You Can Make the Transition Easier

Many students find it difficult to go from high school work to entering the workforce, then going to college later in life. Not only does going into college after high school keep you in the academic mindset, it also increases the likelihood that you will be able to graduate in a 2-4 year time frame. By waiting, you may find that you have other commitments that make attending college more difficult, such as a family or a full-time job. Going to a community college like Ulster makes it all the easier when you start at any stage of life, as you can stay in your community and save money while navigating college life.

You Can Start Your Dream Career Sooner

Don’t know what that is yet? Don’t worry! College will help you figure it out (and teach you valuable skills that can be applied to your career, regardless of major). By earning your degree early on, you can build skills and get started making money doing what you love all the sooner. Additionally, if you’re in a career path that typically requires moving up the ranks to better positions, starting earlier can get you through the more grueling work while you’re younger, leaving more of your later life to do what you enjoy and potentially have more quality time at work and at home with loved ones.

College Can Open New Doors

Most people think going to college is just about getting a degree and entering the workforce. In reality, though, it’s much more than that. You can find a career you never would have thought of before, sure, but you can also meet friends and professors that will stick with you for years to come. You can develop skills that will help you in all aspects of life as you navigate your 20s and beyond. You can find new passions, hobbies, and interests that bring you joy and fulfillment. Most of all, college will push you to be a better version of yourself, and you can find new ways of thinking about yourself and the world by experiencing different classes and expanding your skills, confidence, and abilities.

Try SUNY Ulster!

SUNY Ulster can help you start your adult life with all of the above! You can try college and find the right path for you here, for less money and closer to home. We offer the Excelsior scholarship, as well as many other forms of financial aid. If you qualify, you can go to Ulster tuition-free and save thousands. Check out http://www.sunyulster.edu/admissions/ to learn more about the SUNY Ulster experience of Starting Here and Going Far!

Writing a Resume When You’re Fresh Out of College

October 11, 2018May 23, 2018 by SUNYUlster

If you’re applying for jobs or internships after finishing college, you will probably need to provide a resume. While it’s commonly required, it can be confusing to write one yourself. Which jobs should you include? How much detail should you get into? What is “relevant experience” anyway? These tips can help you fit everything you need onto that page.

Write About Your Education

Include your time at Ulster and any other colleges you have attended. Often, you include the years you attended, your graduation month and year, your major and the type of degree you received, and any awards you received during your time there, including academic and merit-based awards. Some people choose to include their GPA if it is particularly high.

Add Jobs

List the jobs you’ve held over your life. If this is a short list, you will want to include them all and give a brief description of what you did at each. If it’s longer, you can be selective and include only the most relevant ones. Generally, it helps to add a brief description of your activities in each position, especially if it is unclear what the job entailed from your job title alone.

Internships

If you’ve had any internships, be sure to list them and what you did during your time at the internship. These are often valuable, particularly for recent college graduates who may not have traditional work experience in the field they’re applying to.

Relevant Experience

Need some more things to add? Especially if you’re trying to get a job related to your major, it never hurts to discuss relevant class and extracurricular activities you have taken part in. COIL projects, SGO positions, and research projects you’ve done in class are all excellent activities to mention that highlight intercultural, leadership, and other skills you’ve developed during your college years.

Volunteering

Potential employers love to see that you’ve been involved in the community! If you have participated in any volunteer efforts over your lifetime (particularly long-term volunteer efforts), it’s great to add to your resume. Not only does it show you’re active in your community and care about giving back, but it also gives you a chance to showcase skills you’ve gotten from doing so. For example, volunteering in an animal shelter could be an excellent source of experience for a graduate looking for jobs as a vet tech.

Get More Help Here!

Don’t forget that Career Services can give feedback on your resume and offer assistance with other steps of the job-finding process. Contact them by phone at 845-687-5091, stop by their offices in VAN 119, or email careerservices@sunyulster.edu.

SUNY Ulster Fashion Design Program Stuns in Runway Show!

August 8, 2018May 18, 2018 by SUNYUlster

A procession of models make their way down the fashion runway.

On Saturday May 12th,2018 SUNY Ulster Fashion Design Program first and second year students showcased their garments in the programs 2nd Annual Spring Fashion Show. The show was presented under the exceptional direction of Fashion Program Coordinator Kristin Flynn.

Kristin Flynn stands at the end of the fashion shows runway as the crowd looks on! — Photo Credit: John Halpern

Glitz and Glamour.

Both the afternoon and evening shows were filled with glitz and glamour. Attendees of the 7 p.m. evening show were given an extended presentation as two student who had gone above and beyond the design programs requirements were recognized for their dedication and passion to Fashion Design during an award presentation.

Ms. Kia Ward was selected for the Outstanding Fashion Student of the Year Award.

While Ms. Patricia Bowers won the Karina Dress Challenge in collaboration with Uptown Kingston designer Karina Cousineau –also known as “Karina Dresses”

Patricia Bowers the winner of the "Karinas Dress Challenge" hold her award and smiles as Professor Kristen Flynn looks at her smiling. — Photo Credit: John Halpern

Giving Thanks.

The students and faculty of the SUNY Ulster Fashion Program want to thank everyone who as supported the program since its inceptions and as it continues to grow each year! Below are more stunning photos from the 2018 Spring Fashion Show.

We invite you all to learn more about the Fashion Design Program at SUNY Ulster here: https://www.sunyulster.edu/academics/credit_programs/fashion_design