Grace Van Baaren ’26

Grace Van Baaren likes the fact that she has had “a little more freedom” during her high school years, spending her junior and senior years on the SUNY Schenectady campus, taking classes toward her college degree. An aspiring writer, Grace will be graduating with both her associate degree in Liberal Arts: Humanities and Social Sciences and her diploma from Schenectady High School. 

Grace has been taking college courses since the summer before she entered ninth grade through the Early College Grant Program and has found a supportive community at the College. “College was something that I wanted for myself and this was a great way to start. I have loved taking classes here with all of my peers. All of my professors have been amazing and I have had my own personal space, but still have had support when I needed it. I love having a little more freedom which opens you up to the real world.”

Grace is Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Secretary of the Student Government Association. She is also a competitive softball player who has played catcher and shortstop on Schenectady High School’s Varsity Softball Team as well as the Rotterdam Regulators travel team. An aspiring writer, Grace will be transferring to Binghamton University in the fall of 2026 for her bachelor’s degree in English.