Founding Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Davenport Honored

STONE RIDGE – SUNY Ulster has honored the legacy of Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Davenport with the dedication of a handcrafted stone bench on the Vanderlyn Quad at the College’s Stone Ridge campus. The memorial bench, complete with an engraved plaque, commemorates Davenport’s enduring contributions to the institution and the community it serves.

Davenport was appointed to the inaugural Board of Trustees in April 1962 by the Ulster County Board of Supervisors (now the Ulster County Legislature) and was later elected as the Board’s first permanent Chairman. A key figure in the founding of Ulster County Community College, he served through August 1968 and was later named Trustee Emeritus in recognition of his exceptional leadership and steadfast dedication.

His commitment extended beyond governance. In 1965, SUNY Ulster broke ground on its Stone Ridge campus—165 acres of farmland donated in part by the Davenport, Leggett, and Van Winkle families. Davenport’s role in this milestone reflects both his personal and professional commitment to expanding access to education in Ulster County.

“Our father, Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Davenport, was the first permanent, unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ulster County Community College,” shared the Davenport family—Bill and Tildy Davenport, Barbara Brinig, and Andrea and Mark Skwarek. “Together, we remember his profound commitment to education, exemplified through his dedicated service as a founding Trustee. We are honored to commemorate his lasting legacy with this bench on the Stone Ridge campus.”

SUNY Ulster President Alison Buckley, Ed.D., reflected on Davenport’s legacy:
“Here at SUNY Ulster, we believe every student deserves access, support and opportunity. Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Davenport’s foresight laid a foundation of community, commitment and care that still serves our students today. This bench stands as a tangible symbol of that legacy—reminding us of our heritage, inspiring our present, and guiding our future.”