campus life

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!

Food For Thought- The Best Brain Foods For College Students!

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person holding shopping basket full of vegetables

As a college student, the temptation and accessibility of energy drinks and fast food can be plentiful. We have put together this post with the best brain foods in mind! Scientific research has produced some pretty interesting data about what the diet of a college student should include.

Remember: Food is Fuel!

Most of these foods totally portable and can be kept in your backpack! These snacks can help keep your mind in tip-top study shape!

 

Coffee!, Coffee!, Coffee!

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Caffeinated coffee in small dosages can aid in concentration. A “small” serving is about an 8-ounce cup (smaller doses help to avoid the caffeine jitters). So pick up some coffee or even a cup of green tea to fuel up and focus!

 

Did Somebody Say Chocolate?!

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Chocolate specifically speaking dark chocolate helps to “increase blood flow to your brain.” The Cocoa density in dark chocolate “is where you are getting the nutrition and the brainpower” explained Web MD.  Now you’ll never need an excuse to eat chocolate again!

 

Remember When Your Mom Told You To Eat Your Vegetables?

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Turns out Mom was right when she told you to “eat your greens”! Green vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and brussels sprouts just to name a few all provide your body with Folate- this is an essential vitamin that helps your brain function. Mixing up your greens can provide you with a powerful mix of mineral and nutrients!

 

Bread!

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Can bread make you smarter? (Well kinda). Whole Grains (yes-even in bread form), pasta, wraps, oatmeal, and even popcorn are all helpful whole grains! Whole grains contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants which are all helpful in your overall mental and physical health.

 

Blue Berries.

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Blueberries (berries and fruits as a whole) can really pack a punch in supporting your immune system and overall health. Blueberries, in particular, are considered “–One of nature’s perfect foods, blueberries are packed with nutrients that give them their deep-blue color. One study links blueberries to improved learning and memory.”  They are the perfect powerful portable snack- great in yogurt or on their own!

Resources For This Article: 

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/top-10-smart-foods-college-students#1
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-of-whole-grains#section2

SUNY Ulster’s Interactive Arts Timeline.

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art gallery wide view with many people talking in small groups

SUNY Ulster’s campus, much like the Hudson Valley itself, has served as a hub for both a historic and booming art scene. SUNY Ulster’s interactive timeline provides an intimate look at the lives of the artists that have visited SUNY Ulster’s campus since 1994.

Explore Our Interactive Timeline Here: https://www.sunyulster.edu/artstimeline.html

With assistance from  The Ulster Community College Foundation, INC., SUNY Ulster has been able to provide students and local residents exposure to different cultural and artistic expressions through programs like Words & Music, Herbert H. & Sofia P. Reuner Library Writers Series, Ellen Robbins Poetry Forum, Visiting Artist Series, and the Larry Berk Artist-In-Residence Series.

A Spotlight Of Artists Who Have Visited Us Through The Decades:

 

1994-Sharon Olds (Poet) 

An American poet. Olds has been the recipient of many awards including the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award, and the first San Francisco Poetry Center Award in 1980.

1999- Mary Frank (Visual Artist) 

Born in London, England in 1933, Mary Frank moved to the United States with her family in 1940. Frank works across mediums as a sculptor, painter, photographer, and gifted ceramic artist.

 

2004- Gail Godwin ( Keynote Speaker Author and Visting Artist) 

Gail Godwin is a novelist and short story writer born in 1937 in Alabama. Gail attended St. Genevieve’s of the Pines, a Catholic school for girls, through the ninth grade. Her time in Catholic school inspired her novel, ‘Unfinished Desires’.

 

2007- Will Cotton (Painter) 

American painter, Will Cotton was born in 1965 in Massachusetts. In 1987 he earned his B.F.A. from the Cooper Union School of Art in NYC. His work primarily features landscapes composed of sweets, often inhabited by human subjects. In 2010, he notably served as the artistic director for Katy Perry’s music video “California Gurls,” and has painted several portraits of the singer.

 

2013- Diane Ackerman (Author) 

Diane Ackerman is the author of two dozen highly-acclaimed works of poetry and nonfiction, including New York Times bestsellers turned blockbuster film ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ which starred Jessica Chastain and Daniel Brühl in 2017.

 

2017-Okey Ndibe (Author) 

Okey Ndibe is the author of the novels “Never Look An American In The Eye: A Memoir of Flying Turtles”, “Colonial Ghosts”, and the making of a Nigerian American, “Foreign Gods, Inc.”, and “Arrows of Rain”, and co-editor (with Zimbabwean writer Chenjerai Hove) of “Writers Writing on Conflicts and Wars in Africa”.

 

Fun Free College Resources!

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overhead view of work table covered in laptops, tea cups, smartphones, pens, cords, and some hands typing

We’ve compiled a small group of free resources that can help to make your time in and outside of class that much more productive! Whether it be studying, staying organized, writing tools, or additional resources for parents we have a little bit of everything included here!

Studying:

Sometimes when you’ve been studying certain materials for an extended period of time you can begin to feel like you aren’t retaining information at a level you are satisfied with. Enter studying resources like SparkNotes.com, Quizlet.com, and Unstuck.com. These study assist websites are designed to help you develop study techniques, provide insights, and take practice quizzes. You can also take advantage of the MacDonald Dewitt Library for some on-campus peace and quiet.

Staying Organized:

Just like you don’t want to have to hunt through your backpack for important papers the same goes for your digital documents.  Much of what you work that will be done in your classes will need to be saved and often submitted digitally.  Digital saver resources include Google Drive, the free version of Dropbox.com, as well a project tracking resources such as Any.do.

Writing Tools:

If there is one thing you are going to be doing a lot of while in college it is writing.  Exceptional writing resources are  EnhanceMyVocabulary.com designed by college professors to help students advance their personal vocabularies. Grammarly is an app extension that can be added to your Google Chrome that “-automatically detects grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in your writing.” Easybib.com is another online resource that can assist in creating bibliographic references as well as formatting in the proper citation writing style such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. Don’t forget you can also visit the SUNY Ulster Writing Center for some 1-1 writing assistance.

Additional Resources For Parents and Students of Incoming Students:

Go College! Now has multiple resources for both entering students and parents! From preparing, paying, finding a mentor and beyond this site has the answers to many questions.

Why You Absolutely Should Attend Campus Connect! 

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two smiling students with SUNY Ulster folder

Welcome to SUNY Ulster!

Image of SUNY Ulster Campus stairs with fall foliage on the trees.

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!

Five students standing with cheerleader pom-poms smiling.

 

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.Photo of students having a conversation while sitting in a class room.

 

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.

Four athletic young men standing together smiling.

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!

Three young woman standing in a hallway together with bright smiles.

 

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

Guide to Surviving Midterm Week.

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Man working at homework on desk

It may seem hard to believe, but Midterm Week here on campus is quickly approaching!

Over the next few days, you may find yourself wondering how you may ever survive all the projects, and studying that needs to be completed within such a specific span of time!

To survive what may seem like “Midterm Madness” we have put together some of our top tips that can help you get ahead of the game and dominate anything that comes your way!  

Attend Study Sessions.

Attending study sessions is a great way to get a professional and in-depth look at what the upcoming midterm topics. Professors are likely to let similar questions to those on your exams slip during these sessions, and that is an excellent opportunity for you to get a full study experience!

Meet With Your Professors.

Taking advantage of your professors’ office hours as the mid-term looms closer may allow for you get a full analysis on what areas you need to work on, and you may also be able to gauge what topics will be focused on by listening closely to what topics your professor focuses on during your meeting. You can find your professors schedules on their syllabuses, or posted on their office doors.

Stay Healthy.

You may be tempted to pull an all-nighter and spend little to no time preparing healthy food options for yourself. As you increase your brain activity even further this time more than ever your body requires sleep, and nutritious food to keep a clear mind!

Manage Your Time.

As previously stated in our blog post “How to Fight Procrastination this Semester” creating a customized study plan may be an essential part of your success during midterm week. A HUGE part of this is time management- the recommended study session from University of Guelph Learning Commons is studying for 1 hours with a 5-10 break in between.

Stories of SUNY Ulster — Marla Gruner: Family Woman, Educator, Library Scientist

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The Stories team recently got an opportunity to conduct an interview with SUNY Ulster’s own charismatic librarian: Marla Gruner. Invariably seated at the help desk, Marla is known for her pleasant helpfulness and the sagacity of her assistance. Entering her office, we are delighted to the smell of fresh coffee, photographs of her two adorable children, and a glowing presence ready to talk.

“I was an English major in college, and I realized there wasn’t a whole lot I could do with an English degree *Laughs*. So I thought, what are my options? I talked to my advisors and they were iffy about it, and I think I took a career quiz and found out that I could go on and get my masters in library science very easily, and I had also worked in a public library when I was in high school and I liked it! It’s not a thrilling story or anything, I was just fortunate enough to have a direct line to working in this field, sort of a straight path…Mostly it’s the people here that I like working with, there are a lot of energetic, fun people to work with. It’s a small community, and unfortunately a lot of people come here from disadvantaged circumstances, so I really enjoy being able to help them in any way; be it finding a book or navigating the site…I’m teaching at F.Y.E. this semester, so I feel like I’m really able to branch out, talk to people and meet more students — that’s one thing about the library is you don’t always necessarily get to know the students very well, you don’t see them as much as their professors might per se. I feel like this is a great opportunity to know more students better…So, yeah, I just really like the community college environment and feel, and with my job specifically, I’m able to do a lot of things in the library, whereas at a larger institution, there might be like ten librarians. So I get to do the job of ten *Smiles*, but in all seriousness it is wonderful and I enjoy it.”

Interesting Tidbit: When asked about the slow decline of the print book and nationally declining book circulation rates, Marla says she is not concerned. She envisions the library of the future as more of a meeting place and help center, as well as a massive digital database. Forever the optimist, Marla is as much a librarian as she is a friend to the campus at large. The next time you find yourself in the library, keep an eye out for Marla and her infectious smile!

Lucia Pecore: Helping Students Start Here at SUNY Ulster

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Lucia Pecore with SUNY Ulster merchandise

Lucia Pecore

Assistant Director of Admissions

Communication and Media Studies ’94

Why did you choose to start out at SUNY Ulster?

I initially had my eyes on a four-year private out-of-state university for theater, but my mother had suggested that I begin my education locally. This was not the answer I wanted to hear at all, but I quickly realized how great SUNY Ulster and the Theater Department was here. While I enjoyed the classes and experiences from the stage, after some time in the program I realized that I was not going to be a leading lady, at best comic relief.  So I redirected my creative energies into another area and was able to graduate with everything I needed to move on to transfer smoothly as junior to SUNY New Paltz. In the end, SUNY Ulster was the best decision my mother ever made for me.  I really grew both academically and emotionally.  I was able to discover my passion and direction, without paying a hefty tuition.

What called you back to SUNY Ulster?

I’d been working in Higher Education in development and alumni affairs in offices that employed a number of student aides. These students seemed to naturally connect with me asking for advice and guidance on their next steps after graduation. I found that I really enjoyed mentoring these students. It just happened that SUNY Ulster had an opening in Admissions, It seemed like it would be a natural fit for me, so I applied and the rest is history.

What do you enjoy about meeting incoming students at High School college fairs and Open Houses?

The high school students I meet with are at a pivotal point in their lives and it’s a lot of responsibility to take on. I have the opportunity to help them bridge the gap between high school and college, and I help them formulate informed decisions about choosing the college that is right for them. As an Alumna, it feels great to help students in the way that I was helped when I was planning to attend SUNY Ulster.

What are your tips for incoming students?

Early Bird Gets the Worm: The earlier you make the connections, the more prepared you will be before you start your studies.

Take the Time to Visit Us… And Visit Us Again: We live in an area rich with college and universities. At the end of the day, you need to visit all of the colleges you’re considering, because you have to find that right fit for you.

Once you’re a Students here—Don’t Just Go to Class, Get Involved: Take advantage of all the community activities at SUNY Ulster. Learning doesn’t just involve the classroom; it’s also about the experiences you will have and the connections you make for your future.

What are some of your favorite things about SUNY Ulster?

The fact that so many of my colleagues are SUNY Ulster Alumni themselves! The number of Alumni that have come back to work here really shows just how much we all believe in this institution. As Alumni, this is our opportunity to pay it forward—and because of this the support and sense of community here really makes us stand out among our community college peers.

Contact Lucia Pecore by email at PecoreL@sunyulster.edu or by phone at 845-687-5000.

Final Exam Tips from your Professors

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Keep Calm and Pass Your Exams

It’s that time of the semester again! The sun is out; the Main Quad is beginning to buzz with activity; and you can almost envision your end of the school year Netflix binge. Before you can just sit back, relax and remain in your bed for the next 36 hours, you have to get through those dreaded final exams. Here are some tips from some of our Faculty and Staff on how to make it through those finals:

“Make sure you know what’s on the final exam so you know what you need to study. Then study all your resources: your class notes, your homework, the textbook, and any other resources you have.”

Mindy Kole
Assistant Professor of Business

“Make sure you read the directions for your final exam and projects. If you don’t read the instructions, how will you know what you need to do? Also, check and triple check, the date of your final exam.

Dr. Nichola Harris
Associate Professor of European History

“Don’t wait until the last minute to study. Do not cram!”

Jane Kithcart
Director of Academic Support Services & Placement Director of Learning Center

“Put in the effort, study hard, and just before the exam take a break and relax. You know everything you will know! In the end though, remember your final exam grade doesn’t define you.”

Nicholas Haines
Instructor of English

“Take care of yourself. Make sure you’re remembering to eat and sleep on a regular and healthy basis. Going into an over stressed and deprived of sleep is only going to make it harder for you to focus on the exam.”

Mary Ann Baruth
Associate Professor of Mathematics  

Looking Back and Moving Forward

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Rachel Weiner being held by her father

For the past year I have been yearning to go back to school. For financial reasons I was not able to return for the Fall 2014. I was determined to return for the Fall 2015 semester. Ever since I found out that I was eligible for Financial Aid I have been over the moon. I had missed being in school. I missed being at SUNY Ulster. Most of all I want to finish my degree. I want to finish what I had started. My educational life has always been a difficult one. I suffer from Dyslexia and ADHD and was never really given the tools to deal with these disorders. My father, who also had Dyslexia, felt there was nothing in this world more valuable than knowledge. This belief extended way past the classroom. My Dad felt that every day brought a new lesson to learn. My grades may never have reflected my love for learning, but make no mistake I love learning.

The Gift of Learning . . . Priceless

Three years ago my dad passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s; a disease that robbed him of the mind he valued so much. My brother and I grew up admiring a man who worked so hard every day of his life so that we would have the opportunities he had to work so hard to obtain. He starting working in a Steel Mill in Baltimore during his teens and worked as a waiter and lifeguard all through college, graduating from both University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins. And went on to be a prominent Eminent Domain Lawyer for the Justice Department and the City of Miami Beach. He loved every minute of it. This was all he wanted for us; find something you love and don’t ever let anything or anyone get in your way of achieving your dream. I know that my life would be different if my dad had not gotten sick when I was so young. I also know that I cannot change what has already happened. I do know that despite how long it may take I will never give up on (his and) my dream of continuing my education and getting that degree.

Day One

So that is what I am doing. I am going back to school, whatever it takes. I will finish my Associates. On Monday, August 24th 2015, I made a promise to myself that this time I will not let anything stop me and I will not crack when things get hard. The days leading up to Monday were definitely nerve-wracking. Like I said I hadn’t been in school in over a year and this time I would be doing it with three jobs at the same time. Being nerves and excited is a common feeling for the first day of school, but once I made it on campus I felt invincible. Every time I walk in to a new class on Monday and Tuesday I felt more comfortable and confident that I could really do this; I could make my dad and myself proud. I have been told that I should reconsider taking five classes, start slow, but with every passing day I feel more empowered and overjoyed to be back that I don’t want to drop a class or two. I don’t want to do less; I want to do more. I want to make up for every opportunity I have ever let pass by me.

Support and Dedication

Going to college is expensive, time consuming and requires dedication. Dedication from the student to be present, attentive, prepared and most importantly read to learn. It takes the dedication of the faculty and staff to help the students succeed. Dedication of friends and family to be supportive and understand. Although it has taken me longer than most to fully commit to school and finishing my degree, this time I’m ready. College does require money, time and dedication, but without a great support system: parents, professors, boyfriend or girlfriend, and friends in general. “No man is an island.” This is especially true for the college student.

We are so fortunate to go to a school where support is everywhere you turn: Trio, Time Square, the learning center, just to name a few. We also have the support of the staff and faculty to go over and beyond to see that we succeed, even when we are ready to call it quits.

Looking Forward

I could have tried to go back to school somewhere else. I decided to come back to SUNY Ulster. The week isn’t over yet, but I can feel the difference already. I am prepared for what is to come and am more confident than ever that this is the right time to go back to school; as well as the right place. I am so fortunate to have the support system I do. I know that this isn’t true for everybody, but find someone, anyone to tell you, “It is okay. You will get through this”. The campus is filled with people who want to help, want to support you in any way they can. I leave you with this never underestimate yourself. Never let anyone underestimate you. Most importantly don’t do it for anybody else, but yourself. That being said I am dedicating this academic year to my dad, a part of my support system that isn’t here anymore), a man who gave me the greatest gift of all curiosity and a love of knowledge.

I wish everybody a great semester and good luck on the coming Academic Year!