Herkimer College Hosts Elected Leaders

Herkimer County Community College administrators, faculty and students recently hosted several New York State representatives on campus for their annual advocacy breakfast. The students in attendance shared their own stories with the elected officials including why they chose to attend Herkimer College, what their experience at Herkimer has been, as well as their plans for the future. Samantha Alberts, a Fashion Buying and Merchandising major, is the youngest of six children who all chose to attend Herkimer College. Alberts shared, “When I came here I learned so much about myself and who I wanted to be. Going to a big school would have been overwhelming. I like that my professors know my name.” Brendan Murphy is a senior Business Administration major who was accepted and recommended by Congressman Richard Hanna to attend West Point, but did not pass the medical exam. So he decided to enroll at Herkimer, where he got involved in many activities including student government. Murphy is the president of the Student Government Association and is the student representative on the College Board of Trustees. He said, “This is a community that is so close. What we learn and do here is amazing. They teach you here that there is no limit to what you can learn.” Murphy is a recipient of the 2018 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, and is considering several four-year colleges for next fall, including Penn State and Cornell University.

Pictured from left: Juan Baez (Bronx, NY), NYS Senator James Seward, Mikayla Blumenstock (Poland, NY), NYS Assemblyman Brian Miller, Brendan Murphy (Whitesboro, NY), Jordan Lee (Deerfield, NY), NYS Assemblyman Marc Butler, and Samantha Alberts (Herkimer, NY).