Tristen Bellinger
Tristen Bellinger found his place at SUNY Canton through the College Activities Board (CAB). The Digital Communications and Storytelling major from Queens is currently serving as the Board’s President, which allows him to also sit on the Student Government Association.
“I joined the College Activities Board during my first year, became vice president my second semester, and now I’m proud to serve as CAB President,” Tristen said. “Serving as president also means holding a seat on the Student Government Association. It’s been a rewarding journey that started because I wanted to get more involved. Now I get to help shape the student experience for others.”
He originally came to the College to study Game Design and Development and found that he belonged in a different major. “With encouragement from my parents, I switched majors, and I’ve been much happier pursuing a path that connects my creativity with writing, art, and lore-building,” he said.
Tristen said his favorite staff members are Executive Director of Student Engagement & Leadership Priscilla Collins and Assistant Director of Student Engagement & Greek Affairs Chelsea DeGroat. His favorite class so far has been Narrative Forms in Video Games, taught by Lecturer Shawn Tiernan. “I loved exploring the creative side of video game design, especially the process of developing scripts and storylines,” he said.
Tristen said his SUNY Canton story is still unfolding. “I think it will have a happy ending,” he said. “From changing majors to building friendships, from late nights working on creative projects to volunteering for the community, I’ve grown so much here. I chose SUNY Canton because it was the most affordable option for me, but it’s turned into so much more than that.”