Members of the SUNY New Paltz campus community traveled to Purchase College to participate in the second of 10 campus showcases on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
The Mid-Hudson Regional Campus Showcase was held in the Performing Arts Center at Purchase from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where nine other schools from the SUNY system came together. According to SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, the showcases for all 10 regions are meant to display the “strongest programs and finest innovations offered by SUNY campuses.”
Suzanne Grady, director of the Office of Communication and Marketing, said New Paltz President Donald Christian and other members of the campus community joined Zimpher and other SUNY Presidents to celebrate programs that “best exemplify each campus’s unique strengths and…its concomitant impact on the regional economy.”
“There’s about 25 or 30 representatives,” she said prior to the showcase. “That includes students, as well faculty and staff.”
Participating groups included the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO), Admissions, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the Solar Car Racing Team. According to Grady, New Paltz’s featured programs exhibit the way it is delivering results aligned with the “Six Big Ideas” of SUNYs five-year strategic plan, “The Power of SUNY.”
Chief of Staff Shelly Wright said Grady did her part to prepare all of New Paltz’s presenters for the event, as did all of the people participating.
“Suzanne has been pulling all of the pieces together,” she said prior to the showcase.
SUNY officials said the showcases are important as SUNY enters year three of its strategic plan, “The Year of the SUNY Campus.” Zimpher, who asked each of the 64 SUNY campuses to present a half-day of public programming that highlights their ability to contribute “innovative, best-in-class solutions” meant to help build a stronger economy for New York, said at the first showcase on Long Island on Oct. 5 that the system has a lot to offer.
“Whether they took to the skies in Farmingdale State College’s flight simulator or experienced Albert Einstein’s discovery of the Photo Electric Effect at Nassau Community College’s virtual lab, I am confident that each of today’s visitors left with a new knowledge and appreciation of the outstanding programs our campuses offer,” Zimpher said.
The remainder of the showcases are planned to take place from October 2011 through June 2012. Each event is free and open to the public and press.