Jordan Scruggs Named Director of New Start For Women Program

STONE RIDGE – SUNY Ulster announces Jordan Scruggs as the first director for its recently developed New Start for Women program. Scruggs, who has a strong history of social justice work in Ulster County, will run the logistics of the program, work as a recruiter and advocate for students, and pursue funding for the program long term.

Scruggs is responsible for building non-academic programming, including professional and personal development opportunities, workshops, and resources. She is also responsible for recruiting and supporting women in the program, and she will personally oversee the relationship between each woman and their mentor and work closely with them to design and achieve their objectives. With the assistance of Dr. Mindy Kole, Associate Dean of Adult Learning, she will develop a robust internship program that helps program participants achieve their learning objectives and jumpstart their careers following their completion of their certificates. She will also ensure long-term sustainability of the program beyond the initial three year grant period by advocating for the program on the city and county level, working with current grantors like the NoVo Foundation, and pursuing new avenues of funding. The Ulster Community College Foundation Inc. is indebted to Darlene L. Pfeiffer and the Novo Foundation for their generous support of this important and ground-breaking program.

Scruggs has a lengthy track record of community support. She has worked as Director of Community Ministries for Saint James United Methodist Church in Kingston for four years, where she connected members of the congregation with the local community in faith-based social justice work. She is an ordained clergy member, a Hudson Valley Fellow at the Good Work Institute, and was an Ulster County YWCA Human Rights Advocate of the Year in 2016. She is also a member of several local boards, including Kingston Midtown Rising, Inc., the Rising Hope Prison Education Initiative, and TransArt & Cultural Services.

Scruggs says, “I have spent the last six years in Kingston working with people in our community who have tremendous talent but limited means and have felt frustrated that there were so many obstacles to their success. As the director of the New Start for Women program, I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with women who have struggled to make ends meet to help them accomplish their goals and realize their potential.”

The New Start for Women Program assists women in Ulster County who are living in poverty by helping them obtain an education, skills, and the professional network needed for gainful employment. Women interested in the New Start program are enrolled in the General Management certificate program. In addition to providing tuition and fees, the program will provide academic and personal support, career support and mentorship, and community-building to help students achieve their goals. The program begins in fall 2019.