Success By Design For Sharon Wasko

Sharon sitting at an outdoor picnic table with an open laptop that displays her website on the screen.

Sharon Wasko of Rosendale has taken off as a local web and graphic designer thanks to her time at SUNY Ulster learning web design skills. Recently the Blue Stone Press published an article about her success within the community. One of her professors published the print piece on his blog, you can read it here. Some of the classes she took include Graphic Design (Intro through III), Commercial Photography, and Web Design. She thanks her Web Design professor Dina Pearlman; for giving her the knowledge that has been instrumental in the launching of her website and career. Curious what this website looks like? Then give it a click!

SharonWasko.com

Logo with picture of glasses that states: Sharon Wasko Graphic Design
Logo from SharonWasko.com showcasing her love of teal and vintage ideas

It’s an online portfolio of her skills. Including but not limited to graphic & web design, photography, media layout, brand development and logo creation. In the Spring of 2018, she established her company Sharon Wasko Graphic Design, and created this site of her own. Now she has helped a few local companies to do the same. Since then, she’s gained a variety of colorful clients, mostly artists who have a professional passion that mirrors her own.

What’s She Up To Now?

While attending classes, Sharon holds a student aide position in the SUNY Ulster Marketing and Community Relations office. There she helps the webmaster to maintain, update, and add to the school’s main site, sunyulster.edu. She is also currently collaborating on an interactive site to display the school’s renovations. Capital projects, improvements to the school’s physical structures, have been followed and documented with photos. She is helping to create a site where all those improvements are fun and easy to view for all.

All those projects are just a side gig to her own thriving business as a freelance graphic designer. Her responsibilities and skills are ever-changing and evolving, as is natural with web based careers. Her already impressive portfolio is always growing.

A logo created by Sharon from her website

An Arts Education That Led To Web Design

Sharon has gotten her education in her own style. As a part of that she received her BFA before coming to our community college. Resulting in a degree from the College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State College, with a concentration in painting and a minor in women’s and gender studies. She expressed that her time there differed greatly compared to a two year college. “It was a totally different experience, going to a residential 4-year school, but now there’s a more diverse group of students in my classes” said Sharon. SUNY Ulster’s community atmosphere provided her more freedom within her life. She has still managed to raise two young girls as she begins her business and continues to make it grow.

Another Student Success For The Books!

Among other students who have gone far with their time at SUNY Ulster. Sharon Wasko is now on the list. If you are interested in taking some of these courses, there is a degree program of classes. You can begin you associates degree in the field or just take a course or two, it’s up to you. Click here to learn more about this field and the classes offered.

The Pfeiffer Technology & Innovation Lab at SUNY Ulster

Pfeiffer lab sign with Darlene Pfeiffer

A new technology lab is being constructed this summer at SUNY Ulster! Located off of the student lot section of Hardenbergh, renovated labs and classrooms will be receiving state-of-the-art equipment that can be utilized by both students and industry members, particularly those in STEM fields such as engineering and advanced manufacturing, AutoCAD, 3D printing and web development. Instruction will be available to SUNY Ulster students. This new lab will be named the Pfeiffer Technology & Innovation Lab, after Ulster County resident and Foundation Board Vice Chair Darlene L. Pfeiffer.

Three labs are getting a thorough renovation: the drafting lab, electronics lab, and mechanical lab. The drafting lab will receive dual monitor computers, and the room will be split into two separate labs as well as a 3D printing lab. Industrial technology, drafting, computer, graphic design, art, and fashion students will be able to take advantage of the improved drafting labs, and the 3D printing lab may be open for use, eventually, to all students. The electronics lab will receive new electronic benches, and the mechanical lab (which will be renamed the Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering Lab) will receive new work benches as well as a private outside entrance for industry partners.

In addition to the labs, two classrooms are getting renovated. The computer classroom will receive 18 new computers with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) software. Training units for PLC are being ordered to create a PLC lab, as well. The classroom without computers (located off the current mechanical lab) will be renovated to allow students to learn in the classroom section and then do hands-on experiments in the lab. Both of these classrooms will be available for use by any department.

Renovations are scheduled for completion by August 28th, timely for the start of fall classes. Barbara Reer, Director of Technology Education Programs, states, “We want students and faculty alike to embrace these labs, which will aid in current programs, and hopefully help foster new programs.”

Floor plan for the Pfeiffer Technology & Innovation Lab