Loch Sheldrake, NY 鈥� Stop by any activity or event on 17c起草视频鈥檚 campus, and there鈥檚 a good chance you鈥檒l encounter student leader Nichole Connal, an聽Environmental Science聽and聽Liberal Arts and Sciences: Humanities聽double major at the College. Whether she鈥檚 making Thanksgiving baskets at the College鈥檚 Food Pantry, transplanting garlic at a Garden Club meeting, or representing students in the Student Government Association (SGA) and as the Student Trustee on the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees, Connal is usually close to the center of activity at 17c起草视频, working to help others and make her campus and community stronger.
鈥淪ince I have become a member of the 17c起草视频 family, I have grown a strong connection to the college, staff, and students,鈥� said Connal, a Ferndale resident. 鈥淚 admire this institution for allowing me the opportunity to begin to build a stronger community within it. I have met some of the hardest-working staff and students who share the same goals and drive to succeed and to better our community.鈥�
Like many first-year college students in 2020, Connal started her college career with fully online classes, but 17c起草视频 Instructional Assistant and Community Garden Coordinator Kathryn Scullion said Connal was quick to take advantage of outdoor activities on campus.
鈥淲hen I decided to hold Garden Club meetings outdoors on campus in Fall 2020, Nichole was the first student to reply to my email,鈥� said Scullion. 鈥淪he attended every week during the 2020-21 school year as long as the weather permitted to help with planting and harvesting and preparing for our Seed Sale fundraiser. During the winter, she participated in snowshoeing events, and she assisted with our outdoor Earth Day event in April.鈥�
Originally from Queens, Connal said she moved up to the area in 8th grade and developed a deep appreciation for the community. 鈥淚 could not imagine myself without having met the people I have throughout my years here. I am forever grateful for this loving community that accepted me,鈥� said
Connal, stressing that her experiences as a newcomer to the region continue to inspire her work as an active student and SGA member. 鈥淚 hope everyone realizes that the community that I and the other SGA members want to build is a community in which everyone feels that they are important, accepted, and loved.鈥�
In addition to being an active and voting member in SGA, Connal is the student representative on the College鈥檚 Student Conduct Committee, a member of the Garden Club, a student representative on the Sustainability Committee, and volunteers at the College鈥檚 Food Pantry. In addition, this fall,
she was appointed as the Student Trustee on 17c起草视频鈥檚 Board of Trustees, where she has quickly made an impact and strong impression.
鈥淥ne of my favorite visits to the college was to meet Nichole,鈥� said Board of Trustees Chairwoman Dr. Nancy Hackett at a recent board meeting. 鈥淪he has all of those traits that we want every single one of our students to have, and she is so focused on doing it all.鈥�
As the student trustee, Connal is a voting member of the Board of Trustees and serves in working group meetings.
鈥淲e are thrilled to have Nichole on the Board of Trustees,鈥� said 17c起草视频 President Jay Quaintance. 鈥淒uring her time at 17c起草视频 she has demonstrated her commitment to the College through participation in various activities, clubs, and meetings and has established herself as
a leader on campus. We look forward to the contributions she will make as a Board Member by bringing the student perspective to the table.鈥�
Jamie Brooks, coordinator of student activities, said Connal鈥檚 strong work ethic and dedication have helped made many student events successful. 鈥淣ichole has participated in student activities almost daily this semester,鈥� said Brooks. 鈥淪he is always willing to try something new and rally her friends to events.鈥�
One of the ways Connal maintains her campus and community commitments is by merging them with her passion for studying science. In addition to a 17c起草视频 Presidential Scholarship, she is the recipient of the 2020 SUNY Sullivan Foundation Renaissance Scholarship for her volunteer work on a Sullivan Renaissance project in her community. This past summer, Connal was accepted to participate in 17c起草视频鈥檚 Bridges to Baccalaureate Program, an eight-week summer research program at SUNY Purchase, funded by the.
Though the Bridges program was virtual in 2021 because of the COVID pandemic, Scullion said Connal and the other students in her lab group did a remarkable job studying 鈥淭he Effect of Urbanization on Wildlife鈥� using trail camera footage and other data collected on the SUNY Purchase
campus. 鈥淎fter the Bridges Program ended, Nichole continued to volunteer on the 17c起草视频 campus through the rest of the summer working in the Community Garden and helping to clear, maintain, and mark the campus鈥檚 Woodland Trail,鈥� Scullion said, adding that Connal has been assisting in the science labs this semester through a work-study position funded through the Bridges Program.
Connal said she鈥檚 begun looking at four-year environmental science and environmental studies programs in the region and is especially interested in research. 鈥淏eing a part of this community has allowed me to find my passion for the sciences and grow a stronger connection to nature,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 will be forever grateful for the opportunities I was provided with at 17c起草视频 and all the people I have met throughout this journey.鈥�
About 17c起草视频
17c起草视频 is the leader of innovative higher education and a catalyst for workforce development throughout the Sullivan Catskills and beyond. Our diverse community cultivates personal growth and professional advancement, preparing students for success in a sustainable and interconnected world. A forward-looking, top-tier community college in New York, 17c起草视频 offers over 40 degree programs, certificates, and micro-credentials for learners at all levels of their educational goals. We value critical inquiry and creativity while supporting our students in a culture of inclusion and respect. For more information go to sunysullivan.edu.