Project Description
Dr. Nancy Hackett
(SUNY Sullivan Board Chair)
Sullivan 180 Presents…
TAKE FIVE!
December 01, 2020
We had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Nancy Hackett, SUNY Sullivan’s newly appointed board chair, about how SUNY Sullivan has pivoted to online/remote learning, some of their workforce development courses, and the benefits of attending a local community college, like SUNY Sullivan.
Sullivan 180 Presents…
TAKE FIVE!
December 01, 2020
We had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Nancy Hackett, SUNY Sullivan’s newly appointed board chair, about how SUNY Sullivan has pivoted to online/remote learning, some of their workforce development courses, and the benefits of attending a local community college, like SUNY Sullivan.
Dr. Nancy Hackett
(SUNY Sullivan Board Chair)
Transcript of Interview with Dr. Nancy Hackett
December 01, 2020
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Hi, I’m Meaghan. Mullally-Gorr. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents Take Five!. Our guest today is Dr. Nancy Hackett. Welcome Nancy. Thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please introduce yourself, let us know your title, your affiliation, and a little bit about the organization that you’re representing today, which is SUNY Sullivan.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
Well, I’m Dr. Nancy Hackett. I have my doctorate in educational leadership and I am pleased to be on the board of trustees at SUNY Sullivan. I have been there for a number of years. I think it’s four or five. I was asked to consider to be the chair of the board. What I think is exciting is that it is a great organization. These are incredibly professional individuals who care deeply about the college.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So can you tell us about what student learning looks like now at SUNY Sullivan? Can you paint us a picture? Let us know what learning looks like.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
As every school has tried to design a learning environment where students are going to be safe, number one, and have the opportunity to continue in these courses we have, most of our classes are remote. So we have a lot of virtual learning happening, which is exciting because then we’re not getting anyone in Boston behind the times, or where they miss a semester. This is keeping everyone on pace, what it is it’s wonderfully challenging for our teachers to take their energized classrooms and turn them into a virtual experience. And they’re doing a fabulous job with that. The sad part for me is that the campus isn’t alive as it usually is. But as soon as we are able to safely bring everyone back, that will be exciting for them.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So what are some of your goals as the newly appointed board chair for SUNY Sullivan?
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
I think one of the things that is very important is that you look at where is SUNY Sullivan in relationship to the County. Here is our little college in this county and the excitement for us as board members is that we’re from such a diverse background and everyone brings to the table the same energy. We love the fact that we want the college to be such a resource for the community. So looking at it for how do we support all the efforts that are out there? How do we support what people are doing from Monticello to Fallsburg, to Narrowsburg to Long Eddie, making sure that we’ve got everyone covered. And I think the excitement is that we are starting to see where we’re reaching out and making these connections with people in the community. Our connections with Crystal Run are huge because of the fact that we now have our health science programs really had that great connection. And they’re very excited about that. We have a wonderful connection now with our [inaudible]. So we’re starting to get some of those students when we’re able to, they will be coming and having a little bit of an on-campus experience when that opportunity lends itself to it. But we’ve established those places where we can start to connect and then be the resource that is needed in the county.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Could you tell us about some of the new programs that Sullivan has launched, specifically the direct support for Sullivan County workforce.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
That’s one of the things that I think is so exciting for us is that we’re looking at where do we need to help train people for our own community? And I think it also gives opportunities for students coming out of high schools to say, Oh, wait, I can get my training. I can stay in Sullivan County because everyone knows that when I remember as a superintendent, it would say they’re going to graduate and there’s nothing for them to do here. They’re going to go. And I was like, well, where are they going? And there’s no job opportunities. Well, now that the job opportunities are coming back to the county, I think that’s exciting for the community college to be able to say, we’re going to do that. We’re going to have the programs for you, which are the health service courses are huge. And of course we have a wonderful culinary program and that is tying right in with all of the different places that we have out there that are really looking at the hospitality opportunities in the county. So we’re slowly looking at where are those places that we can find opportunities for us to be able to provide the programs that will support the community ventures?
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Is there anything else that you’d like to share before I let you go?
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
People have to take time to kind of understand what a community college is about. And I look at it from the fact that I did have it. I was able to have an opportunity to be employed at a community college back in the game. And my goal was to grab onto the students who really weren’t necessarily sure where they were going or what they were doing. And it could be at any age. I mean I tell the story of, I taught a class where I had 18 year olds and I had up to 60 years old in my class. And so you have this whole range of people and it could be, they’re looking to retrain for another job or they’re looking for maybe just an enrichment. And I wanted to take this class just to learn more, or this is the first time I’m going to school and I’m just going to start here and see if I really want to go on and get a degree. So with all of those people that come to our door, we then say, okay, how can we support them? How can we encourage them? How do we get them to that next step? And the excitement for us is the next step would be finishing a two year degree with us and going on or finishing a certificate and being employed, or just enriching what they already have as their base of education. And then taking the next steps in their own lives. You don’t have to be 18 years old and coming out of high school to enjoy one of the courses at the community college, you can see something that looks interesting or you could learn from, absolutely, come on over because it is a great place to learn. And there’s a lot of really wonderful instructors and faculty that would be more than willing to.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Yeah. Thank you very much. And congratulations again on your position as board chair. And I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us today. So thank you, Nancy.
Transcript of Interview with Dr. Nancy Hackett
December 01, 2020
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Hi, I’m Meaghan. Mullally-Gorr. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents Take Five!. Our guest today is Dr. Nancy Hackett. Welcome Nancy. Thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please introduce yourself, let us know your title, your affiliation, and a little bit about the organization that you’re representing today, which is SUNY Sullivan.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
Well, I’m Dr. Nancy Hackett. I have my doctorate in educational leadership and I am pleased to be on the board of trustees at SUNY Sullivan. I have been there for a number of years. I think it’s four or five. I was asked to consider to be the chair of the board. What I think is exciting is that it is a great organization. These are incredibly professional individuals who care deeply about the college.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So can you tell us about what student learning looks like now at SUNY Sullivan? Can you paint us a picture? Let us know what learning looks like.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
As every school has tried to design a learning environment where students are going to be safe, number one, and have the opportunity to continue in these courses we have, most of our classes are remote. So we have a lot of virtual learning happening, which is exciting because then we’re not getting anyone in Boston behind the times, or where they miss a semester. This is keeping everyone on pace, what it is it’s wonderfully challenging for our teachers to take their energized classrooms and turn them into a virtual experience. And they’re doing a fabulous job with that. The sad part for me is that the campus isn’t alive as it usually is. But as soon as we are able to safely bring everyone back, that will be exciting for them.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So what are some of your goals as the newly appointed board chair for SUNY Sullivan?
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
I think one of the things that is very important is that you look at where is SUNY Sullivan in relationship to the County. Here is our little college in this county and the excitement for us as board members is that we’re from such a diverse background and everyone brings to the table the same energy. We love the fact that we want the college to be such a resource for the community. So looking at it for how do we support all the efforts that are out there? How do we support what people are doing from Monticello to Fallsburg, to Narrowsburg to Long Eddie, making sure that we’ve got everyone covered. And I think the excitement is that we are starting to see where we’re reaching out and making these connections with people in the community. Our connections with Crystal Run are huge because of the fact that we now have our health science programs really had that great connection. And they’re very excited about that. We have a wonderful connection now with our [inaudible]. So we’re starting to get some of those students when we’re able to, they will be coming and having a little bit of an on-campus experience when that opportunity lends itself to it. But we’ve established those places where we can start to connect and then be the resource that is needed in the county.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Could you tell us about some of the new programs that Sullivan has launched, specifically the direct support for Sullivan County workforce.
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
That’s one of the things that I think is so exciting for us is that we’re looking at where do we need to help train people for our own community? And I think it also gives opportunities for students coming out of high schools to say, Oh, wait, I can get my training. I can stay in Sullivan County because everyone knows that when I remember as a superintendent, it would say they’re going to graduate and there’s nothing for them to do here. They’re going to go. And I was like, well, where are they going? And there’s no job opportunities. Well, now that the job opportunities are coming back to the county, I think that’s exciting for the community college to be able to say, we’re going to do that. We’re going to have the programs for you, which are the health service courses are huge. And of course we have a wonderful culinary program and that is tying right in with all of the different places that we have out there that are really looking at the hospitality opportunities in the county. So we’re slowly looking at where are those places that we can find opportunities for us to be able to provide the programs that will support the community ventures?
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Is there anything else that you’d like to share before I let you go?
Dr. Nancy Hackett:
People have to take time to kind of understand what a community college is about. And I look at it from the fact that I did have it. I was able to have an opportunity to be employed at a community college back in the game. And my goal was to grab onto the students who really weren’t necessarily sure where they were going or what they were doing. And it could be at any age. I mean I tell the story of, I taught a class where I had 18 year olds and I had up to 60 years old in my class. And so you have this whole range of people and it could be, they’re looking to retrain for another job or they’re looking for maybe just an enrichment. And I wanted to take this class just to learn more, or this is the first time I’m going to school and I’m just going to start here and see if I really want to go on and get a degree. So with all of those people that come to our door, we then say, okay, how can we support them? How can we encourage them? How do we get them to that next step? And the excitement for us is the next step would be finishing a two year degree with us and going on or finishing a certificate and being employed, or just enriching what they already have as their base of education. And then taking the next steps in their own lives. You don’t have to be 18 years old and coming out of high school to enjoy one of the courses at the community college, you can see something that looks interesting or you could learn from, absolutely, come on over because it is a great place to learn. And there’s a lot of really wonderful instructors and faculty that would be more than willing to.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Yeah. Thank you very much. And congratulations again on your position as board chair. And I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us today. So thank you, Nancy.
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