Think Big & "We’Ve Been Thinking BIG About the 21St-Century Needs Stay Connected of Our Communities
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THINK BIG & "We’ve been thinking BIG about the 21st-century needs STAY CONNECTED of our communities. With over $30 million in investment, A message from the president we are transforming our learning spaces ..." After a humble start in Hud- Our world is changing at in a while, you might not The facility, set to open in early son Falls in 1961, Adirondack an exponential pace, which recognize the place. We’ve 2018, will train the business Community College first means the learners of today been thinking BIG about the leaders of tomorrow, support opened its doors in Queens- need to be prepared to be 21st-century needs of our local entrepreneurs and be a bury in 1967. Our founders learners for life. We are communities. With over $30 driving force in the upstate thought big and stayed true to grounded in creating life- million in investment, we are New York economy. To honor serving the community first. long learners who can think transforming our learning our connection to the region, critically, write well, react to spaces to support science the renovated and expanded Today, SUNY Adirondack problems with creativity and and health care-related fields, building has been renamed continues to be an integral enthusiasm, and seek new as well as creating training Adirondack Hall. part of the region’s vigorous knowledge to be suc- spaces and Business Cen- evolution. As upstate New Warren Hall, on the south side cessful in our quickly tral — a one-stop hub York continues to re-energize of campus, is also in the middle changing world. for business innovation, its economy, our college is of a major renovation to better new business start-up moving forward to meet the The long view serve our students and will be and workforce support. demands of local residents requires us to be completed in early 2018. and employers. constantly reviewing A new 26,250-square-foot We thank you, our community, our offerings to stay rel- science building expansion Our students have big for supporting the work we evant. Our faculty have been includes classrooms, labora- dreams, and our faculty are do. SUNY Adirondack has a busy creating new academic tories, meeting spaces and a here to help. The stories you bright future, and we consider pathways by offering 11 new state-of-the-art greenhouse read in this report are just a you to be a valuable member degrees and concentrations opening in fall 2017, and the sampling of the great work of the school’s over the past three years. We original structure is under big picture. being done by our faculty, meet with industry leaders, renovation to contain class- students and community. review labor market data and rooms and labs to support Sincerely, The faculty members stay in think beyond today to ensure nursing and science-related touch with the needs of our our offerings are keeping fields. A 13,250-square-foot regional employers and are up with the workplaces of wing added to the north side experts in their respective tomorrow. of the building will house Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D. fields. Teaching is their focus, the Regional Workforce Speaking of big changes: If and learning is the outcome. Readiness Center. you haven’t been on campus GOALS TRAINING PLANNING DEVELOPMENT LOOKING TO THE FUTURE ENCOURAGEMENT CREATIVITY VISION EDUCATION Chuck Barton, COO of Barton International BUSINESS SPEAK Chuck Barton, chief operating officer of Barton International Professor of Business Kelli Hatin frequently takes in Glens Falls, views SUNY Adirondack as a driving force in learning beyond the textbook upstate New York’s economic future. in her principles of entrepre- neurship class. “SUNY Adirondack “We have employees tourism, medical device Hatin incorporates visits from is making a major who are graduates of manufacturing and tradi- local entrepreneurs into her impact here for SUNY Adirondack and tional manufacturing, such course schedule each semester. employees whose kids as paper and mining. Bar- the workforce in our have gone or are going to ton is hopeful education Recent visits have profiled region. I am a huge SUNY Adirondack. I’m a will spur other industries. success stories from a number firm believer that we as a of local businesses, including: fan of what is hap- “The economic potential • 190 Grille pening on campus," region need to provide a variety of opportunities to is high in our region, but • Adirondack Rustic Rose Barton said. prepare people,” he said. we are still evolving,” he • Barkeater Chocolates said. “SUNY Adirondack is • Cerebral Sports As COO of a company Barton believes the making it possible for local • Hoppy Trails Brew Bus that locally employs college’s commitment to kids to receive a valuable • JUST Water around 100 people, Barton workforce development education without break- • Lake George Bike Rentals sees firsthand how SUNY and technology-related ing the bank.” • Total Entertainment Adirondack helps prepare curriculum will help area • Washington County LDC people in the region for industries, including • West Mountain Ski Center the workforce. DEGREES: Accounting / Business Administration / Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship CERTificaTE: Entrepreneurship and Business Management Cara Greenslade and Will Fowler in their A STRONG START Glens Falls office SUNY Adirondack is committed to the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. The Microenterprise Assistance Program (MAP), a collaboration between the college’s Office of Continuing Education and the Warren County LDC and Washington County LDC, offers prospective entrepreneurs and existing small-business owners practical plans to launch or expand a business. Since 1995, hundreds of entre- preneurs have learned basic business skills, including marketing, bookkeeping and financial projections, through the class. Sidekick Creative of Glens Falls is one of the program’s recent success stories. Will Fowler worked as an illustrator Greenslade liked the collaborative and designer for a local marketing firm, nature of the class. but he wanted more knowledge about the industry. He signed up for the MAP “The connections we made there were course for personal enrichment. invaluable,” she said. “I thought it would be a great opportu- Six months after completing the pro- nity to learn more about the business gram, Fowler and Greenslade began side,” Fowler said. writing a business plan and meeting with professionals from the local In a casual discussion outside of work, SCORE business mentoring network. ENTREPRENEURIAL he got co-worker Cara Greenslade Another co-worker, Kelli Germain, was interested in the program. attracted to the project and agreed to help. Within a year, the trio branched ADVOCATE “Will mentioned that he had signed out on their own and launched Sidekick Kate Austin-Avon created her thriving up for the course, and I was surprised Creative, a full-service branding, design Advokate marketing company while that it was so affordable,” Greenslade and illustration company that also completing the Microenterprise said. “I worked on the business side, offers photography, video and motion Assistance Program @SUNYAdk. but I thought it would be a good graphics services. opportunity to become more rounded “MAP helped me launch my business," in my skills.” Sidekick has taken part in a number Austin-Avon said. “Advokate took off of local events, including selling its out from under me, with fellow class- After a few classes, the curriculum got printed products at the Lower Adiron- mates asking me for help with projects both of the working professionals think- dack Regional Arts Council’s June before I even really knew what my ing about the next step in their careers. Arts Festival. business was." “About halfway through, I realized this The company is working to attract She credits local businesspeople who could be a viable thing. I was hearing clients across the country, but they presented during the classes with giving from local experts and business leaders have a commitment to the community her the inspiration to pursue her dreams. who were willing to help, and I was get- where they got their start. “These presenters gave me a solid foundation ting great feedback from other students in a number of business aspects that I’ve built in the class,” Fowler said. on in the past seven years,” she said. “We love Glens Falls and the area, and we want to help local people Austin-Avon has been repaying the favor out," Fowler said. “Right now we are really trying to get our foot by mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs. in the door, but we’re gradually finding our niche with every “I love being on the other side of it as a new project." presenter,” she said. “I feel that I’ve learned many lessons in my time in business that I can share.” TIES TO THE COMMUNITY Business and community are two sides of the same coin for Jeffrey Ives, owner of the Jonathan Reid menswear shop in Aviation Mall in Queensbury. “I believe that you must have a desire to “I am a strong believer in supporting and “I have two small children, and just because meet people where they are in life and not giving back to the community that supports I don’t know that much about art, it doesn’t where you want them to be. At the end of you. There is a lot to offer in this community, mean my children shouldn’t have the oppor- the day, someone may come to see me and I want to see it flourish,” he said. tunity to learn about art,” Ives said. “I also because they need to buy a suit for a funeral. want my children to have the opportunity to It is my job to make that experience as Ives recently established two new schol- pursue a great education, and that is why I simple and as painless as possible,” Ives arships at SUNY Adirondack for returning think it is important to support this college, said.