Academic Distinction | ��ý

On the Fast Track to Success: Next Steps for Our 2026 Grads

cscala — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:38:31 +0000

Pictured with Lincoln life mask in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society

Vincent Calvagno

BA in History, Minor in Italian (Honors College)
PhD Candidate in History, Yale University

“My professors at Adelphi instilled in me an interest in historical research and the confidence to pursue it. They also provided role models for me—Professor LaCombe for his mentoring, Professor Reno for his teaching style and Professor Haas for his lecturing abilities. I aim to focus my studies in graduate school on the environmental history of colonial New England.”

Joacim Carhed

MS in Business Analytics
Data Analytics Associate, Flynn Zito Capital Management, Garden City, New York

“My experiences as a student, student-athlete and graduate assistant helped me grow as a leader and prepared me to take this next step in finance and analytics. In my new role, I support the firm through data-driven analysis, reporting and process improvement.”

Julia Carpio

MA in Childhood Education and Advanced Certificate in TESOL
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, Athens, Greece

“I was in the five-year STEP program and with Professor Mary Jean McCarthy deepened my passion for learning about how education and pedagogy are approached in different countries. My Fulbright will take me to Athens College, where I will support English instruction at the elementary school level, mentor students and serve as a counselor at the college’s English language summer camp.”

Mariane Diby

BS in Physics (Honors College)
PhD Candidate in Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

“As a physics major, I pursued research exploring astrophysical shock phenomena and devoted my senior thesis to it. This summer, before entering my PhD program, I will be interning at the Simons Foundation to work on computational astrophysics research. I have always been passionate about studying the universe and building the technologies that carry us into space. My goal is to contribute to a new generation of spacecraft and aerospace innovation through research and engineering.”

Jeremiah Ford

BS in Computer Science/Cybersecurity
Systems Analyst, Brown Brothers Harriman, Jersey City, New Jersey

“In my new role at Brown Brothers Harriman, I will be in a two-year program for recent graduates. It bridges the gap between finance and technology by allowing me to rotate through four different IT or systems teams. I will be able to gain real-world expertise in software development, data solutions and business systems analysis. Once completed, I will be placed in a permanent, full-time position within the firm’s systems department.”

Kylie Goldade

BS in Physics
MA Candidate in Museum Studies, The Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY Oneonta

“I did lots of interdisciplinary work in the sciences, education and museum studies at Adelphi, and I had an internship at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. That led me to Cooperstown, which has the country’s only science-based museum education program. My ultimate goal is a PhD in preservation studies at the University of Delaware, with a focus on preservation technology.”

Jose Gonzalez

MBA, Accounting
Audit Associate, PwC

“I was in the 4+1 Accounting and MBA program, and my graduate accounting research class truly solidified my decision to pursue accounting. It helped me understand that although technology will continue to change many professions, we should embrace those changes and use them to become the kind of professionals the future needs.”

Rachel Halpert

BS in Biology (Honors College)
DMD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

“My experience as a tutor at the Center for Academic Support and Enrichment allowed me to see firsthand how personalized guidance can empower others, a passion I am excited to carry forward into my dental career. I want to thank my parents and my brother for their endless support, as well as Professor Hobbie and David Oroza of the Office of Pre-Professional Advising for mentoring me every step of the way.”

Joanna Rita Karpiel

BA in Art History, Minor in French (Honors College)
MA Candidate in the History of Art, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, England

“I wrote my senior thesis on Young Poland, a Modern movement between 1890–1918, and the symbols artists used to express their Polish identity. In grad school, I will focus on the art of China, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The incredible careers of my professors, and the Women in the Arts class I took, solidified the idea of pursuing a ��ٱ��’s degree. Both allowed me to visualize the stories I will be able to tell as an art historian and museum professional.”

Allison Kohl

Elementary School Art Teacher, Hamburg (New York) Central School District

“My time at Adelphi helped me grow not only as an artist, but as an educator. Through student teaching, mentorship and hands-on classroom experiences, I gained the confidence and creativity to begin my journey as an art teacher and inspire students to express themselves through art.”

Ashley Kreth

BS in Chemistry (Earned in Three Years)
NSF Graduate Research Fellow/PhD Candidate in Chemistry, University of Georgia

“I am excited to pursue a PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Georgia and plan to apply the skills and expertise I’ll have developed there to a career in industry. Two pieces of advice I would share with someone just beginning their undergraduate career are to take full advantage of every resource and opportunity available to you and to be open-minded regarding your future career path. You never know what you may end up doing!”

Valeria Lopez

BS in Biology (Honors College)
DVM Candidate, Long Island University Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine

“I’m very grateful to the Honors College for funding my fellowship in Rome in the summer of 2024, where I worked with two large-animal sanctuaries to understand the unique challenges these animals face. This experience, coupled with being the owner of a crested gecko, helped me see the need for veterinarians that don’t just work with cats and dogs, motivating me to become an exotics vet.”

Shota Mikautadze

BA in Economics and Political Science (Levermore Global Scholar)
Paid Finance Internship Leading to Financial Analyst Position, J.C. Steel Erectors, Islip, New York

“Through Adelphi’s Leadership Certificate Program, I attended a New York Islanders game hosted by Chris Amplo ’00. We had a genuine conversation that evening, and he asked me to send my résumé. I did, and he scheduled me for an interview the following week. It went well, and he offered me a position on the spot. So the University that shaped me connected me to the opportunity that’s launching my career.”

Pazia Miller

PhD in Clinical Psychology
Advanced Fellowship, National Center for PTSD and the Yale School of Medicine

“The research I did for my dissertation was on decision-making in individuals with cocaine-use disorder. My postdoc is an advanced fellowship in mental illness and research treatment, where I will be doing research on decision-making and ambiguity in PTSD treatment, training in psychedelic-assisted trauma therapy, and gaining advanced clinical training on the treatment of trauma. I hope this is an important step to building a meaningful career as a scientist-practitioner in the research and treatment of trauma.”

Juliana Morsello

BS in Cognitive Neuroscience
PhD Candidate in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Binghamton University

“Through ��’s neuroscience coursework, along with opportunities like the Emerging Scholars Program and my role as a peer educator, I discovered not only my passion for becoming a neuroscientist, but also my love for engaging with and educating the broader community.”

Hussein Ali Rifath

BA in Political Science and Spanish
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, Madrid, Spain

“My Fulbright is an incredible opportunity for me, and I’m deeply honored to have been selected. What excites me most about it is the chance it gives me to faithfully represent my country as a citizen diplomat. I hope to create a transformative classroom for the students I work with, one that can help them come to see America not as a distant foreign country but as a vibrant and welcoming society that not only honors them, but cherishes the bonds that unite us all.”

Rebecca Rosa

Master of Social Work
Social Worker, Dementia Unit, Autumn Lake Healthcare, New Britain, Connecticut

“Social work chose me long before I chose it, and ��ý confirmed that calling. The Gerontological Social Work Fellowship Program, along with the transformative courses I took with Professors Zodikoff and Kaplan on dementia and healthcare, deepened my understanding of older adults and solidified my purpose. This population is too often overlooked, and I intend to change that. My vision is to pursue a PhD and drive meaningful research in Alzheimer’s disease because older adults don’t just deserve care; they deserve dedicated social workers by their side.”

Christopher Sciortino

MS in Computer Science
Software Developer, Northville Industries, Melville, New York

“In my new role, I will be contributing to the development of enterprise desktop and web-based applications, from implementation to deployment and support. My goal has always been to create technology that solves problems and has a positive impact. Adelphi has helped me grow towards a parallel goal: to become a leader who inspires innovation, supports others and helps shape the future of technology.”

Nina Tchavtchanidze

MS in Biology
Lab Manager/Research Associate, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York

“I am especially grateful to Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks, who trained me as a scientist through his mentorship of my thesis research, guidance as a teaching assistant and instruction in laboratory skills. I am also extremely grateful to Thomas Ward and the team at the Center for Career and Professional Development, who helped shape me as a leader and a professional.”

The post On the Fast Track to Success: Next Steps for Our 2026 Grads appeared first on ��ý.

At a Journey’s End, the Undergraduate Class of 2026 Heads Into the Future With Optimism

cscala — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:48:27 +0000

It was a day of transitions, and a happy one.

Interim President Christopher Storm, PhD, who will be returning to his job as provost on June 1 with new leadership responsibilities as senior executive vice president of academic affairs, expressed sincere thanks for the support he received over the past year.

President-Elect Michael Balboni ’81, JD, enthusiastically greeted the graduating seniors as his “fellow alumni” and offered his success as an indication of how far an Adelphi degree can take them.

And the 1,165 members of the Class of 2026 closed the book on their undergraduate years and entered the next phase of their lives.

Commencement by the Numbers and Degrees

Just as it is every year, there was no “typical” Adelphi graduate. Six bachelor’s degree recipients are 19 years old. The oldest is 59 and is one of six graduates who are in their 50s. Thirty-five are over 30 years old, many of whom earned degrees in fully online or hybrid programs designed for working adults from ��’s College of Professional and Continuing Studies.

Diplomas were awarded in 51 different degree programs, reflecting the wide variety of academic and career interests of students in the Class of 2026.

The largest group of graduates were the 299 students who were awarded Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing. ��’s College of Nursing and Public Health is perennially ranked as a U.S. News & World Best College for Undergraduate Nursing Programs. It is also a U.S. News Best Nursing School for ��ٱ��’s degree and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs as well, and one of only 13 institutions designated as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.

Psychology was the next-most-popular degree, with 85 graduates. U.S. News & World Report includes Adelphi’s Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology in its rankings of Best Undergraduate Psychology Programs, Best Psychology Grad Schools and Best Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs.

Biology, a favorite major for premedical and preprofessional students, had the third-largest group of graduates, with 67 students earning their degrees. Rounding out the top five were two more programs in the healthcare and wellness fields—health sciences, with 52 students earning their Bachelor of Science, and physical education, with 51 graduates.

Top-10 degrees also included accelerated nursing, management, computer science, marketing and finance.

Graduates From Near and Far

While most of this year’s graduates are from New York, members of the Class of 2026 came to Adelphi from 24 other states. Students from New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania were the largest out-of-state contingents.

The class also included 86 international students from 42 countries, including 10 from India, seven from Pakistan, five from Mongolia and five from Vietnam.

Hussein Ali Rifath, president of ��’s Student Government Association, celebrated the global character of the Class of 2026 in his Commencement address. Rifath, whose family is from Bangladesh, congratulated the international students and the large number of graduates with backgrounds in other lands in a dozen languages. Rifath graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 average and a degree in political science and will spend next year in Spain on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant scholarship.

A Valuable Degree

The experience of recent graduates shows that an Adelphi degree is a ticket to a well-paying job. In our most recent alumni survey, graduates of our Class of 2024 reported an average salary of $76,450. Ninety-two percent were employed, continuing their education or participating in an internship within one year of graduation.

The successful outcomes of Adelphi graduates have attracted national attention. Forbes, which bases its America’s Top Colleges rankings on the ability to produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, ranked ��ý as the top private university on Long Island. So did The Wall Street Journal, whose rankings reflect how well colleges prepare their graduates for financial success.

Words to Live By

While this year’s graduates walked away with their degrees and their career plans, they also took along some advice from two Adelphi alumni whose careers prove their point.

President-Elect Balboni, who grew up in Garden City, rode his skateboard to campus on his first day at Adelphi with plans of going to medical school. Instead, he went to law school, became a litigator, a state legislator, a business executive and now a college president. What has that experience taught him?

“You have no idea what the future will bring,” he said. “Life is not always going to be a straight line to where you’re going to wind up.”

But he also gave listeners the key to his success. “My career has always been a series of saying ‘I’ll try that.’”

Joseph W. Westphal ’70, PhD, who received an honorary degree that day while also having the pleasure of seeing his granddaughter receive her Adelphi degree in nursing, echoed President-Elect Balboni’s message of life’s unpredictability and of opportunities taken advantage of.

After graduating from Adelphi, he went to graduate school, became a professor and took academic leadership programs. “But it was government service that took me places I never imagined I would experience,” he said, referring to diplomatic and high-level administrative appointments he received from Presidents Reagan, Clinton and Obama.

“The world belongs to those who are prepared not only to succeed, but to serve,” he said, and he followed that with three challenges for graduates who want to follow that path:

“Take personal responsibility for your actions, your decisions and your impact.”

“Be honest and ethical, especially when it’s inconvenient.”

“Be thoughtful about where you can make the greatest difference.”

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Examining The Pitt: Adelphi Nursing Faculty Weigh In on the Accuracy of the Hit Show Starring One of ��’s Own

ckatz — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:25:36 +0000

HBO’s medical drama has been praised for its multifaceted characters and intense storylines set in the emergency department (ED) of a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, trauma center. Conceived by actor Noah Wyle, who also stars in the show, the drama has also been praised for the accuracy of its depiction of a fast-paced emergency medical environment.

But how realistic is it really?

We asked two faculty members from the ��ý College of Nursing and Public Health with experience working in an ED—Associate Dean Jordan Yakoby, EdD, and Clinical Associate Professor Daniel McWeeney, DNP—to assess some key scenes in the show.

While the focus is often on the doctors, nurses are often depicted as critical members of the ED staff, especially tough-as-nails charge nurse Dana Evans. “By and large, a lot of the scenes are pretty realistic,” said Dr. Yakoby. “They are real scenarios you’d see in an emergency department.” If anything, he said, nurses are not depicted as prominently as they should be in an actual ED, where they handle some of the frontline cases doctors handle in the show. “There’s probably some artistic liberty, since many of the main characters are physicians and you need to show them in as many scenes as possible.”

Dr. McWeeney agreed that the show gets the intensity and pace of the ED right—even if it exaggerates a little. “The show truly reflects the chaos and volume of patients seen on a daily basis,” he said. “However, it does seem to depict more of the critical cases, which is not always the case in a given shift.” On the other hand, as an experienced ED nurse practitioner, he’s had shifts as intense as the ones that appear on the show, with multiple patients requiring lifesaving interventions.

��ý Theatre Grad Plays a Starring Role

��ý’s connection to The Pitt runs deeper than our faculty expertise. Lucas Iverson ’17, a BFA in theatre arts graduate, plays cocky medical student James Ogilvie in the show’s second season. In a recent interview, Iverson highlighted a pivotal scene from episode six where a nurse out-diagnoses a room full of MDs—a moment he feels reflects the vital importance of nurses in emergency rooms. “The nurses always know,” he noted.

Here are five scenes from the show, along with comments from Dr. Yakoby and Dr. McWeeney. (Spoilers ahead!)

Season 1, Episode 1—Nurses Perlah and Princess speak Tagalog

From the first episode, Filipina nurses Perlah and Princess switch into their native language while discussing cases or reacting to doctors’ decisions. Their tone is typically wry, offering a glimpse into the tight bonds among the nursing staff.

Dr. Yakoby: You probably have a lot more camaraderie between nurses and medical staff than you do in other places in the hospital, just because of the close proximity, so it definitely leads to more informality at times. Of course, there’s gossip that can occur, though I don’t know that people just switch into another language in front of the person they are talking about.

Dr. McWeeney: Multilingual nurses absolutely use language like this during shifts, but in my experience it’s more of a friendly conversation than patient-related. That said, nurses are always communicating, and especially experienced nurses may discuss and question providers’ assessments and orders placed based on a patient’s chief complaint.

Season 1, Episode 9—An aggressive patient assaults Dana

A patient’s frustrations boil over and he eventually assaults nurse Dana. She later returns to the floor, with colleagues noting how common such incidents can be.

Dr. McWeeney: Unfortunately, this is very common. On most of my shifts, security alerts are escalated due to an aggressive or threatening patient. Most of the time, it’s verbal, but I have had two or three colleagues who have been physically assaulted. Our ED has significantly increased security officer presence, and staff are trained for active shooters as well.

Dr. Yakoby: It’s a documented, well-known problem. I’ve been assaulted before—and more than one time. Usually it’s someone with a psychiatric condition or impaired by alcohol or an illicit substance. Larger hospitals and trauma centers have security in the ED at all times, and they can respond quickly, but they can’t be everywhere, and sometimes you just don’t know when someone is going to get aggressive.

Season 2, Episode 6—Perlah reacting to Louie’s death

It’s 12:07. Robby calls it. Louie is gone. (Warrick Page/HBOMAX)

After regular patient Louie dies from alcohol-related complications, nurse Perlah visibly struggles emotionally. Dana and other colleagues make adjustments to compensate for her.

Dr. Yakoby: A lot of times you don’t spend more than a few hours with a person, so you don’t develop a super-close relationship. But there are certain circumstances that are upsetting when a patient passes away. Many “frequent flyers” who come in regularly for substance abuse are difficult to get along with, but there are some who are more pleasant and easy to build a relationship with, and so there can be cases that hit home.

Dr. McWeeney: Grief is something everyone handles differently, and something you have to learn to cope with while working on a shift. In my experience, there have been a few shifts, especially during the pandemic, where I just needed to run to the bathroom and cry or shut the lights off and reset with a few deep breaths. Most hospitals now do have a team of employees that comes to support staff after a traumatic event. Ours is called Team Lavender, and they provide staff with lavender oils, teas and chocolates to help alleviate stress.

Season 2, Episode 6—Donnie teaching suturing to doctors

��ý theatre grad Lucas Iverson ’17, second from left, observes as Nurse Donnie steps in to guide physicians through proper subcutaneous (sub-Q) suturing technique during a challenging case. This scene highlights the depth of hands-on skill many nurses develop over time.

Dr. McWeeney: Nurses are always learning and training. While RNs do not suture, they are often precepting a new nurse on the many unique skills needed in the ED, such as placing an intravenous catheter. There is always the pressure to see more patients, and so I might not have the time to go through each step in depth in the moment, but I will always try and recap later in the shift as time allows.

Dr. Yakoby: Having a nurse actually do part of the procedure would not be typical. But if you have a very seasoned nurse and a junior resident, you might have a nurse guide them through a practice or get you the resources to help you do a procedure that you’re not doing in the correct way. Certainly, physicians-in-training would be smart to listen to experienced nurses if they want to be successful.

Season 2, Episode 7—Dana guides a sexual assault exam

As a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), Dana takes the lead on guiding a sexual assault survivor through a forensic exam, displaying compassion throughout a highly technical procedure.

Dr. McWeeney: The portrayal of the scene is accurate. Time is of the essence when it comes to a complicated case such as sexual assault. It is extremely sensitive, and there is heightened concern for making a mistake or fear of litigation that requires extra training to become a SANE. Dana provided a sense of trust and comfort and a step-by-step approach which showed the patient what to expect.

Dr. Yakoby: This kind of trauma-informed care is really where nursing shines. There’s a lot of emotional support you may need to give the patient, ensuring their comfort and privacy, and I think this was a good depiction of that. Everyone usually tries to be intentional and thoughtful with these patients, as they are experiencing a very difficult moment in their lives.

��’s Nursing and Public Health Programs

Whether you want to be in an action-packed ED or provide care in settings from schools to clinics to physician’s offices—or you want to educate the next generation of healthcare workers—the ��ý College of Nursing and Public Health has a program for you.

Learn how to serve our aging population with our gerontology programs (Adult Gerontology Primary Care Advanced Certificate, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner doctoral or graduate on campus or ); get a broad understanding of healthcare with undergraduate Health Sciences; be on the cutting edge of technology with healthcare informatics studies ( or , both online); pursue a nursing degree (undergraduate, doctoral or —now offered in Garden City and at our ); or study Psychiatric Mental Health (graduate, doctoral or advanced certificate) or Public Health (minor and MPH on campus or ).

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From Past to Present: The History Behind ��’s Cherished Pinning Ceremony

ckatz — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:13:38 +0000

“Nursing is an art and a science,” said Deborah Hunt, PhD ’12, dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health. “Steeped in history dating back to ancient times, the Pinning Ceremony is sacred and holds special meaning to the students and the faculty who teach and mentor them.”

Surrounded by faculty, alumni and loved ones, students take this step forward into their careers, carrying with them a degree, a gold pin and the vast knowledge they have gained during their nursing education. As students reach the end of their program, they take the time to come together and honor the strides they have made to get to the precipice of a career in nursing.

For students at Adelphi, stepping across that stage means more than just receiving a pin. It is an acknowledgment of the hard work they have put in, encompassing the hours spent studying and applying their knowledge in labs and clinicals. “I still remember the solemnity of the ceremony and how honored I was to be pinned,” said Dean Hunt. “The pin symbolizes the essence of nursing and is worn with pride.” Students recite the international pledge that guides their professional practice, surrounded by classmates and professors who supported their journey.

One of the ways the ceremony is made special is through the guests who attend it. Students are invited to have family or important members of their life come to the ceremony and watch them receive their pin. Traditionally, a faculty member or registered nurse would give the student their pin, but in recent years, programs have given students the freedom to choose a special person to join them on stage to pin them.

Many students choose parents, siblings or faculty who have had a strong impact on them—someone who supported them or helped them in their academic career. Beyond just recognizing and celebrating the individual accomplishment of completing the nursing program, the ceremony shows students the network of nurses and mentors they have to rely on.

The Origin of Pinning Ceremonies

Pinning ceremonies can be traced back to 1883 when Florence Nightingale was awarded a Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria for her service during the Crimean War. Since then, it has become a staple in nursing programs across the country, with each school designing its own pin to represent its program. “Every nursing program has a unique pin, and our graduates are recognized as an ‘Adelphi Nurse’ who has been prepared as a leader,” said Dean Hunt.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) celebrates nursing week in May as a way to celebrate and call awareness to the effort nurses give every day. The 2026 theme is “The Power of Nurses” and culminates on May 12—the birthday of Florence Nightingale.

As these students receive their pins, they join the ranks of nurses like Dean Hunt who attended Adelphi to earn their degree, and those in the years since pinning ceremonies began who made that same step into the next chapter of their journey.

Nursing at Adelphi

��’s nursing program is highly ranked, up 32 places from last year and 61 from its 2023 ranking on the U.S. News & World Report’ list of best BS in nursing programs. With undergraduate, ��ٱ��’s degree, accelerated and PhD nursing programs, Adelphi offers students a broad number of options for finding their place in the world of nursing. And its Clinical Education and Simulation Lab (CESiL) provides students with hands-on experience in patient care and medical procedures.

The program includes the , which tests and prepares students for practicing medicine beyond the classroom. “This is the culmination of the program, focusing on the synthesis of knowledge, clinical judgement, critical thinking and final clinical immersion experience to prepare for the role of a professional nurse,” said Dean Hunt. ��’s CESiL and network of partnerships provide ways to build confidence and assurance with the skills students have learned by placing them in healthcare facilities for hands-on learning.

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A More Modern MBA: ��’s Flex MBA Will Help Students Future-Proof Their Business Careers

ahassan — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:39:09 +0000

��ý is making it even easier for working professionals to earn a career-boosting MBA.

Starting this fall, the University’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business—recognized as a Best Business School by The Princeton Review for eight years running—will begin offering its Flex MBA program at Adelphi’s new Manhattan Center on Fifth Avenue and 44th Street, just steps away from Grand Central Station and easily accessible by subway, bus and commuter train.

The Flex MBA, which can be completed in as little as one year, is designed to meet the schedules of busy, career-minded adults. The program is conveniently presented in a hybrid format, with on-site and online classes held in the evening.

Professionals looking to advance their business career will have three other options at the Manhattan Center starting this fall: graduate certificate programs in business analytics and human resource management, as well as a human resource management concentration in the MA in General Psychology program.

All four programs are also offered at Adelphi’s main campus in Garden City, New York, and are part of a suite of 13 graduate business degree and certificate programs. The Willumstad School is also known for its undergraduate programs and was recently recognized as a Best Undergraduate Business School by Poets&Quants, ranking ahead of all other Long Island institutions.

We spoke with MaryAnne Hyland, PhD, dean of the Willumstad School, to learn more about the programs and the tuition-saving Manhattan Advantage Award scholarships available to Adelphi alumni.

What makes Flex MBA such a flexible option for working professionals?

The Flex MBA program is a 36-credit program that offers many convenient options for students. Students can earn their degree in one year or choose to study part-time in our two-year track. Courses will be in a hybrid format, with some class sessions held in the evening at the Manhattan Center and others conducted online. This setup offers the convenience of online learning with the personalized support and networking associated with in-person classes.

Is the Flex MBA program only for students with a business background?

No, not everyone comes with a business background. We have students with healthcare backgrounds and students with experience in various other fields outside of business, and we help to acclimate them. We provide online modules to help them understand some of the business basics so they’re ready to go once they start the program.

Are the graduate certificate programs flexible too?

We’ll be offering two certificate programs at the Manhattan Center: the business analytics certificate and the human resource management certificate. The courses for those programs fold right into the Flex MBA program. So if a student wants to start out by earning a certificate and then enrolling in the MBA program, they can take these three to four courses, and those credits carry right in. These certificates offer a nice way to test the waters of what it’s like to be in school again and the ability to walk away with a strong credential, even if they don’t want to pursue a full ��ٱ��’s degree.

��ý alumni can earn their MBA at the Manhattan Center for only $20,000. How is that possible?

We are really excited to offer this opportunity to Adelphi alumni as a way to kick off the opening of the Manhattan Center. It works by combining two scholarships: our new Manhattan Advantage Award scholarship for $10,000 and our Alumni Award for Graduate Study scholarship, which covers $5,000 per year. If students take two years to complete this program on a part-time basis and they receive $5,000 a year in addition to the $10,000, one-time Manhattan Advantage Award, they can complete their degree for under $20,000, which is quite reasonable for an AACSB-accredited [Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business] program.

How does the Flex MBA program differ from other MBA programs?

We are trying to give students the skills that they need to be successful in today’s workplace. The Flex MBA program, for example, is a relatively new program that focuses on solving business problems. We have problem-solving days built into the program where students come in—outside of their classes—to work in teams on a project for a real company. They do this first without AI to work on their critical thinking skills, and then they use AI so they can see the differences between what they generated as a team and what AI assisted them with. That’s a distinctive feature of our program that we’re very proud of. We think it’s unique, and we get great feedback from our students about it.

It’s also the personalized attention that students really say makes their education special and valuable. When we ask students why they chose Adelphi, they almost always mention that it’s a place where professors know your name. There are small classes, and we have dedicated staff there to assist the students with finding jobs and internships.

What are your hopes for the first year of the Flex MBA program at the Manhattan Center?

I hope that it’s a program where students really thrive. My hope would be that the students who participate in this kickoff year of the program have an excellent learning experience in our brand-new, state-of-the-art facility.

The post A More Modern MBA: ��’s Flex MBA Will Help Students Future-Proof Their Business Careers appeared first on ��ý.

Rewrite Your Summer Story: Standout Summer Classes

cscala — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:56:52 +0000

Whether you want to study the stars, master the art of the remix or intern for a global brand, these are a few highly recommended summer classes, personally selected by the summer classes team and Adelphi faculty.

You can dive into the topics you’re actually curious about, knock out those PATH general education requirements in a more focused environment, take on an internship or travel the world—all while keeping your graduation timeline on track.

You can see all the courses here, but take a look at these standouts.

Explore the Cosmos (and Check Off Your Science Credit)

Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how it all started? Astronomy (PHY-104) takes you from the Big Bang to the formation of distant galaxies.

If you’re a STEM major or pre-med student, you can also power through College Physics I and II (PHY-111/112).

The perk: You get a deep dive into scientific reasoning while satisfying your PATH natural science requirement.

Study in Australia: The Ultimate Field Trip

If a traditional classroom feels too small, Introduction to Tropical Marine and Terrestrial Systems (BIO-215) is your ticket to the Great Barrier Reef and the Australian rainforest. You’ll participate in real ecological research in some of the most biodiverse (and threatened) spots on earth.

Earn your PATH natural science credits while building a résumé that literally spans the globe.

Make This a Summer of Creativity

Summer is the perfect time to let your creative side breathe without the pressure of a full fall/spring course load.

The History of Animation (ARH-260): Trace the magic from Disney to Tim Burton.
Introduction to Digital Art (ART-125): Learn Photoshop and Illustrator to build a professional portfolio from scratch.
The American Hip Hop Phenomenon (MUH-242): Explore how turntables and Tupac changed global culture.

These courses satisfy your arts PATH requirement while fueling your artistic passions.

Understand Human Behavior

Want to understand what makes people tick? Our social sciences offerings help you see the world through a different lens:

Cultural Anthropology (ANT-111): Learn to think like an ethnographer and understand diverse global traditions.
General Psychology (PSY-101): A foundational look at the mind, from biology to social influence
Media and Children (COM-205): Analyze how TikTok, TV and movies shape the development of the next generation.

You will gain essential “people skills” for any career while fulfilling your PATH social sciences requirement.

The Global Career Accelerator: Work for Netflix or L’Oréal

Looking for an internship-style experience without the commute? The is an online experiential program where you’ll work on real-world projects for companies like Netflix, Intel and the Grammys.

Collaborate: Work with students from 50-plus countries.
Earn 3 academic credits and up to 4 industry micro-credentials.

This course is a massive résumé booster that proves you can thrive in a remote, international workforce.

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From Army Chaplain to Beloved Professor: One Social Worker’s Unlikely Journey

ahassan — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:40:19 +0000

path to Adelphi might be considered nontraditional. Before arriving as a member of the faculty at the School of Social Work in 1984—a role he would hold for the next four decades—he had already accumulated a remarkable range of professional experiences. He served as a first lieutenant and chaplain with the U.S. Army Combat Engineers, which brought him face-to-face with the psychological costs of stress, crisis and trauma. That service instilled in him a practical understanding that led him to pursue psychoanalytic training at the , where he earned his Master of Social Work degree and became a licensed social worker.

“After becoming a social worker, I ran into a priest at a party who said I should try teaching as he did,” said Dr. Belson. “I enjoyed teaching too. So I became a DSW and a professor at Adelphi, and I love it. I realized that teaching is my specialty. I called that priest every year until he passed away to thank him.”

The Art of Teaching

In 2003–2004, Dr. Belson received ��ý’s Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence. This recognition was inspired by his vibrant teaching style that balanced intellectual seriousness with humor. He once delivered a keynote titled “Intensity, Chaos, Humor and Redemption: 30 Years of Working With Couples and Families,” a title that gives some indication of his pedagogical approach. He taught students not just how to intervene, but how to be present, how to listen for what isn’t said and be comfortable amid complexity.

Dr. Belson’s retirement does not mark an ending so much as a consolidation—a life’s work that will continue through the practitioners he trained, the papers he wrote and the questions he taught an entire generation to ask. The ��ý School of Social Work will miss him, but the field he served is richer for everything he gave.

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��ý’s Health and Nursing Graduate Programs Recognized for Excellence, Rapid Growth in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

cscala — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:57:24 +0000

The recently announced rankings highlight a period of significant reputational growth for ��’s health disciplines, marked by sustained academic excellence.

��’s Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology Clinical Psychology graduate program surged an impressive 49 spots in this year’s rankings, while the Speech-Language Pathology program in the University’s Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences jumped 33 positions. These rapidly rising programs join the perennially strong graduate nursing programs in ��’s College of Nursing and Public Health, which remain securely positioned in the top 13.5 percent of all accredited graduate nursing programs nationwide.

“These latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report are a testament to the exceptional caliber of our faculty, the dedication of our students and the profound impact our alumni are making in healthcare and clinical settings,” said Susan Dinan, PhD, ��’s interim provost. “The dramatic rise in our health program rankings, which are driven by peer assessment, demonstrates that our commitment to academic innovation and clinical excellence is recognized by our academic peers across the country.”

Rapid Ascent in the Health Professions

Methodology for the U.S. News Best Graduate Health Programs ranking is based on peer assessment surveys, reflecting how academic leaders nationwide view the quality of Adelphi’s programs. Adelphi saw notable improvements across the board, including:

Clinical Psychology: Ranked No. 127, an extraordinary climb of 49 positions
Speech-Language Pathology: Ranked No. 165, an impressive rise of 33 positions
Audiology (as part of the Long Island Doctor of Audiology Consortium): Ranked No. 49, an improvement of nine spots

Sustained Excellence in Graduate Nursing Education

The ��ý College of Nursing and Public Health continues to be a premier destination for advanced nursing education. The U.S. News Best Graduate Master’s Nursing list places Adelphi at No. 87, ensuring that the program remains in the top 13.5 percent of accredited graduate nursing programs nationwide. ��’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is newly ranked this year on the outlet’s DNP list, expanding the University’s footprint in doctoral-level nursing excellence, and the Master of Public Health is also ranked.

Recognition in Graduate Business

��’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business also maintained its national presence in the Part-Time MBA rankings. Additionally, U.S. News significantly expanded its Graduate Business Subspecialty Rankings for 2026—growing from a pool of roughly 40 schools to more than 275 institutions per list—with Adelphi earning a placement for providing competitive, specialized business education relative to a newly broadened field of national peers.

Expanding Graduate Education at the New Manhattan Center

The momentum of the University’s graduate programs extends to the heart of New York City with the launch of ��’s new on Fifth Avenue. Designed to align advanced degrees with high-demand careers, the center offers specialized programs—including an Accelerated BS in Nursing, a Flex MBA, and an MS in AI and Machine Learning—to address critical workforce needs in the metropolitan area. To celebrate and support students joining these inaugural cohorts, the University has introduced the $10,000 Manhattan Advantage Award. This specialized funding reflects ��’s investment in launching premier programs in New York City, providing dedicated financial support to ensure graduate students have the resources to pursue graduate studies that will help them lead the modern workforce.

Continued National Distinction

These latest graduate rankings build upon ��’s broader success in institutional evaluations. The University is consistently recognized as a Best National University and a Top Performer on Social Mobility by , reflecting a deep dedication to student success and equitable access to higher education. This year, Adelphi was ranked the top private university on Long Island by , and the University consistently earns prominent distinctions from , and for its exceptional academic quality, strong career outcomes and commitment to overall value.

Learn more about ��’s rankings, accolades and awards.

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More Voices, More Visions: Research Day Expands Its Horizons

cscala — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:00:17 +0000

��’s 23rd annual Research Day, formally known as the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, is expanding in both scope and size this year, encompassing more disciplines and presentations than ever before. On April 28, students, faculty, family, alumni and community members will gather at the Ruth S. Harley University Center to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of hundreds of Adelphi students.

Along with a wide range of e-posters, exhibits and oral presentations from students in the sciences, social sciences and humanities, this year’s Research Day will introduce new events with a particular emphasis on the arts and creative projects, including a 24-Hour Play Festival from theater majors and thesis presentations from art majors.

This year’s conference also offers another exciting first: a keynote address delivered by a Nobel laureate, William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, the Sidney Farber Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, senior physician-scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Kaelin received the . He also recently endowed a prize at Adelphi in honor of his mother, who graduated from Adelphi in 1954.

We spoke with Research Day co-chairs Karolina Lempert, PhD, assistant professor in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, and Wei Liu, PhD, associate professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health, to learn more about the exciting new developments to the conference and ��’s commitment to showcasing student-led research.

What are some of the new additions to Research Day this year, particularly those focused on the arts?

Dr. Lempert: For the 24-Hour Play Festival, theater students will write, direct and act in 10-minute plays based on abstracts of research that will be presented at the conference. They’ll receive the abstracts the day before the conference and will only have 24 hours to create and rehearse them before performing in the University Center (UC) ballroom from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be a different kind of presentation and it definitely involves more of the arts, which has generally been less represented at the conference.

Dr. Liu: Another new addition is the Senior Art Gallery Presentations. David Pierce, assistant professor of art and art history, will have seven students present their graduating theses in the UC art gallery from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. While we’ve had students display their art in past conferences, this year, they’re going to be there so they can converse and discuss their work with attendees. We’re also going to have anthropology students from two different culture and society classes display photos from their midterm assignments.

Are these new events the result of an effort to incorporate more creative disciplines in Research Day?

Dr. Liu: Adelphi has always tried to promote interdisciplinary collaboration with the conference, but inevitably there are some departments that have less representation. We’re very lucky to have worked with Laura Mroz [associate director of executive communications], who played a critical role in conducting outreach to other departments.

Dr. Lempert: There’s a norm in the sciences of presenting posters at conferences, while arts students have other ways that they display their work. So I think changing that culture and showcasing arts and humanities may take some time, but this is the start of the effort. This year, we’ll have the biggest representation from those fields so far.

How is Adelphi engaging local high school students as part of the conference?

Dr. Liu: For the first time, we’ll be hosting a for a chance to win a full-tuition scholarship to Adelphi. The admissions office, which is sponsoring the competition, is encouraging high school juniors from research classes to submit their abstracts to be presented on conference day. We’ll have judges at the conference who will review their work and select the winner.

How else will the Research Day conference be larger in scope this year?

Dr. Liu: We received approximately 350 abstract submissions—100 more than we usually receive. This marks increased submissions in every single category, including e-posters, oral presentations and computer science exhibits. While we used to host computer science and gaming exhibitions in the charter room on the second floor of the UC, this year, we’ll actually use a bigger space on the first floor to accommodate more participants.

Dr. Lempert: This is also the first year we expanded the event out to the entire UC—not just the second floor—and I think that it will only keep growing.

What are your plans for Research Day going forward?

Dr. Liu: If this year’s conference is a success and we receive positive feedback, we can do even more outreach and incorporate more disciplines next year. We’re also hoping to receive abstracts for new presentation types, such as humanities panel presentations and film presentations.

What do you hope students and attendees take away from Research Day?

Dr. Lempert: I hope the conference empowers students to do research of their own and to engage in their own creative work. I also hope it brings students closer together and helps them see that research is for everyone.

Dr. Liu: I really want students and faculty to take away the message that Adelphi promotes a strong community, and we encourage collaboration and inclusiveness. When we gather post-conference feedback from our presenters, we always hear that they appreciate people outside their own disciplines coming to see their posters or listen to their presentations. It’s just really encouraging, this knowledge-sharing among students and faculty across disciplines.

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The World Is Our Classroom: Adelphi in Italy

tshah — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:15:55 +0000

Every great tradition begins with a vision. To learn more about the program’s purpose, impact, and the philosophy behind it, we sat down with Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences Dean Xiao-lei Wang, PhD, whose commitment to preparing students for an interconnected world is at the heart of everything this trip represents.

How does this specific trip to Italy align with the College’s mission to prepare future leaders and professionals for a globalized world?

aligns closely with the College’s mission by preparing students to become future leaders and professionals who can work effectively in a globalized world. The program is intentionally designed to move learning beyond the classroom by placing students in environments where history, culture, education, community and daily routines are experienced as interconnected realities rather than separate systems. Through visits to schools, historically significant sites and engagement with daily life, students encounter firsthand how social values, historical development and local resources shape approaches to education and everyday practices. These experiences allow students to see that professional practice is always embedded within cultural and social contexts, often shaped by constraints and priorities that differ from those in the United States.

Working in unfamiliar linguistic and cultural settings requires students to adapt, communicate across differences and reconsider assumptions they may have previously taken for granted. Rather than observing passively, students engage in structured reflection and faculty-guided discussion that connect daily experiences to their emerging professional roles. They examine how professional practices are influenced by history, policy and community expectations, and consider how these insights inform their own future work with diverse populations.

As a result, students develop not only cultural awareness but also practical judgment, flexibility and ethical sensitivity, capacities that are essential for professionals who will serve increasingly diverse communities. More importantly, the experience helps students recognize that effective professional practice requires the ability to understand context, listen across difference and respond thoughtfully rather than relying on a single model or assumption. In this way, the program advances the College’s commitment to educating professionals and leaders who are prepared to navigate complexity, engage responsibly with diverse communities and contribute meaningfully to an interconnected world.

Why was Italy chosen as the flagship destination for this faculty-led initiative?

Italy was chosen as our destination because it offers a uniquely layered learning environment that allows students to examine how culture and community are shaped over time and across civilizations. As a crossroads of Mediterranean, European and global exchange, Italy has played a significant role in the development of many ideas, institutions and artistic traditions that have influenced Western societies, while itself being shaped by interactions with other civilizations through trade, migration, religion and conquest. This historical layering provides an ideal context for helping students understand that contemporary professional practices do not emerge in isolation, but are the result of ongoing cultural dialogue and adaptation.

Italy’s cities and regions offer living classrooms where ancient traditions coexist with modern systems. Walkable urban spaces, strong regional identities, and a cultural emphasis on family, community and everyday well-being allow students to observe learning, care and social relationships as lived practices rather than abstract institutional models. Within a relatively compact geography, students can engage with schools, cultural institutions and community settings, making Italy especially well suited for a short-term program that seeks depth rather than superficial exposure.

Italy was also selected with equity and access in mind. Many of our students come from Italian or broader European heritage backgrounds, yet would not otherwise have the opportunity to engage meaningfully with this heritage through an academically structured, faculty-guided experience. At the same time, for students without personal or familial ties to Italy, the program offers an accessible entry point into global learning, one that combines cultural richness, linguistic diversity and strong infrastructure in a way that supports first-time international travelers. Without a college-organized program, financial, logistical and experiential barriers would prevent many students from participating in study abroad at all.

Taken together, Italy provides a powerful setting for a flagship program because it allows students to explore how historical depth, cultural exchange and contemporary professional practice intersect. The destination supports the College’s commitment to preparing future leaders and professionals who can understand complexity, appreciate multiple perspectives and apply culturally responsive thinking in an interconnected global context.

Does the program provide opportunities for education students to observe classroom instruction and student learning in local schools?

Yes. The program provides education students with opportunities to observe both elementary and secondary school settings in Italy. During these visits, students are able to observe classroom instruction, student engagement and teaching approaches within a different cultural and educational context. These observations allow participants to compare instructional practices, classroom organization and student-teacher interactions with those commonly found in the United States.

In addition to observation, students have opportunities, when appropriate, to interact with Italian students and educators. These interactions allow for informal exchanges about school life, learning expectations and cultural perspectives on education. Faculty-guided reflection following the visits helps students connect what they observe to their own developing teaching philosophy, encouraging them to consider how cultural, social and policy contexts influence educational practice. As a result, the experience supports the development of culturally responsive perspectives and broadens students’ understanding of teaching and learning in diverse settings.

For health science students, does this trip help them compare the Italian healthcare system or wellness culture with the U.S. model?

While students do not formally observe the Italian healthcare system or clinical settings—as we are not allowed to have access to healthcare facilities—the trip provides meaningful opportunities for students to examine broader concepts of wellness and well-being within the Italian cultural context. Students observe how health is embedded in everyday life through dietary practices, food preparation and social routines centered around meals and community interaction. Activities such as cooking classes and discussions of regional food traditions allow students to explore the relationship between nutrition, lifestyle and preventive approaches to health.

In addition, students observe patterns related to walkable cities, daily physical activity, social connectedness and the pace of daily life, all of which contribute to broader understandings of wellness beyond clinical care. Faculty-guided discussions encourage students to reflect on how cultural values, environment and lifestyle influence health outcomes, and to compare these observations with prevailing models in the United States that often emphasize treatment rather than prevention.

Through these experiences, students gain a more holistic perspective on health and well-being, recognizing that healthcare systems operate within cultural and social frameworks. This comparative perspective helps students consider how lifestyle, community practices and cultural attitudes toward health may inform future professional practice in diverse populations.

In what ways does navigating a foreign country help our students become more empathetic educators or healthcare providers when they return to diverse New York communities?

Navigating Italy places students in the position of linguistic and cultural outsiders. They must ask for help, interpret unfamiliar cues and manage moments of uncertainty. These experiences foster humility, patience and perspective-taking. When students return to New York, they carry a deeper understanding of what it feels like to navigate systems that were not designed with them in mind. This lived empathy translates into more responsive teaching, more compassionate care and greater sensitivity to the experiences of multilingual, immigrant and culturally diverse populations.

What is one “off-the-syllabus” experience you hope every student has while in Italy?

I hope every student has a moment of genuine connection in an ordinary setting, a conversation with a local shopkeeper, a shared meal, a moment of misunderstanding that turns into insight. These unscripted encounters often become the most meaningful learning moments. When students pause, reflect and talk through these experiences together, they begin to see how learning happens not only in classrooms, but in everyday human interaction.

How can students best translate this short-term Intersession experience onto a résumé or into a talking point during a job interview?

Students can frame this experience as evidence of global competence, adaptability and reflective practice. Rather than presenting the experience simply as travel, they are encouraged to articulate the specific skills developed through the program, including cross-cultural communication, careful observation, ethical awareness and teamwork in unfamiliar environments. In interviews and professional settings, students can draw on concrete examples of how navigating new cultural and social contexts in Italy challenged their assumptions, required flexibility in communication and problem-solving, and strengthened their ability to work thoughtfully and respectfully with diverse populations.

If you were a student again today, what part of this trip’s itinerary would you be most excited about?

I would be most excited about the moments that blend learning with lived experience, walking through historic cities, observing daily life, visiting schools and engaging in conversations that connect past and present. These are the moments when assumptions become visible and open to reflection, and learning feels alive. They are also the moments that stay with you long after the trip ends.

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