State Assemblymember Hyndman leads high schoolers’ tour of engineering facilities
SUNY New Paltz partnered with the office of Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman ’93 (Black Studies/Communication Media), a New Paltz alumna and representative of the 29th Assembly District in New York State, to sponsor a campus visit for 30 juniors from three Queens, N.Y. high schools on Feb. 21.
The “Engineering Day” program was designed to give the students a chance to speak with faculty and current students about academic programs in STEM disciplines, and also to meet with admission staff for a timely overview of the college application and enrollment process.
“We know that when high school students gain exposure to public higher education, it is easier for them to see college as a real possibility with something to offer them,” said Assemblymember Hyndman. “My own four years at New Paltz were some of the best of my life, and so it’s really heartening to see these students choosing to be here during their winter break, learning first-hand about the opportunities this great institution has to offer.”
Faculty including Dean of the School of Science & Engineering Daniel Freedman, Division of Engineering Programs Chair Julio Gonzalez, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Kevin Shanley and Assistant Professor of Engineering Reena Dahle, among others, led the student groups through tours of lab spaces in the Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center (HVAMC), Wooster Hall and Resnick Engineering Hall, fielding questions on subjects ranging from undergraduate research to 3D printing.
AC2 program Director Nancy Campos was on hand as well, moderating a discussion panel that included current students in all three of the College’s engineering programs and sharing information about the many resources available to African-American and Latino students who wish to study science and engineering at New Paltz.
The College is among a small collective of SUNY institutions who receive National Science Foundation funding to encourage participation and academic success for students from demographics that are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.