As a full-time Information Design & Technology (IDT) graduate student, Carly Pimpinella is building the technical and design foundation to match the creative work she already does every day at SUNY Poly.
In her role as Enrollment Communications & Marketing Specialist, Carly helps shape the journey of undergraduate, graduate, and international students—from the moment they first show interest in SUNY Poly all the way to their first day on campus, assisting in the creation of marketing materials and messaging they receive.
After teaching herself many of these skills, IDT has become the place where she fills in the gaps.
“I was doing a lot of this work already, but I wanted the real technical knowledge behind it,” she says. “When I read the IDT program brochure, I realized it was exactly what I needed to grow in my role.”
She’s tailoring her coursework to her job, taking classes in evaluating technology, planning to add web development electives, and enrolling in an inclusive design course that aligns with upcoming accessibility and compliance priorities.
From MVCC to SUNY Poly: A Seamless Transition
Before IDT and enrollment marketing, Carly started her college journey at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) as a Human Services major. Thanks to the articulation agreement between MVCC’s Human Services program and SUNY Poly’s Community & Behavioral Health (CBH) program, her transfer to SUNY Poly was exactly what students hope for: seamless.
“I didn’t have to worry about any of my classes not transferring,” Carly explains. “Everything had a place.”
In her final semester at MVCC, she took a class at SUNY Poly that counted toward her MVCC degree. That experience gave her an early look at the campus, the classroom environment, and expectations at a four-year institution, making the eventual transition to SUNY Poly feel natural instead of overwhelming.
Carly often recommends a similar path to students who aren’t sure about committing to four years right away:
“Community colleges like MVCC are designed to give you the skills you need to be workforce-ready in two years. I came to SUNY Poly already knowing how to write technical notes, approach internships, and handle industry-style work. It ended up being a real advantage.”
CBH, Creativity, and an Accessible Children’s Book
Carly’s time in Community & Behavioral Health (CBH) gave her the chance to combine her social science background with her creativity. The clearest example is her capstone project, where she worked with peers to create an accessible children’s book about a girl with a visual impairment visiting the zoo with a sighted friend.
The project introduces children ages 5 to 7 to visual impairments and disability etiquette. It uses large print, high-contrast, and colorblind-friendly illustrations and incorporates 3D-printed braille pages developed by a fellow SUNY Poly student.
“That was the first time I truly saw how my creativity, social science background, and interest in accessibility could come together in one project,” Carly reflects.
The book received strong feedback at the campus research showcase and is in the process of being copyrighted so it can be tested in local schools.
Through projects like her capstone and work in marketing, Carly has become especially passionate about accessibility and inclusive design.
“Believe it or not, accessibility isn’t naturally accessible,” she notes. “There aren’t enough straightforward guidelines, especially for print. But accessibility benefits everyone, not just the people who absolutely need it.”
In her work now, she strives to make every piece—from emails to printed materials—as accessible and inclusive as possible, while still being engaging and visually appealing.
A Relationship That Started with an Email
The story that ties all of this together—MVCC, CBH, IDT, and her professional role—starts with one person: SUNY Poly Associate Director of Enrollment Communications & Marketing Alyssa Steele, who now is Carly’s supervisor.
Before Carly even enrolled at SUNY Poly, Alyssa emailed her an invitation to a Summer Open House and suggested she think about becoming a Student Ambassador. That outreach brought Carly to campus, where she met CBH faculty and began to see SUNY Poly as a place where she could belong.
Later, as a Student Ambassador, Carly began taking on small creative projects in Canva. Alyssa noticed. From there, the path unfolded, leading to her joining the enrollment marketing team on a full-time basis. “Alyssa saw potential in me at every step,” Carly says. “She’s helped me grow professionally, given me chances to work on real projects, and guided me through what it means to be a young professional. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”
What keeps her at SUNY Poly, as both a staff member and graduate student, is the one-on-one connection she felt from day one, from that first Open House conversation, to small, supportive programs in CBH and IDT, to mentors who treat her as a whole person with enormous potential.
She expects to finish her IDT degree in 2026 or 2027, balancing full-time work and full-time study without putting unnecessary pressure on the timeline.
Wherever she goes next, one thing is clear: Carly has already built a path that blends creativity, compassion, and design in ways that benefit the students and communities around her.