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Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center student from Duanesburg is the recipient of the 2025 Regent Eleanor Powell Bartlett Scholarship.
Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation (HERO) program senior Jeffrey Mulhern was presented the scholarship on May 6 at a New York State Board of Regents meeting in Albany.
The scholarship recognizes the important role that Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays here in New York state. CTE is a key priority of the New York State Education Department (NYSED),and former Regent Eleanor Powell Bartlett’s generous donation allows NYSED to recognize students who exemplify these ideals, said David Frank, Assistant Commissioner for Education Policy at the New York State Education Department.
It’s the second time within the last three years that a Duanesburg student attending Capital Region BOCES has received the honor. In 2023, Heavy Equipment graduate Tyler Drexel received the same accolades.
An aspiring hardscaping business owner, Mulhern attended the HERO program at Capital Region BOCES to gain the skills, knowledge and certifications necessary to operate heavy equipment. 
Mulhern is undecided on which college he will attend, but he is learning towards pursuing a construction management degree at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
In the meantime, the 18-year-old has already started his own landscaping business, Mulherns, and said plans to continue to “work, work, work to build myself and my skills.”
Capital Region BOCES faculty, staff and administration praised the motivated scholar.
“Jeff demonstrates the personal skills of integrity, work ethic, professionalism and responsibility that we all seek in a student, a worker and a citizen. He is responsible, flexible and self-motivated,” said Director of Career and Technical Education Jeff Palmer.
In nominating the Duanesburg student, Capital Region BOCES Managing Program Coordinator-Business & Community Partnerships Nancy Liddle said, “Jeffrey exemplifies the academic and technical skills that we strive for at CTE!”
Mulhern credits BOCES with fine-tuning his skills and drive.
“BOCES provides you with an environment like a work schedule. You show up on time, have a task to do every single day, and you get that task done. It’s comforting being in a setting where everyone is really driven. That encourages you to be hard-working and be a better person,” he said.