Student Wellness with Spinning

February 26, 2020 by SUNYUlster

fit desk bicycle against a plain white background

School, Work, Study, Repeat!

Who has time to take a stroll, stop and enjoy the view, hit the gym for a quick set? Unfortunately, most of us don’t. However, at SUNY Ulster we like to take care of our students’ minds and bodies.

Beginning in January 2020 there has been an addition to the already calming Mountain View Room located in the Macdonald DeWitt Library. Through the generosity of the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. we were able to add four Fit Desk Bicycles.

These bikes are whisper quiet so they don’t disturb the hushed study area. Each bike has a small drawer to place personal items and a strap to hold your laptop or tablet in place. Nearby outlets make powering your devices easy. The desk can also be used as a great way to read a book while spinning away.The seat height and backrest height are adjustable along with the resistance of the spin itself.

Caring for the Mind & Body

Cycling desks are becoming very popular throughout the business world. Therefore, studies are being done. Most have come back inconclusive. However, it is seen as more of a benefit than not. Cycling desks eliminate some of the sitting time that leads to health problems.

The rhythmic movement of the peddaling can be beneficial to your mind as well as your body. Calming and soothing. Take time for yourself today. Take a spin, enjoy the view, take care of YOU!

SUNY Ulster’s Interactive Arts Timeline.

October 11, 2018October 11, 2018 by SUNYUlster

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”.

10 Tips for Scholarship Success

December 20, 2017 by SUNYUlster

Woman at the 2016 SUNY Ulster scholarship ceremony holding her award and smiling

It’s now time to apply for scholarships here at SUNY Ulster! The Ulster Community College Foundation General Application is open for students to fill out, and doing so enters them into a pool where they can possibly be matched with one or more scholarships. Both on campus and off, there are many types of scholarships: academic scholarships, need-based (financial) scholarships, sports scholarships, club or member-based scholarships, and more. Here’s some tips for increasing your odds of getting one!

#1: Start ASAP and Apply Early

Many scholarships have early application deadlines, so don’t miss out on these opportunities. You can even apply for college scholarships before you’ve started college! SUNY Ulster has an application period every year in the winter for returning and graduating students and every summer for incoming freshmen.

#2: Search Locally

Don’t stop at just Ulster; look in your community, too! Local banks, grocery stores, clubs, businesses, organizations, and churches are all potential sources for community scholarships. Also check state-funded scholarships. States have lots of money to disperse when it comes to providing education.

#3: Read the Requirements

If you apply to a specific scholarship, make sure you are eligible right from the start, so you’re not wasting your time. Also, never pay to apply for a scholarship, since these are usually scams.

#4: Follow Instructions Carefully

Errors can quickly get your scholarship application denied. Proofread it. Have someone else proofread it as well. Double check your answers to make sure you completely and accurately responded to all questions.

#5: Neatly Presented, Neatly Packaged

If your scholarship application must be mailed, use certified mail or better yet, FedEx, making your application look as professional as possible.

#6: Communicate

Make sure the application is complete and correct. If you are not sure about something in the scholarship application, don’t hesitate to ask someone at the Foundation or whoever is in charge of scholarships where you are applying for one.

#7: Check for School Specific Scholarships

If you’re graduating, check with the college you would like to attend. Usually, there are many school-specific scholarships available. Some scholarships offered through the Ulster Community College Foundation specify a preferred transfer school, so be sure to include your plans in the application to better your chances of getting matched up with these scholarships. Earning scholarships based on a transfer college can also help you make your school choice when the time comes for your final decision.

#8: Be Active, Stay Active

Being in a sports team, club, or doing some type of community service will always better your chances of receiving a college scholarship. Numerous scholarships offered through the Foundation stress community involvement as a requirement.

#9: Maintain your GPA

Keep your grades up. A higher GPA will increase your eligibility for most scholarships, on top of increasing your chances of receiving funds through Financial Aid.

#10: Ask a Foundation Employee for Help

Visiting a Foundation employee in the Clinton 203 suite can help you learn more about traditional scholarships that might be available to you, as well as any aid or special scholarships that fall outside of those covered by the General Application, like Lights for Learning.

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Even if you don’t think your chances of getting a scholarship are likely, at least fill out the Ulster Community College Foundation General Scholarship Application; there is one for current students and prospective students. If you have any other questions about Ulster’s scholarships, contact the Foundation by emailing dvoraksg@sunyulster.edu, by phone at 845-687-5293, or stop by the offices in the Clinton 203 suite on campus.

SUNY Ulster Students Work with Local Designers, Host Special Fashion Event

November 21, 2016 by SUNYUlster

Students in the fashion, entrepreneurship, and music departments successfully planned and produced their very own fashion show this past week! Members of the Introduction to Fashion and Introduction to Entrepreneurship classes collaborated to create outfits and plan Fashion & Entrepreneurship: Stories and Role Models, a fashion show and informative discussion held on Wednesday, November 16, at the Stone Ridge campus. The event highlighted the designs, merchandise, and entrepreneurial stories of seven fashion companies from the local community. The designers and companies who worked with the students included Leong Ong, Pool 28, LLC; Cal Patch, Hodge Podge Farm; Karina Cousineau, Karina Dresses; Margrit Wenzel, LGND Supply Co; Beth Petramale, Next Boutique; Ryan Roche, Ryan Roche Fashion; and Kelly Lyndgaard, Unshattered. A following panel discussion with the business owners offered wisdom and advice for the up-and-coming designers and entrepreneurs, as well as the public.

To create the show, the Fashion and Entrepreneurship students were put into teams and received valuable experience while they studied the work of the fashion companies, met with the business owners, held interviews about their designs and companies, and planned the fashion show. The students compiled what they learned about each company into a story that they shared at the show. Designs were showcased using students as models. A group of students studying Music Entrepreneurship designed the music for the event, and students planned and implemented the marketing for the fashion show.

Assistant Professor Mindy Kole, Director of the Darlene L. Pfeiffer Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, was enthusiastic about
the event and its importance to Ulster: “Projects like Fashion & Entrepreneurship: Stories and Role Models are what set SUNY Ulster apart from other colleges and universities. Here at SUNY Ulster, students don’t just learn about entrepreneurship and fashion from lectures and textbooks, they learn by immersing themselves in the real world, they learn by doing and spending time with experts. Students actually practice skills and the characteristics of an entrepreneurial mindset through projects like this. This is truly the SUNY Ulster way.”

We commend the SUNY Ulster students for all their hard work, and thank the business owners for their support and participation!

Katherine Dubosh, Double Graduate

October 3, 2016 by SUNYUlster

Katherine Dubosh standing on Campus in graduation cap

For 2016 graduate Katherine Dubosh, a college degree came before a high school diploma! That’s because she graduated from Rondout Valley High School with honors in June, over a month after turning her high honors tassel at SUNY Ulster.

Katherine decided to attend Ulster in the 10^th grade. Lucia Pecore, SUNY Ulster Assistant Director of Admissions, remembers being skeptical about Katherine’s application two years ago, but she quickly realized that this ambitious student was determined to get her Associate’s degree when she graduated from high school. Katherine has not regretted her decision. She says, “Attending SUNY Ulster is one of the best decisions I made for myself in high school.”

“Being in high school and college was definitely a challenge. I think the biggest challenge was time management, especially during my junior year. I stayed in high school until 2:20 and then took night and online classes during my free time.” Katherine told us. Despite the difficulties she experienced while maintaining her busy schedule, Katherine says she was elated to cross the commencement stage on May 18^th, adding, “I felt like my hard work had finally paid off.”

Katherine is attending SUNY New Paltz for their pre-med program, which involves a 7 year BS/DO degree. We wish this motivated alumna all the best for her future at New Paltz and beyond!

The Skinny on Scholarship Success

June 18, 2015January 28, 2015 by SUNYUlster

Student accepting award at the 2011 Scholarship Ceremony

Tips from Our Coordinator of the Scholarship Program

Overwhelmed about the thought of applying for scholarships and think you won’t win one anyway? Think again. Burnelle Roser, Associate Director & Coordinator of the Scholarship Program, shares some of the basics about scholarships that will show you how easy it really is and get you applying before you miss out on some great opportunities.

Who: You! Each year, the Ulster Community College Foundation awards over $180,000 in scholarships to more than 200 students. You might think thousands are applying and you don’t have a chance. In fact, only a small percentage of students apply so your chances are good. Scholarships are open to new students entering SUNY Ulster, returning students and those transferring to four-year colleges. “Every single student should apply,” says Burnelle.

When: Right now! The time to start thinking about scholarships for the Spring 2016 semester is December/January. The Foundation’s general scholarship application deadline for SUNY Ulster students is Feb. 6, 2015. Don’t miss out. All the deadlines are on the portal in the “Student Resources” section under “Scholarships.”

How: SUNY Ulster students should fill out the general application and essay to be considered for scholarships administered by the Foundation. You don’t have to pick and choose the ones you want to be considered for. We’ll do it for you. “Our goal is to connect students to as many of the 200 different criteria as we can,” she says. The general application is available in two formats – an electronic PDF that can be completed on a computer or a printable form. Both versions are available at: www.sunyulster.edu/foundation/scholarships/applications.

Why: Why not? We’re talking FREE money for college that doesn’t have to be paid back. With awards generally ranging from $500 to full tuition, it’s worth the few hours it may take to apply.

Remember to meet the deadlines, carefully follow all the instructions, answer the questions as candidly as possible and go for it! Stay tuned for more scholarship tips here.