Inclusive Community & Connectivity | ��Ƶ

From Classroom to Care: ��Ƶ Expands Pathways Into Healthcare Careers

ckatz — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:09:22 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that healthcare support occupations will grow 13.3 percent between 2025 and 2035, nearly four times the 3.5 percent projected for employment overall.

To help meet that demand, the College of Professional and Continuing Studies (CPCS) is expanding its Allied Health Certificate programs on Long Island and in Manhattan, pairing scholarships and hands-on training with direct connections to employers.

Scholarships for Emerging Dental Assistants

With a $25,000 community grant from the New York Community Trust, CPCS will provide scholarships and comprehensive support to 11 students ages 18 to 29 pursuing the Dental Assistant professional certificate at the Hempstead Adult Education site. 7 percent between 2025 and 2035, also well above the 3.5 percent projected for all occupations, with about 53,000 openings a year nationwide.

The initiative is designed to help students build the skills, credentials and career connections needed to enter Long Island’s growing healthcare workforce.

Scholarship recipients, along with students in related allied health programs, will have access to certification exam preparation, academic advising and individualized student support. Participants will also take part in five professional development workshops covering career planning, résumé development, professional communication, and AI and digital workplace skills, which are increasingly expected in modern healthcare settings.

As students near completion of their programs, CPCS will help them move from the classroom into the workforce. Externships will provide hands-on experience, while interview preparation, employer connections and job-matching services are intended to bridge the gap between learning and a first job.

“Thanks to the generous support of the New York Community Trust, we’re able to open doors for young people who are ready to build a career in healthcare,” said Sandra Castro, PhD, senior associate dean in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies. “The demand for professionals in these fields keeps growing throughout our communities. For many of our participants, this is the first step toward an undergraduate degree and a future with even more opportunity.”

New Manhattan Center Broadens the Offerings

CPCS is also expanding its allied health portfolio at its new Manhattan Center, where it is launching hybrid programs in Clinical Medical Assisting and EKG Technician and Phlebotomy Technician training. Designed with working adults and other nontraditional students in mind, the programs pair flexible online asynchronous coursework with hands-on laboratory experiences and office hours at the center’s state-of-the-art facility.

Together, the initiatives reflect CPCS’s effort to create flexible routes into healthcare careers while pairing students with the education, support and real-world experience they need to succeed.

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Long-Lost 50-Year-Old ��Ƶ Class Ring Finally Back Where It Belongs Thanks to Some Amateur Sleuthing

yigarcia — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:10:54 +0000

Can a class ring, buried underground for decades, find its way home? This one did.

Mike Johnston, a local metal-detecting enthusiast, discovered a buried ��Ƶ class ring from 1976 in late September. The unexpected recovery sparked a true detective effort to find its rightful owner.

Johnston found the ring at West Hills County Park in Melville, New York, buried “about seven inches down”—like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack. He had only begun pursuing that hobby in January, although “I’ve wanted to do it my whole life.”

In a striking coincidence, the Class of 1976’s 50th Reunion was scheduled for ��Ƶ’s Spirit Weekend on October 18—just weeks after the discovery.

“I Googled ‘��Ƶ Class of ’76’ and saw that its 50th Reunion was coming up,” Johnston recalled. “I kinda got chills and wanted to track down the owner as soon as possible.”

A Dead End, Then Help From Alumni Relations

The first clue was a dead end, briefly. He connected with Megan Stewart, ��Ƶ’s director of alumni relations, who said that, at first, they thought the initials inside the ring were “LOC.” But after checking the 1976 yearbook, she said, “We couldn’t find a graduate with those initials.”

Once he gave the ring a more thorough cleaning, however, Johnston realized that the initials actually were “LDC.”

That discovery was the key to solving this mystery. Armed with that new info, Stewart resumed sleuthing in the 1976 yearbook on October 1 and was able to match the initials to Lawrence D. Cohen.

Lawrence (known to friends and family as Larry) grew up on Long Island and had died in Florida in 2021. Stewart immediately reached out to Cohen’s widow, Anita, to share the news that her late husband’s ��Ƶ ring had finally been found.

I turned out that Anita did not even realize his ring had been lost.

“He never mentioned losing his class ring,” Anita said. But the Melville location “made sense,” since he and his family lived in the Melville-Huntington area of Long Island, New York. Interestingly, “Larry was an avid metal-detecting enthusiast,” she recalled. “He had all the equipment and we think he lost his ring while he was metal-detecting in that area.”

Like a “Message From Heaven” From an Alum

Anita was “incredibly moved,” Stewart said. “She couldn’t be happier to have something that belonged to her husband returned to her. She described it as feeling ‘like a message from heaven.'”

Anita reflected on what the discovery meant to her family:

“He left us too soon, in 2021, and to find his ring like this brings him back in our memories. The whole family has had a chance to reminisce. He was very smart, kind and intense, he loved God and made friends everywhere. He was so, so funny, always making everybody laugh. Everyone loved Larry.”

Cohen majored in physical education at ��Ƶ, but later changed course. “He went on to become a podiatrist and worked in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens, until we moved to Florida in 1996.”

Anita, herself an ��Ƶ alum, got her bachelor’s degree in fine art and liberal arts in 1982. “I am still an instructor at Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park, Florida,” she said. “I teach painting and drawing to children, and I also teach adults silver metal clay jewelry.”

The Cohen family, left to right: daughter Michelle, Anita and Lawrence Cohen ’76

Missing Spirit Weekend, But There in Spirit

Although both attended ��Ƶ, the couple didn’t meet on campus.

“We met on Long Island at a Messianic Congregation in 1982,” Anita recalled. “We were inseparable after that.” Married in 1986, they raised a daughter, Michelle, who is now a registered nurse.

While Anita is unable to return to the Garden City campus for the Class of 1976 50th Reunion during Spirit Weekend (October 14 to October 18), Stewart ensured the piece of history would arrive safely.

“We’ll be sending the ring to her in Florida so it can be back with her family where it belongs,” Stewart said.

The Enduring ��Ƶ Connection

The unearthing of a 50-year-old ring—decades after it slipped away—serves as a poignant bridge between the past and present just as Larry’s classmates gather for their 50th Reunion milestone (to be held October 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.).

For Stewart, the story highlights the strength of the University community. “It feels like a wonderful example of how the ��Ƶ connection can endure across generations and decades,” she observed.

Thomas Kline, EdD, ��Ƶ vice president of University advancement and external relations, observed, “To see Lawrence’s ring make this miraculous journey back to Anita against all odds—especially as we approach the Class of 1976’s 50th Reunion—is incredibly inspiring. It is a profound reminder that no matter how much time passes, our ��Ƶ family remains deeply connected.”

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��Ƶ Breast Cancer Program Urges Women Across New York to “Take the First Step” During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

ckatz — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:04:59 +0000

The ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program is using Breast Cancer Awareness Month to encourage women across New York to take that step and connect with a network of survivors, volunteers and professionals who will be there along the way.

The message “Take the First Step. You’re Not Alone” is the theme of the program’s Fall 2026 breast cancer awareness campaign. It encourages women to prioritize their health by scheduling mammograms, learning about available breast cancer programs and reaching out for information and support.

That message will come to life on Thursday, October 22, when the program presents its annual Celebration of Survivorship at ��Ƶ in Garden City. Breast cancer survivors Pam Shapiro, Donna T. Bacon ’94, MSW ’99, PhD, and Jeannie Rettura will share their experiences with diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and the support they received along the way.

“For many women, the most difficult part is taking that first step and reaching out,” said Reyna Machado, executive director of the ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program. “Once they do, there are people here who understand what they are experiencing. Our volunteers, most of whom are breast cancer survivors themselves, and our professional staff provide information, support and connections to local resources. We want women across New York to know that support is available throughout their breast cancer journey.”

Since 1980, the ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, a project of the ��Ƶ School of Social Work, has provided information and emotional support to people affected by breast cancer. Its toll-free hotline operates 365 days a year and connects callers with volunteers who are breast cancer survivors and understand firsthand many of the concerns surrounding a diagnosis.

The program also provides professional counseling in English and Spanish, support groups, educational forums and events, community outreach, survivorship programming and referrals for free or low-cost mammograms.

The women speaking at this year’s Celebration of Survivorship have various experiences with breast cancer and have been connected with our program supporting other women for decades.

Shapiro has faced breast cancer diagnoses in 2000, 2010 and 2019 and serves as a member of the ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program Advisory Board. Dr. Bacon is a breast cancer survivor and advocate who was diagnosed in 2006. Rettura, diagnosed in 1986, is a breast cancer survivor and volunteer with the ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

The Celebration of Survivorship will be held Thursday, October 22, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom at ��Ƶ’s Ruth S. Harley University Center in Garden City. Doors open at 4:00 p.m., with the program beginning at 4:30 p.m. A light supper will be served. The event is free.

About the ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program

The ��Ƶ NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program provides free support and resources for people with or concerned about breast cancer. Services include a toll-free hotline staffed by breast cancer survivors, professional counseling in English and Spanish, support groups, educational programs, community outreach, survivorship programming and referrals for free or low-cost mammograms. The program is available 365 days a year.

For information and support, call 800.877.8077, text 516.262.3263 or visit: adelphi.edu/breast-cancer.

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��Ƶ’s Momentum Campaign Closes at $103 Million, Surpassing Its Goal One Year Early

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:59:39 +0000

��Ƶ has concluded The Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact with more than $103 million raised, surpassing its $100 million goal a year ahead of schedule. The campaign closed August 31, 2026, bringing together alumni, friends, trustees, faculty, staff, students and families to invest in the University’s future.

“Together, our community didn’t just meet an ambitious goal—we shattered expectations, raising an extraordinary $103 million to transform the lives of our students,” said Thomas A. Kline, EdD, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations.

The campaign’s reach reflects the breadth of that support: 25,000 donors made 74,000 gifts, creating more than 250 new funds. More than $54 million was raised for scholarships, $21 million for academic priorities, and $9 million for life-changing student experiences. The balance of funds supported capital projects, ��Ƶ’s diverse community, and the ��Ƶ Fund. Additionally, more than $20 million was raised in new pledges through its planned giving program.

“The sheer scale of our community’s generosity is remarkable,” Kline said. “But beyond the numbers, the Momentum Campaign has ignited a deep sense of pride, reconnected us with our alumni, and instilled a lasting philanthropic spirit across the entire ��Ƶ family.”

��Ƶ launched the public phase of the comprehensive campaign in the Fall of 2024. Two years later—and one year ahead of schedule—��Ƶ celebrated the campaign’s successful conclusion at its 26th Annual Gala—A Celebration of Firsts, which also welcomed Michael Balboni ’81, JD, as ��Ƶ’s first alumnus president and raised $1.6 million to support scholarships for first-generation students.

“��Ƶ students will hustle, figure it out and lead,” said President Michael Balboni ’81, JD. “To everyone who contributed so generously to The Momentum Campaign, I cannot thank you enough. The impact you have made is life-changing.”

Kline credited the campaign’s success to contributors across the ��Ƶ community, thanking donors, volunteers, trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and friends. He also recognized the Campaign and Campus Steering Committees and the Advancement team for their work and enduring commitment.

With the campaign complete, its impact will continue through scholarships, academic programs and opportunities made possible by the community’s generosity.

“Momentum, by definition, is meant to continue,” Kline said. “The opportunities we made possible will keep opening doors for years to come.”

Watch and explore stories of generosity that impact ��Ƶ’s students.

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��Ƶ Gala Raises $1.6 Million to Support Student Success; Closes $100M Campaign

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:50:43 +0000

��Ƶ’s 26th Annual Gala, A Celebration of Firsts, raised $1.6 million to support ��Ƶ’s students and their success. Held September 19 at the Garden City Hotel with more than 250 attendees, the evening celebrated first-generation students, welcomed Michael Balboni ’81, JD, as ��Ƶ’s first alumnus president, and recognized the supporters creating new opportunities across the University.

The evening kicked off in spectacular fashion, celebrating the record-breaking success of the University’s Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact. The monumental initiative didn’t just meet its ambitious $100 million goal—it shattered it a full year early, raising $103 million by its August 31 close. To capture the magnitude of this milestone, a underscored the historic effort behind the campaign and the transformative opportunities this support will unlock for our students.

“Tonight perfectly paired the success of the Momentum Campaign’s close with the immediate impact of the gala,” said Thomas A. Kline, EdD, vice president of advancement and external relations. “We are deeply grateful to every donor, friend, sponsor, and guest who helped make this evening—and its $1.6 million result—possible, ensuring that ��Ƶ students will always have the support they need to pursue their goals.”

One of the evening’s notable moments came when double alumna Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, committed $500,000 to establish the Judith Ammerman First Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund. A dedicated educator who taught for nearly 30 years at , Ammerman also previously made a $1.5 million planned gift to ��Ƶ. Offering advice to the first-generation students that her new scholarship will support, Ammerman said, “Being the first in the family has some responsibilities! Get yourself off to a good start, crack open those books, write those papers and do a great job! Remember you have an obligation to set a good example for the rest of your family.”

Also contributing to the evening’s success and ��Ƶ’s future, Leonard C. Achan ’99, MA, RN, ANP, the chair of ��Ƶ’s Board of Trustees, committed $250,000 to develop and support specialized programming for first-generation students.

“As a first-generation college student myself, I know how much it matters to have people who see your potential and invest in it,” said Achan, the son of Guyanese immigrants of Indian descent, who commuted from Queens and worked as a Manhattan doorman at night while studying nursing at ��Ƶ. “The stories we heard at the gala are a reminder that support for one student can reach far beyond one degree, opening endless possibilities for families and communities for generations to come.”

Junior nursing student and Honors College member Liana Esau shared what it means to be the first in her family to attend college. A recipient of the Thomas F. and Christine B. Motamed ’71 Scholarship, Esau spoke about carrying her family’s hopes forward and the role donor support has played in her ��Ƶ experience. Esau said, “Standing here in a room filled with people who so strongly believe in the power of education makes me think about the wise words of my 93-year-old great-grandmother who said, ‘They can take everything away from you—but not your education.’ Knowing she lived to see me accomplish something she never had the opportunity to is something I hold dearly in my heart.”

Stepping into his new role at the helm of ��Ƶ, President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, spoke of his bold vision to redefine higher education as a deeply human partnership built on the University’s greatest foundation: its people.

“I’m grateful for what we have accomplished and excited about what our community will do together next,” said Balboni. “In a world debating the future of higher education, we will never lose our human core. ��Ƶ students hustle, they lead, and they inspire—and when we support them like family, there is no limit to the impact they will make.”

��Ƶ students opened the gala with a dance performance choreographed by Assistant Professor Daniel Padierna. Later in the program, directed by Assistant Professor Robert Jordan, students, faculty and staff performed “For Good” from the musical Wicked and “Seasons of Love” from RENT, written by late ��Ƶ alumnus Jonathan Larson ’82. Guests also viewed moving testimonials from ��Ƶ’s .

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Alumna Judith Ammerman Commits $500,000 for ��Ƶ’s First-Generation Students

yigarcia — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:13:51 +0000

At ��Ƶ’s 26th Annual Gala in September 2026, Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, committed $500,000 to establish an endowed scholarship for first-generation students. She joined President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, and Thomas A. Kline, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations, to sign her gift agreement prior to the event.

Ammerman’s commitment provided a fitting start to the evening’s theme: A Celebration of Firsts. The Judith Ammerman First-Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund will support eligible undergraduate students who are the first in their families to attend college.

“There was no more perfect way to begin our ‘Celebration of Firsts’ than by honoring Judy’s extraordinary generosity,” Kline said. “Her profound commitment to our first-generation students perfectly captures the spirit of ��Ƶ, ensuring that the doors of opportunity remain wide open for those ready to pave a new path for their families.”

Ammerman is a lifelong champion of learning, having taught mathematics at for nearly 30 years after several years teaching in Roosevelt, New York. Now retired and living in Florida, she made a special trip to Long Island for the celebration.

Her gift reflects a lifelong belief that education can change a student’s future and create opportunities for generations to follow. In advice to the students her scholarship will support, Ammerman said, “Being the first in the family has some responsibilities! Get yourself off to a good start, crack open those books, write those papers and do a great job! Remember you have an obligation to set a good example for the rest of your family.”

A message from Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, displayed at ��Ƶ’s 2026 Gala encourages first-generation students to embrace their education and the example they set for their families.

The new scholarship builds on her earlier $1.5 million planned gift to ��Ƶ. Announced in 2023, that separate estate commitment is intended to establish three endowed funds supporting undergraduate scholarships, faculty development, and University facilities and projects.

“Judy’s steadfast belief in our students is truly inspiring,” said Thomas A. Kline, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations. “Between her generous planned gift and this new endowed scholarship, her philanthropic impact will create a powerful ripple effect—removing barriers for our first-generation students and empowering them to achieve their boldest goals.”

Nearly half of ��Ƶ’s students are first-generation, including junior nursing student Liana Esau, who spoke at the gala about the pride and responsibility that distinction brings.

“As a first-generation student, I know I carry the hopes and dreams of those who came before me, and create new possibilities for those who will come after me,” Esau said.

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Echoes of a Single Day: How ��Ƶ Remembered, Survived and Healed After 9/11

yigarcia — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:04:44 +0000

From classrooms on campus to the upper floors of the World Trade Center, the lives of ��Ƶ students, faculty, alumni and leadership were irrevocably intersected by catastrophe. Twenty-five years later, their stories reveal how a single morning continues to echo across generations, offering a timeless blueprint of resilience, community and courage.

“Time Seemed to Stand Still”: President Michael Balboni’s Classroom Recollections

For ��Ƶ President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, September 11, 2001, began in a classroom. Then a New York state senator, he was serving as an adjunct faculty member, teaching a political science class on campus, when he received a phone call with the unbelievable news.

“Time seemed to stand still,” President Balboni recalled in a message sent to the ��Ƶ community on the eve of the 25th anniversary. “In that classroom, fear, confusion and grief washed over us, but so did a profound sense of shared humanity.”

That shared ordeal forged an indelible bond between President Balboni and his students—one he carries with him to this day. In the painful weeks that followed, he attended dozens of memorial services for constituents, neighbors and friends. Yet amid immeasurable sorrow, he discovered enduring hope in the quiet resilience of ordinary people—those who chose, day after day, to board trains back into a city with a smoldering skyline, displaying their own powerful brand of bravery.

For current ��Ƶ students who were too young to remember or not yet born, President Balboni emphasizes that 9/11 remains an active lesson in human strength. “You do not need to wear a uniform or rush into a burning building to be brave,” he wrote. “Courage is often found in the resolve to keep moving forward, to lend a voice of comfort to those who are grieving, and to show up for your community when it is hardest to do so.”

Inside the Tower: Dr. Nicholas Cagliuso’s Survival and the Lifelong Call to Serve

Nicholas Cagliuso Sr., PhD, MPH

While news was reaching the ��Ƶ campus, Nicholas Cagliuso Sr., PhD—now an adjunct faculty member in ��Ƶ’s —was at ground zero itself.

Dr. Cagliuso had recently started a job on the 86th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. He arrived that morning at about 8:20. About 25 minutes later, the plane struck the building.

To Dr. Cagliuso, the initial impact felt like an air conditioner blowing out. Soon, however, thick smoke began to roll in. Looking out the window, he saw desks, tables and office chairs falling past the glass. Acting quickly, he used a hammer to break a floor-to-ceiling window to bring crucial oxygen into the smoky room, creating a rush of wind so powerful it nearly tore a door off its hinges.

As Dr. Cagliuso and two co-workers entered the stairwell to begin their descent, his decade of EMT experience and fire service training kicked in: Assess what is happening, then act.

The journey down was treacherous. As the building shifted, stairwell doors jammed, forcing them to find alternate routes past darkened elevator shafts. Along the way, Dr. Cagliuso stopped to assist when Port Authority police called for CPR-trained responders, helping a struggling women down a flight of stairs.

As he neared the mezzanine, the South Tower collapsed, shaking the North Tower violently. Firefighters breached a wall to redirect evacuees to another staircase. Stepping onto the mezzanine level, Dr. Cagliuso spotted two airplane seats lying amidst the debris.

Finally reaching the street, he fled the complex. Approximately 10 minutes later, the North Tower collapsed. He walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to fire headquarters, eventually reuniting with his wife and father.

Looking back, Dr. Cagliuso does not view September 11 as a sudden turn in his life, but as a “crystallizing moment” that reaffirmed his devotion to public service. Today, he brings that lived experience directly into the ��Ƶ classroom, teaching emergency management students the practical realities behind safety theories. He stresses preparedness, vigilance and the importance of helping others.

“Our Lives Have Changed”: The View From Campus

Back on campus in Garden City, shock quickly turned to a collective effort to comprehend the tragedy.

Just two weeks into her first year at ��Ƶ, Amanda Barbieri ’05 watched the chaos unfolding in Lower Manhattan on a television in her dormitory’s common area. The reality hit close to home for the campus community. Many were terrified because they had family members who worked in or around the Twin Towers.

The personal impact was staggering for young students. “It was terrifying because the week before, I had gone up to the observation deck of the Twin Towers,” Barbieri recalled in an interview published this fall on September 10 in USA Today. “I couldn’t imagine getting out of there once you were in.”

Looking back, Barbieri, now a behavioral therapist, noted how profoundly the event shaped her outlook on life. “As a kid, I don’t know if I really understood it yet,” she reflected, fighting back tears. “But I know as I’ve gotten older, nothing is ever promised. That was something that was there one minute, and gone the next, along with the people that were in it.”

The front page of the September 21, 2001, issue of The Delphian

Just 10 days after the towers fell, The Delphian, ��Ƶ’s student newspaper, captured this exact heartbreak and sense of suspended reality across campus.

“Our Lives Have Changed,” read the bold page one headline of The Delphian. “The death toll is expected to reach ‘the thousands.'” An editorial summarized the inescapable reach of the tragedy across the University community: “There may not be a person at ��Ƶ who has not, in one way or another, been affected by this tragedy.”

Community Members Lost

The fears expressed on the pages of The Delphian were realized for many in the ��Ƶ family.

Among those lost was James Ostrowski ’88, who was working as a bond broker on the 104th floor of the North Tower at the Cantor Fitzgerald office. When American Airlines Flight 11 struck the building at 8:46 a.m., it hit directly below Cantor’s offices, severing all stairwells and elevator shafts in the impact zone and cutting off any chance of escape. Ostrowski died alongside 657 of his colleagues, just one day before his ninth wedding anniversary. He was 37 years old and left behind his wife and three young children.

Professor of art and art history Christopher Saucedo

Christopher Saucedo, a professor of art and art history who joined ��Ƶ’s faculty in 2012, lost his brother Gregory, a New York City firefighter, in the attack. Deeply affected by his brother’s death, Professor Saucedo created a series of works honoring him and others who perished that day. The series, Requiem MMI, includes portraits of his brother along with images of the World Trade Center floating on an azure background. Requiem MMI is on view at ��Ƶ as part of the University’s remembrance on the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Describing the works, Professor Saucedo wrote, “I wanted the works to exist outside of time, both before and after September 11, 2001. I needed it to remind me of the event that changed everything and still not make me sad. Mostly I wanted to see that blue sky and hopefully hear the voice of a cherished friend, if only as a distant echo.”

Twenty-five years later, his story, along with those of President Balboni, Dr. Cagliuso, student journalists and those who perished, form an essential tapestry of ��Ƶ’s history. They serve as a poignant reminder that while 9/11 reshaped our world forever, the spirit of community, service and quiet courage remains unbroken.

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Because of a Scholarship: Gifts That Transform Lives

ckatz — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:02:49 +0000

In a single moment, relief replaces doubt. Scholarships deliver an unforgettable message from the alumni who walked these halls before them:

We see your struggle, we believe in your potential and we are here to help you stay.

Bennis Sujak ’21, MA ’24

Healing the Healers: Support for Mental Health Professionals

For Bennis Sujak ’21, MA ’24, the path to becoming a mental health counselor was intensely personal. “The topic of mental health is highly stigmatized in my culture, and I grew up sheltered from discussions surrounding it,” shared Sujak, the son of Muslim immigrants from Yugoslavia. “Struggling with my traumas and mental health, I always felt an intense desire to better understand myself and human nature as a whole.”

Lindsey Kupferman, MA ’02, PhD ’06

The financial burden of graduate school loomed large, threatening to derail his calling—until the Kupferman Family Endowed Scholarship stepped in. The funding didn’t just alleviate Sujak’s stress; it validated his entire journey. The scholarship’s founder, Lindsey Kupferman, MA ’02, PhD ’06, knows that lifting this burden “makes life a little bit easier for one student.” For her, funding this scholarship is a meaningful way to continue her family’s legacy of helping at-risk youth by supporting the very students who will one day heal them.

A Way for Dancers to Move Forward

Committing to a life in the arts is a beautiful but terrifying leap of faith. For dance major Sophia Nibbe ’25, the financial strain of pursuing her passion was daunting. Then, she received the Tina Bolton Endowed Scholarship. The support, she said with immense gratitude, was “beyond anything I could have ever hoped for,” allowing her to fully dedicate herself to her art without the crushing anxiety of how to pay for it.

The scholarship’s founders, Jeffrey Bolton ’61 and his wife, Tina, a former Broadway dancer, created the fund because they understand that struggle firsthand. “I know how difficult it is to commit yourself to a career in dance and support yourself,” Tina shared, offering Nibbe the exact encouragement she needed to keep moving forward.

Sophia Nibbe ’25, center, with arm raised

A Lifeline for the Next Generation of Teachers

Senior Itzel Guzman Juarez knows the exact feeling of that financial weight lifting. Pursuing her degree in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences came with overwhelming pressure, but a scholarship changed everything. “This scholarship made me realize that even when you think your efforts are invisible, there is always someone noticing your hard work,” she said, describing the life-changing relief she felt.

Grateful scholarship recipient Miguel Velasquez ‘23, MA ‘24, now a high school teacher, with donor Diane Abbey ‘59

The person noticing her was Diane Abbey ’59. Abbey intimately understands the terror of an interrupted education; she faced sudden financial hardship as a junior and was saved only when ��Ƶ’s late dean of women, Ruth S. Harley, quietly arranged financial aid. “I owe her a career, a life,” Abbey reflected. Today, Abbey pays that exact miracle forward to students like Guzman Juarez and Miguel Velasquez ’23, MA ’24. Thanks to her generosity, Velasquez was able to stay at ��Ƶ and is now an educator himself. “The impact I make on students is shaped by her spirit of giving,” Velasquez noted, proudly sharing that he has since started an organization providing school supplies to children in Central America.

Scholarships do more than help students earn a degree. They empower future leaders, inspire lifelong generosity and create a legacy of opportunity that transforms lives for generations to come.

For Athletes, a Way to Reach the Ultimate Goal: Graduation

Kris Amplo ’00

Balancing the rigorous demands of the classroom and the field is a monumental task for student-athletes—one made incredibly stressful without financial backing. Recognizing this, Kris Amplo ’00, a former ��Ƶ lacrosse standout, created the Amplo Family Foundation Men’s Lacrosse Endowed Excellence Fund and the Joseph LaRosa Scholarship. His gifts give current players the ultimate assist: the chance to reach graduation without crippling debt, ensuring they can absorb the life-changing lessons of teamwork and resilience he once learned from his own coaches and professors.

Scholarships helped first-generation student Kyle Lewis ’26, ��Ƶ’s 2026 Male Athlete of the Year.

The Power of Paying It Forward

Vincent Tizzio ’89

At its core, receiving a scholarship is about so much more than tuition dollars. It is a profound declaration that a student matters. Vincent Tizzio ’89, who founded the Salvatore Primeggia Endowed Scholarship, captures this perfectly: A scholarship “tells a student that someone sees their potential and believes in them before they’ve fully found their footing,” he explained. For the students standing on the edge of having to leave ��Ƶ, a donor’s generosity is everything. It replaces their agonizing “what-ifs” with profound gratitude, transforming their fear into a lifetime of confidence, achievement, and a deep, enduring desire to one day do the same for someone else.

Sal Primeggia, PhD ’64, shaped thousands of lives in ��Ƶ classrooms. Today, that legacy lives on through the endowed scholarship in his name.

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That’s Entertainment: Award-Winning ��Ƶ Alumni

yigarcia — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:47:19 +0000

Through media like film, music and television, the arts and entertainment are a cornerstone of our daily lives.

The arts are a cornerstone of the ��Ƶ experience, too. They always have been, and they remain alive and well. Our graduates are making their mark in every medium, and our arts programs continue to nurture future artists, change makers and dreamers.

After all, many of those dreamers got their start right here at ��Ƶ.

Tonys, Emmys and a Pulitzer Prize

With Emmy Awards, Tony Awards, a Student Academy Award and a Pulitzer Prize, our alumni prove that while the journey begins in Garden City, the destination is often center stage.

Primetime Emmy Award winner Todd Robinson ’82 roomed with one of ��Ƶ’s most celebrated alumni, Jonathan Larson ’82. Larson, of course, is known for writing the hit Broadway musical RENT, which went on to win four Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. But Robinson has achieved a wildly impressive career himself. Over the years, he’s served as writer, producer and director for both films and television, such as The Legend of Billy the Kid, White Squall (directed by Ridley Scott), Lonely Hearts and The Last Full Measure.

Peter Principato ’87 at the 2016 Emmys

Peter Principato ’87 won a 2016 Primetime Emmy as executive producer of the breakout comedy series Key & Peele. A President’s Advisory Council member, Principato is now chairman of Artists First, a talent management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Principato is known for being exceptionally generous with his expertise.

“More than anything, I love nurturing creative people to help them achieve their greatest aspirations,” he noted. He demonstrates this commitment through the Principato ’87 Moving Image Arts Scholarship. This award is presented annually to a communications student who demonstrates outstanding creativity and perseverance in the pursuit of a career in the arts. He also created the Peter Principato ’87 Theatre Arts Endowed Scholarship Fund to fuel the dreams of students who aspire to a career in the performing arts.

Scott James ’84 is another Emmy winner. “At ��Ƶ I got the personal attention I needed as an aspiring writer,” he said. “The creative process is nurtured when a teacher actually reads your work and you have a meaningful conversation. That can’t happen in a giant lecture hall.” As a news director, he created the long-running investigative series You Paid For It, for which he won three Emmy Awards for Television News. He continues to work as a veteran journalist for The New York Times. He’s a Lambda Literary Award finalist for Debut Fiction for his 2007 novel SoMa and the New England Society Book Award winner.

Since graduating from ��Ƶ, Jeff Filippi ’82 has built an impressive career in sports broadcasting. Best known for his work at MSG Networks, he has overseen coverage of the New York Knicks, Rangers and Islanders, and the New Jersey Devils. Filippi has also produced four Winter Olympic Games. “��Ƶ provided a terrific foundation as I prepared for my career in broadcasting,” he said. “From the communications department to the college radio station, WBAU, where students had the hands-on ability to create content and manage people while being responsible for operating budgets—it all gave me experience, understanding and insight that proved to be invaluable.” Filippi has won two national and 25 local sports Emmy Awards during his career.

A Remarkable Achievement for Students in the Class of 1975: A Student Academy Award for Their Music Documentary

Richard O’Neill ’75, one of the creators of What the Notes Say, was an invited guest at the Student Academy Awards segment during the 2025 New York Film Festival.

Fifty years ago, a group of ��Ƶ communications students made a film called What the Notes Say, a documentary about Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School that highlighted how disadvantaged students can flourish by creating beautiful music. The documentary was researched, shot and edited by 14 exceptionally dedicated young filmmakers: Kurt Derner ’72, Tom Bisset ’74, Sharon Thompson ’74, Ken Cohn ’75, Dorie Hightower (Caplan) ’75, Richard O’Neill ’75, Rosemary Ravinal ’75, Walter Trepashko ’75, Richard Baron ’76, Patrice Benneward ’76, John Bencivenga ’76, Sean Britt ’76, Karen Grossman ’76 and John Costello ’77.

The film’s faculty advisers—Paul Pitcoff ’65, Marge Hudson, EdD, and Len Price— submitted What the Notes Say to the Third Annual Student Academy Award competition in 1976. Two students, including O’Neill, were flown to Hollywood for the ceremony. And they won.

What the Notes Say was celebrated at the Class of 1975’s 50th reunion last year. “The award has stunned people throughout my life,” said O’Neill. “It opened the door at our local PBS station, WCNY-TV, to them doing my health, happiness and success show Cycle of Health, my radio show Checkup From the Neck Up and ”Medical Student Minute” now on YouTube. And this all started with Professor Pitcoff accepting me into his Advanced Filmmaking class.”

Live From New York—It’s ��Ƶ Alumni: Emmy Awards for SNL

Bob Palladino ’78 at the soundboard at Saturday Night Live

Given ��Ƶ’s close proximity to New York City, it’s no surprise that a number of alumni have landed jobs at the iconic sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Robert “Bob” Palladino ’78 went to ��Ƶ with dreams of becoming a film editor but found himself drawn to the world of sound instead. “Studying at ��Ƶ gave me the opportunity to work with like-minded, talented students,” he said. “The professors fostered a professional atmosphere during productions, which no doubt contributed to my career in entertainment.” Palladino got his start on SNL as a music mixer before shifting to production mixing, a role that he occupied for more than 40 years. Palladino won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sound Mixing for SNL’s 40th and 50th anniversary specials.

Kim Kachougian ’90, MA ’91, and husband with their Emmy Awards

Kim Kachougian ’90, MA ’91, earned a BFA in theater design and a master’s degree in theater education. She worked on off-Broadway shows and commercials before landing a job on SNL. Kachougian and her husband now work as the show’s art directors, choosing props and set decorations. In 2024, and again in 2026, the pair won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Production Design in a Variety Series.

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��Ƶ Announces Expansion of Support and Career Opportunities for Neurodiverse Students

yigarcia — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:45:54 +0000

Launched in 2007, Bridges to ��Ƶ has grown from its beginnings as a small program with three students into a leader in higher education neurodiversity support, recognized for student success inside and outside the classroom and boasting a strong 80 percent student retention rate.

��Ƶ’s Learning Resource Program is a structured support program for the unique implementation of learning specialist services, executive function coaching and mental health counseling that meets the needs of students with learning or attention challenges.

“��Ƶ believes in the potential of each student—no matter how they learn or what their challenges may be—and strives to be a partner in their success,” said Christopher Storm, PhD, provost and senior executive vice president of academic affairs. “Our programs to support neurodiverse students offer a pathway to grow and learn in a caring environment that enhances the college experience and develops important life skills. We’re proud to continue building our offerings that help students achieve their goals.”

Bridges From ��Ƶ: Connecting Neurodivergent Students With Employers

To extend support to its growing alumni network and soon-to-be graduates, the University created a new branch of the Bridges program in 2025: Bridges From ��Ƶ. This initiative builds on the University’s long-standing mission of transforming students’ lives by guiding graduates beyond Commencement through career advocacy and inclusive employer partnerships.

The Bridges From ��Ƶ initiative was launched with a generous $250,000 pledge from ��Ƶ Trustee Gregory Carey and Bridges Advisory Board Chair Katy Cochrane Carey, parents of Bridges graduate Declan Carey ’23. Their commitment builds on their establishment of The Katy and Greg Carey P ’23 Bridges to ��Ƶ Excellence Fund in 2024, which supports financial assistance, academic and vocational resources, and enriching social experiences.

Bridges graduates have successfully secured employment across various industries, including healthcare, financial services, technology, nonprofits, marketing, and sports and entertainment.

In a recent article in the , Bridges to ��Ƶ advisory board member Justin Nelson shared that his son graduated from the program and advocated to address the employment gap. “Most employers do not understand how to hire or interact with neurodivergent candidates,” Nelson said. “You have to get proper training.”

He added that “If you can lay out the rules and know how to work and communicate with that group of people, you probably have some of your best employees.”

To Nelson’s point, the Bridges From ��Ƶ program will provide much-needed support and advocacy for neurodivergent students heading into the workforce.

Welcoming a New Executive Director

As part of the broader evolution of ��Ƶ’s neurodiverse student services, the University welcomed Deseree Wiltshire ’04, MA ’05, EdD, as executive director of Bridges to ��Ƶ and the Learning Resource Program on August 10, 2026. Dr. Wiltshire holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ��Ƶ and previously served as an adjunct instructor of psychology.

In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership for Bridges and the Learning Resource Program, with a focus on strengthening student recruitment and retention, advancing neuro-inclusive practices across campus, and expanding pathways to career and postgraduation success for neurodivergent students.

“Stepping into this role to support ��Ƶ’s neurodiverse students is both a privilege and a passion,” said Dr. Wiltshire. “This work has always been a labor of love for me, driven by an unwavering belief in what every single student can achieve when given the right tools.”

Building the Future: Neuro-inclusive Living-Learning Community and Grant-Funded Spaces

��Ƶ’s new Neuro-inclusive Living-Learning Community (Neuro-inclusive LLC) provides a dedicated residential space designed to foster connection, belonging, and opportunities for academic, personal and professional growth. As the community develops, Bridges to ��Ƶ is working to create intentional programming that may include themed dinners, social activities and workshops focused on areas such as executive functioning, social skills and self-advocacy.

This summer, Bridges to ��Ƶ received $75,000 from the Home Depot Foundation to support the creation of a new, modern Neuro-inclusive Sensory and Wellness Lounge within the Neuro-inclusive LLC in Eddy Hall. The new space will provide a dedicated environment where students can regulate sensory experiences, reduce stress, engage in academic work and build community within a supportive residential setting. The space is also intended to be available to the broader campus community, promoting accessibility, inclusion and student well-being.

To learn more, visit ��Ƶ’s Bridges to ��Ƶ and Learning Resources Program pages.

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