During the Long Island State Veterans Home Annual Veterans Day Ceremony on November 13, members of the United University Professions (UUP) continued their Hats for Heroes Program, distributing service caps to residents who served in the military.

This year’s program was possible through a collaboration of sponsors which included many community members and the National Corvette Restorers Society Metro Long Island Chapter.

Each hat represented the veteran’s branch of service or service time spent.

“We were so proud to have this opportunity to be able to express our appreciation to our heroes. It is a wonderful opportunity as we approach Thanksgiving and we thank everyone who donated for letting us do this on your behalf,” said Nancy Gaugler, UUP Community Services Committee Chair.

UUP Stony Brook University Chapter President Kevin Moriarty presented the donations to the Jonathan Spier, the LISVH Deputy Executive Director. Jonathan expressed the gratefulness of the program and all those involved in support of it.

Fifteen high school seniors from the Brentwood, Longwood, and Wyandanch school districts celebrated their “graduation” from Stony Brook Medicine’s Health Occupations Partnership for Excellence (HOPE) Program at a ceremony on May 9, 2017, in the Stony Brook University Health Sciences Tower.

Out of the 15, seven of the graduates – a record number from the HOPE program – will be staying at Stony Brook University and entering as freshmen in the fall to continue striving towards their aspirations.

Dean of Undergraduate Admissions (top, center) Judith Burke-Berhannan, with the seven HOPE “graduates” bound for Stony Brook this fall.

Under the mentorship of Stony Brook faculty, the two-year program fosters the academic development of 11th and 12th students  from underserved and racially and ethnically diverse communities and prepares them for future careers in the health industry.

At this year’s ceremony, the students expressed how much they learned from HOPE, frequently citing the thrill of shadowing doctors, seeing medical technology in action, learning from nurses about patient care, and the amazing breadth of the healthcare field.

“It was an amazing opportunity to have been given and I’m extremely grateful that I got to experience the medical field in such a direct and hands-on way,” said Brooke Alleyne from Longwood, who is one of the seven that will be attending Stony Brook University in the fall.

Read more: http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/news/medical/2017-05-11-hope-program-graduation-2017.php

The Roth Pond Regatta is a Stony Brook tradition, and while some student groups are preparing to compete in the annual cardboard boat race on campus, the Global Innovation Team (GIT) is working hard to reduce the pond’s ongoing algae problem.

The club submitted a two-part plan; creating a buffer around the pond to prevent run-off and a floating island in the pond with plant roots that would soak up bad nutrients in the water.

Global Innovation Team aims to beautify Roth Pond.

GIT began implementing its Roth Pond plan after testing algae levels at the end of the fall 2016 semester.

GIT is also constructing a sustainable garden outside Nobel Halls, highlighting the residence buildings’ Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified status.

Besides working on those areas on campus, the club is also building a bike generator for the Office of Sustainability to show at Earthstock, Stony Brook’s celebration of Earth Day, as a way to highlight a form of sustainable energy and reducing plastic use on campus.

For more information, visit the GIT Facebook page.

Read more: http://www.stonybrook.edu/happenings/student-spotlight/global-innovation-team-improves-community-through-engineering-on-campus-and-beyond/