Mentoring | ��Ƶ

��Ƶ Awarded $2.9M to Launch ��Ƶ Ascend—a Bold Initiative to Improve Advising and Boost Graduation Rates and AI Literacy

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:56:25 +0000

This five-year initiative will transform the University’s student advising system, launch an innovative AI-readiness certificate and actively work to eliminate the historical achievement gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell students.

support eligible institutions of higher education in expanding their capacity to serve low-income students by strengthening their academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability. To qualify, an institution must have at least 50 percent of its degree students receiving need-based assistance or a substantial number of enrolled students receiving Pell Grants, in addition to low educational and general expenditures. ��Ƶ has demonstrated a deep commitment to the enrollment and upward mobility of low-income and first-generation students, evidenced through its undergraduate population—33 percent of undergrad students are Pell recipients, and of the undergraduate students who provided their parents’ highest degree, 45 percent identified as first-generation college students.

��Ƶ Ascend will largely support low-income students and help them become more successful in college and in their future careers. “��Ƶ is well known for the social mobility of its graduates,” said Andrea Ward, PhD, vice provost for research and libraries, who led the development of this grant. “Through this program, ��Ƶ will continue to show its commitment to working with students to not only succeed in the classroom but also once they graduate.”

The program focuses on three areas:

Transforming the advising system for first-year students, providing a more holistic experience that incorporates faculty and staff training on how to effectively support and engage with today’s students, helping them to transition more easily to college, move into their desired major and continue through graduation.
Reworking and augmenting ��Ƶ’s First-Year Seminar program, an existing requirement for nearly all first-year students that serves as a yearlong orientation program. Students will undergo evaluations to develop skills and learn the critical academic, behavioral and financial competencies necessary for postsecondary persistence and self-sufficiency. Mentorship is built into the plan; upper-class students will serve as mentors to first-year students, and alumni will be invited to speak to students about internships and career opportunities during a Career Day at ��Ƶ’s Manhattan Center.
AI-ready workforce development, helping to build AI literacy and develop AI skills necessary for students’ academic disciplines and careers. AI training will also be provided to faculty from both a teaching and a research perspective, teaching them the value that AI brings to an educational experience. As part of this effort, a new AI Cross-Disciplinary Certificate program will also be developed by ��Ƶ’s Innovation Center.

Through these strategic efforts, ��Ƶ aims to elevate first-year persistence, accelerate on-time graduation, expand long-term degree completion and advance educational equity by eliminating the historical achievement gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell students.

��Ƶ Ascend is a collaborative effort led by Louise Geddes, PhD, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and co-led by Salvatore Petrilli ’05, EdD, senior associate dean for academic operations and general education, Lee Stemkoski, PhD, professor of computer science and mathematics and director of the Innovation Center, and Debra Kyriacou, executive director of the Office of Academic Services and Retention. It is expected that the program will result in higher retention rates for first-year students and improvements in the four-year graduation rate, in addition to decreasing the gaps between students receiving Pell awards and those not receiving Pell awards.

“This grant offers us the opportunity to enact a holistic advising practice to suit each student’s journey at ��Ƶ,” said Interim Dean Geddes. “It can help students, many of whom might be the first in their family to attend college, in finding their feet at the institution. Our goal is to support all students as they learn how to find their passion, hone their skills and develop their future careers.”

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New Student-Alum Advocacy Forum Focuses on Mentoring, Networking and Scholarships

yigarcia — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:54:23 +0000

In her introduction, Dean Deborah Hunt, PhD ’12, said she has wanted to establish this organization “since day one” at ��Ƶ in 2022. “We have tons of alumni and we want to connect with every single one of them,” she added.

Addressing about 100 on-campus and virtual attendees on November 12 as the keynoter for the two-hour inaugural forum, Edmund J.Y. Pajarillo, PhD, professor of nursing, focused on the topic “The Essence of Connections for Lifelong Professional Success.”

Dr. Pajarillo—whom Dean Hunt lauded as “a visionary education leader and scholar” with 40 years’ experience—told of his journey from the Philippines to New York and of relying on key connections he made along the way. Seemingly making up for a lack of experience with considerable self-confidence, he began his career rise as a member of the Filipino Nurses Association in New York, transforming their magazine into a scholarly journal.

Later relationships “opened up doors for me” as well, Dr. Pajarillo continued.

One of Dr. Pajarillo’s recent successes is the , formed last year with 25 members to research solutions to the nursing educator shortage. It has since grown to 150, he noted.

Besides knowledge gained from academic learning and experience, he told the nursing student contingent in his audience that “socialization” is important in the nursing profession, for instance, through networking, mentorships and developing social skills. Membership in nursing associations is paramount in achieving those aims, he said. “Being a member of professional organizations offers an array of options,” including “the large social network that one can nurture.” Belonging can lead to “lifetime relationships.”

“Every nurse needs a mentor”

Dean Hunt believes finding a mentor is a critical step to a successful nursing career. Networking is a first step in that direction, and to encourage it, the Forum included a panel of associations that connect nursing students to practicing nurses. The panel include:

Matthew Zender, vice president of the , which hosts three yearly conferences, is great for networking, and awards scholarships.

Kattiria Rosario-Gonzalez, PhD, president of Sigma Theta Tau International’s Alpha Omega Chapter at ��Ƶ, an honor society helps develop nursing leaders and offers networking and scholarship opportunities. Because it is international, Sigma offers global networking opportunities.

Dan Suarez, president-elect of the , who said, “We love to mentor and advocate for nurses” and that NAHN has done so for two decades. Despite its name, he emphasized “anyone can join [NAHN].” He observed, “That’s the mosaic of nursing.” NAHN presented six scholarships in November alone, he said.

Donna Willenbrock ’82, ’01, DNP, past president of the , who said that group is “all about supporting NPs for education, advocacy and networking” and offering NP and DNP student scholarships. She and fellow panelist Brenda Janotha, EdD, president-elect, said they are just starting an NP mentorship program.

Kimberly Velez, secretary of the and a past president of the (NACLI), said ANA promotes nurses’ education advancement, and NACLI is “there to help you and welcome you into the profession, and then give you mentorships.” Student scholarships also are available.

CNPH students, alumni and faculty are invited to join the Advocacy Forum. For more information, email cnphsaaf@gmail.com.

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Rooted in Values, Driven by Purpose

yigarcia — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:31:09 +0000

No matter what your career path may be, approach it with humanity and rigor. Character matters.”

Vincent Tizzio ’89

Tizzio’s commitment to positive impact extends well beyond his career achievements. Now president and CEO of , a multibillion-dollar global specialty insurance firm, Tizzio traces his deep engagement in interpersonal relationships to his coursework and early friendships at ��Ƶ.

“I had a great experience, especially with Salvatore Primeggia, PhD, and George Russell, PhD, two inspiring professors who I stayed in contact with for decades,” he says. “I lived in a dorm next to the nursing school, and I learned from them, and from my own studies, about this notion of care. It stuck with me through my travels and my life.”

An expert in predicting and managing risk, Tizzio might not have foreseen how his classes in sociology and finance would form his foundational skills in improving workplace culture and building successful organizations. He credits his father, an insurance executive at AIG, for encouraging him to pursue an education at ��Ƶ rather than accept a football scholarship at a large state university.

Tizzio, who learned from and was inspired by his father’s mentorship, joined the insurance business after law school. “I was so lucky I had such a great role model, and a great friend. My father was an incredible person in terms of integrity, commitment to his community and work ethic,” he notes. “It was unique because we were friends as much as we were father and son. He left an indelible impression on me, and safe to say, on this industry, as well.”

Tizzio laughs that he is “homegrown” in the insurance industry, and has witnessed not only his father’s successful career but also the evolution of an industry in transition. Careful attention to employee well-being and satisfaction is more important than ever, as he notes that “half of the current workforce is likely to retire in the next 10 years. We know that attracting a diversity of employees, supporting them and training them is key.”

He strongly believes that this support for employee well-being includes attention to mental health, a personal passion he has carried for decades. This is reflected in the recently refreshed AXIS values that Tizzio created in partnership with the firm’s leadership team, with input from colleagues from around the world: People, Excellence, Decisiveness and Stronger Together. “This initiative,” he explains, “embodies our unwavering commitment to being a high-performing company and a great place to work.” And it’s not just talk: AXIS incentivizes its people to live these values with rewards that include company stock grant awards for eligible employees.

One of Tizzio’s proudest accomplishments in this area is AXIS’s partnership with , a Gen-Z-driven nonprofit that helps users navigate the challenging landscape of mental health support. And he is proud of the recent partnership between AXIS and the Harris Poll for research that revealed the urgent need for the enhanced employee support he has long championed.

Tizzio lives these values in his current role at AXIS, where he has led a remarkable turnaround of the company, delivering record financial performance with total shareholder returns growing more than 100 percent over a two-year period. Prior to joining AXIS, he was the executive vice president and head of Global Specialty at The Hartford, and before that, he served as president and CEO of Navigators Management until its acquisition by The Hartford. Tizzio’s entrepreneurial leadership role at Zurich Financial Services, followed by his 18 years at AIG, were marked by a steady ascent into executive leadership.

Tizzio consistently pays it forward, volunteering as an executive leadership fellow to mentor and advise ��Ƶ students. “I hope they maintain a sense of curiosity, be bold and be fearless,” he says. Being open to learning in college and throughout one’s career can help build character and resilience, two qualities he calls out in particular as essential for success in life and work.

“We live in an age where we have instant access to answers, but it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them,” Tizzio says, urging students to follow their own journey like he did. “No matter what your career path may be, approach it with humanity and rigor. Character matters.” he says. As evidenced by his commitment to building healthy communities, it is a principle he practices every day.

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Profiles in Success: From Wall Street Intern to Global CEO

ckatz — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:36:10 +0000

“Listening is an underappreciated and uniquely important skill,” said James Demitrieus ’70. Honing his listening skills has brought Demitrieus tremendous business success since he graduated from ��Ƶ. When he reflects on his career path from being a Wall Street intern to becoming a global CEO, what he remembers best is the value of truly “tuning in to what people are telling you” and actively paying attention, since, he believes, “listening tells you everything you need to know.”

Making myself available as a mentor and perhaps a role model to aspiring students was an easy and a quite natural extension of my everyday endeavors.

James Demitrieus ’70 Founding Father of the ��Ƶ Fellows Program

The Fellows Program: Giving Back, Paying Forward

Demitrieus’ desire to share the lessons he’s learned along the way inspired his next big idea: the ��Ƶ Leadership Fellows Program. He wanted to connect with current students and offer leadership and career advice to future executives. Partnering with ��Ƶ’s Office of Advancement and External Relations, Demitrieus helped lay the foundation for the Fellows Program, which launched in Fall 2024. A select group of students, known as Student Leadership Fellows, enjoy opportunities to interact with prominent alumni, or Executive Fellows. This collaboration has already made a lasting impact on the students and alumni involved.

Student Leadership Fellows got the chance to listen to the lessons Demitrieus shared over a meal he cooked for them in his New York City apartment. “I love working with students,” Demitrieus said, and his enthusiasm for listening to their stories is contagious. It is the conversations shared and relationships formed that have allowed the Fellows Program to take shape.

The first in his family to graduate high school, Demitrieus recalls the challenges he faced as he connects with other first-generation students who aspire to their own business success. Bridging what can be a “gap between book smarts and street smarts,” he notices that the students he’s met in the Fellows Program remind him of himself at that age. They are “hardworking and driven,” and he encourages them to learn from any experience life might throw at them.

Meaningful Mentor Relationships

Demitrieus arrived at ��Ƶ as a transfer student from SUNY Cortland in the late 1960s on a lacrosse scholarship, and soon discovered that teamwork, an entrepreneurial spirit and a game-winning attitude could take him to the highest levels of corporate success. He’s eager to share the credit for his success with mentors he was lucky enough to connect with during his career. Those relationships helped him build effective strategic teams—teams he is also quick to credit for contributing to his success. “Making myself available as a mentor and perhaps a role model to aspiring students was an easy and a quite natural extension of my everyday endeavors,” Demitrieus explained.

Roller Coaster Ride to Success

His career path didn’t exactly follow a straight line and, he said, was more like “sitting in the front seat of a roller coaster.” Demitrieus’ journey was never boring: from working at a Big Five accounting firm, to exploring the oil and gas industry, to heading up commodities trading at a major investment banking firm. He was tapped for management positions in Asia, which he recalls as a “transformational” time in his life—an opportunity he used not only to lead, but also to listen and learn. He worked to restructure the multinational SK Group and, soon after, his management career accelerated in the American high-tech and telecom sector at Ixnet, Frontier Communications and in industrial services engineering, where he served as CEO of Toronto-based Alumna Systems. After serving as president of Sherwood Valves and Harsco, Demitrieus diversified his corporate experience into biometrics and was eventually named CEO at EyeLock. Now, as managing director of Jameson Associates, an investment management and financial advisory firm, he leverages his extensive operating experience—and his listening skills—to provide clients with strategic and funding guidance.

At every turn of his journey, Demitrieus cultivated relationships and focused on “people-driven leadership,” which are the lessons he imparts to business and finance students in ��Ƶ’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business. His own experience in college centered on the connections he made as an and as a student, and the relationships that sustained him—most importantly, his marriage to high school sweetheart and ��Ƶ alumna Lynn, MA ’72, and his long friendship with lacrosse teammate Tom “MoTown” Motamed ’71. The ��Ƶ community , and Demitrieus’ latest involvement with ��Ƶ is a tribute to their unique fellowship.

Demitrieus is a true coach and a mentor to ��Ƶ students, as he encourages them to think deeply about engaging and collaborating in “people-to-people environments.” “There’s a difference,” he notes, “between someone who’s really smart and someone who’s really effective,” and, often, it’s a willingness to truly listen and learn. His openness to lifelong learning reflects an important goal not only for the newest ��Ƶ Leadership Fellows, but for everyone: “to go home smarter than you were when you started the day.”

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��Ƶ National Mentoring Month Celebration Showcases the Strength of Working Together for Success

edinda — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:46:50 +0000

“Mentors help us bridge the gap between where we are now and where we want to be.”

That description of mentoring, from keynote speaker Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, set the tone for ��Ƶ’s celebration of the Jovia Mentoring: Guiding and Inspiring Student Success program on January 29.

For ��Ƶ’s mentoring program, held during , proof of success is in the data. One hundred percent of students who have joined and remained in the mentoring program made it through to graduation. And their cumulative GPA is higher compared to all other undergraduates.

The founder and leader of ��Ƶ’s mentoring program is Chotsani Williams West ’07, EdD, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and adjunct professor in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences.

Dr. West has an impressive background in mentoring, including earning professional certifications from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Center for Training and Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service: Skills to Mentor Youth and Mentoring Supervision. She has worked with organizations including , Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s Leadership Development Institute, the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Southern Scholars Initiative, guiding their mentoring efforts.

For Dr. West, the evening is an opportunity to celebrate mentor and mentee pairs. “I will always invite current participants in the program and past participants to talk about their experiences and what mentoring meant to them, and how they have impacted each other,” she said.

Jovia Financial Credit Union Joins the Mentoring Mission

Jovia Financial Credit Union began underwriting the ��Ƶ mentoring program in 2023. “Jovia was very pleased with the evidence-based practices and culturally responsive approach to our mentoring work and the structure of the program, and they became the sponsors of it to ensure that this work could continue into the future,” Dr. West said.

Peter Purpura ’08, vice president of business development at Jovia, welcomed participants to the celebration, and shared his own belief in the power of mentoring. In his remarks, he challenged everyone in the audience to bring more mentoring into their lives—both to mentor and to be mentored by others.

Representatives from also joined the celebration, to recognize the Long Island chapter of Girls Inc. executive director’s award.

How Dr. West Pairs Mentors with Mentees

Program mentors and mentees were central to the celebration. Melinda Neus, senior assistant director of events at ��Ƶ, introduced her mentee, neuroscience major Wensha Noel. Both are first-generation Haitian and connected culturally as a mentoring pair.

Dr. West noted that pairing a student with someone who would invest in their future, identify with their career choices and could help them understand how to move forward—even through times when they were dealing with uncertainty—is critical to mentoring success. A basic connection, such as a cultural bond shared by Neus and Noel, can start a successful mentor and mentee relationship.

Keynote Speech from a Mentee Who Became a Mentor

The National Mentoring Month Celebration keynote speech came from Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, an ��Ƶ graduate and past program mentee. She pointed out that, in 2019, she participated in the Mentoring Month Celebration as a mentee.

Saint-Louis, now a strategic communications specialist and advocate for women’s wellness and empowerment, noted that “mentors help mentees see blind spots that may stand in the way of their success, which can turn into self-doubt.” She has also discovered that mentors can have a lasting impact, as mentors become career colleagues through the years.

Showcasing the Success of Mentoring at ��Ƶ

��Ƶ’s Mentoring Month Celebration, as an annual event, has an additional benefit that comes along with saluting the ��Ƶ program. It brings the program’s success in front of the University community, including students and even potential mentors who can see the opportunity the program offers.

“I think the attendees who were listening to the testimonials of the mentoring pairs felt the enthusiasm and sincerity among the mentoring pairs,” Dr. West said. “They were very moved to know that the impact was felt so greatly, and you can see it in the room. You saw the smiles. You saw the heads nodding. It was such a welcomed evening of celebration.”

Dr. West added, “This event is an excellent place for people to learn about the importance of mentoring, the power of mentoring. It is a testament to this good work—my life’s work.”

2025 Honorees

Renee Flagler, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Long Island

Spirit Award (2025) for Remarkable Contributions to the Nonprofit Sector and Beyond
Collaboration Award (2020) for Remarkable Mentoring as a Community Leader

Brooks Frederick, Adjunct Professor, Studio Art, ��Ƶ

Appreciation Award for Contributions to Mentoring Future Generations of Artists in Social Justice

Anne M. Mungai, PhD, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Graduate Studies, Professor of Education, ��Ƶ

Trailblazer Award for Exemplary Leadership of the Faculty of Color Network

Melinda Neus, Senior Assistant Director of Events, ��Ƶ

Certificate of Appreciation for the Testimonial Keynote Address

Joanna Templeton, Lead Editor and Senior Director of Content, ��Ƶ

Mentoring Champion Award

Wensha Noel, Student Mentee, Senior, Neuroscience Major, ��Ƶ

Certificate of Appreciation for the Testimonial Keynote Address

Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, Keynote Speaker, Strategic Communications Specialist, Advocate for Women’s Wellness and Empowerment

Certificate of Recognition for Keynote Address

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Walking a Mile in Freud’s Shoes: Psychology Professor Continues to Make a Case for Freud’s Enduring Relevance

edinda — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:00:27 +0000

For 50 years, Bob Mendelsohn, PhD, professor, has been training ��Ƶ psychologists in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology by combining his passion for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis with a dose of humor—and by sharing his insights with a broader audience in two recently published books.

Bringing Freud Into the 21^st Century

Published in 2021, offers a persuasive framework for clinicians seeking to understand the continuing relevance of Sigmund Freud, MD’s legacy as the father of talk therapy.

“It offers a different view of him by asking readers to walk a mile in his shoes and putting themselves in his position. Talk therapy was Dr. Freud’s greatest contribution, as he helped people give voice to struggles that they had either kept to themselves or which had led to emotional turmoil,” Dr. Mendelsohn said. “We can see how revolutionary his work was by recognizing his ability to see the unsaid.”

It’s currently a volume that is on display at , as a surprising photo sent to him by a former student attests. “I grew up in Queens. When I saw the picture, I said, But ‘I’m from Queens,’” he recalled with typically disparaging humor.

A Prestigious Nomination

Nominated for a 2024 Gradiva Award, Dr. Mendelsohn’s is essential reading for mental health professionals and would-be clinicians alike.

Dr. Mendelsohn offers a fresh approach to conceptualizing and understanding clinical cases, including by applying the principles of talk therapy to cases when needed. To him, the role of the psychotherapist is to listen closely to help patients correlate their present problems with their past histories. It is by this shift in perspective, he insists, that healing can begin.

From Rock-and-Roll Drummer to ��Ƶ Professor

Dr. Mendelsohn’s path to ��Ƶ was surprisingly indirect. As a teen in Queens, he was expected to work in Key Food, the family run co-op, on weekends. Instead, he learned to play the drums, becoming involved with legendary musician Al Kooper, known for his work with everyone from Bob Dylan to the music group Blood, Sweat & Tears, and who set the young aspiring drummer up with a band. “I’m a performer and a shrink. I played with The Ronettes for two years and as a teacher I get up in front of the class and perform,” he said. “And I still keep a set of drums in my basement.”

Even as he was successfully drumming in Greenwich Village, his Aunt Mildred—a protégée of celebrated psychoanalyst Theodore Reich, MD—took him aside and asked him what he was doing with his life.

“I subsequently buried my head in books and got my doctorate from the University of Massachusetts,” Dr. Mendelsohn recollected. “As an extern in a western Massachusetts hospital, I went to hear Gordon Derner talk. A few years later, while visiting ��Ƶ, I ran into Derner. He remembered me—and by 1974 I had joined the faculty.”

Making Lasting Connections

For Dr. Mendelsohn, teaching gives him meaning and purpose, and keeps him young. “I’ve taught for so many years and am supposed to be an expert,” he confessed. “Yet I continue to learn from my students.

“My whole family is Derner: My wife, Robin, is a psychologist; my daughter went to Emory University and then to Derner for her PhD. When my wife and mother-in-law stood when she was hooded as she received her degree, it was very moving.”

In addition to Freudian Thought for the Contemporary Clinician and Case Formulation in Contemporary Psychotherapy, Dr. Mendelsohn is the author of . Yet his ��Ƶ students aren’t the only ones reading his books: Many of his former doctoral students are themselves teaching with them.

“A doctoral graduate who is practicing in a Black North Philadelphia neighborhood called to tell me that he had thought of something I’d said 15 years ago in class,” he reported. “If I can make that kind of connection to others, from my teaching and mentoring, it feels like I have the kind of influence that will make a difference and be around after I’m gone.”

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New Faculty Members Bring Different Perspectives to Derner

edinda — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:34:14 +0000

The Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology at ��Ƶ welcomed three new faculty members this semester: Emily Cowan, PhD; Emma Freetly Porter, PhD; and Naama Gershy Tsahor, PhD.

Each has her own area of expertise. Dr. Cowan focuses on cognitive neuroscience of memory. Dr. Freetly Porter emphasizes cultural ruptures, cultural humility and reducing racial/ethnic disparities in psychotherapy outcomes, as well as gender-based violence and institutional violence prevention. And the focus for Dr. Gershy Tsahor is the cognitive and emotional processes underlying parenting and the parents’ role in the digital media world.

Here they describe their research specializations, why they came to Derner, what they’re teaching and what they’re looking forward to.

Emily Cowan, PhD, Assistant Professor

Dr. Cowan received her BA from Skidmore College, her doctorate from New York University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Temple University. She said her research is focused on the cognitive neuroscience of memory.

“More specifically, I study how our everyday experiences are translated into memories we can hold onto for days, months and years,” she said. “We rely on our ability to remember the past to adaptively guide our behaviors in the present; yet we can’t possibly remember everything we experience in a day.”

Dr. Cowan said she studies how aspects of learning—the timing and repetition of our experiences and our motivations and goals—impact what we remember, as well as how the brain stabilizes and transforms these new memories to be retained for the long term.

She said that every aspect of her time in the “vibrant community in Derner and at ��Ƶ has so far been a joy, from teaching students in the classroom, to setting up my research program and getting to know everyone in the department.”

She added: “I am also mentoring a student through the Emerging Scholars Program, as well as two undergraduate research assistants who already joined my lab. I feel so lucky to have a job where I get to think about and share my love for scientific ideas every day, and I’m so excited for everything to come.”

Emma Freetly Porter, PhD, Assistant Professor

Dr. Freetly Porter, who received her doctorate from the University of Denver, said her research interests include cultural ruptures, cultural humility and reducing racial/ethnic disparities in psychotherapy outcomes, as well as gender-based violence and institutional violence prevention. She also has past clinical experiences working in a variety of high-acuity settings, including with incarcerated individuals. Currently, she is teaching courses related to trauma, mental health counseling and research methods.

Dr. Freetly Porter said she was thrilled to join the Derner school.

“Specifically, I am looking forward to working with students who have diverse professional interests ranging from clinical practice and organizational practice to teaching and research,” she said. “I am also enthusiastic about joining a faculty with a rich tradition of psychotherapy research and a commitment to integrating research and practice. I am hopeful to learn from my colleagues, and I am eager for opportunities to collaborate.”

Naama Gershy Tsahor, PhD, Associate Professor

After completing her Master of Arts degree, Dr. Gershy Tsahor, a resident of Israel, was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to pursue doctoral studies in the United States. She landed at Long Island University, Brooklyn, where she said she fell in love with relational theory and mentalization. Following her doctorate, she completed her postdoctoral training at the Yale Child Study Center where she learned about the immense power of systemic work. She returned to Israel for an academic position at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and this year came back to the United States where she said she had the privilege of joining the Derner faculty.

“I was seeking a new academic home where I could work with students who are curious, engaged and interested in both science and theory, and be part of a department that values theoretical thinking and writing alongside scientific work,” Dr. Gershy Tsahor said. “Although I have only been here for a few months, I already feel welcomed and at home in the PhD and PsyD programs. I enjoy every moment of teaching and interacting with my students—even when it’s 8:00 a.m. on a Monday.”

She said she looks forward to recruiting students to her lab, which will focus on the cognitive and emotional processes underlying parenting and the role of parents in the digital media world.

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Scoring a GOAL Toward Earning an Advanced Degree: Pilot Program Offers a Crash Course in Crafting Winning Applications

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:42:27 +0000

In working with undergraduates, Laura Brumariu, PhD, associate professor of psychology and associate dean for professional programs and student advancement, discovered that just describing and explaining the graduate school application process isn’t enough to foster success.

According to Dr. Brumariu, by adding hands-on, guided mentoring to the process, students can best present themselves and their strengths in their graduate school applications. “Our students make us better mentors,” she noted.

That’s precisely why—with funding from an Office of the Provost Fund the Gap grant—she and Katherine Fiori, PhD, professor and associate dean for foundational psychology and faculty involvement, have launched the new Graduate Programs at a Glance, or GOAL, program, an innovative, comprehensive, two-part mentoring program designed to help students from historically underrepresented groups—racial, ethnic and LGBTQIA+—navigate the process of applying to graduate programs in psychology and increase their odds of success.

“The GOAL program is geared primarily toward students entering their senior year,” Dr. Fiori explained. “Although the priority of this initiative is contributing to closing the gap in educational disparities and opportunities for Black and Hispanic and/or LGBTQ+ students, other students at disadvantage—including all students identifying as BIPOC, first-generation college and [students from low-income groups]—were offered the same opportunity based on availability of funding and student interest.”

A Faculty-Led Summer Workshop

This summer, 17 psychology students from underrepresented groups attended a comprehensive three-day summer program led by faculty that focused on specific topics and skills and included breakout sessions with hands-on experiences.

According to Dr. Fiori, day one included an initial overview of different graduate psychology program options and discussions on identifying and navigating the challenges of graduate applications. Day two featured a hands-on workshop where students received real-time feedback from faculty and graduate students as they worked on their CVs and personal statements. And day three’s topics covered everything from recommendation letters and volunteer opportunities to GRE scheduling and mock interviews.

Dr. Brumariu noted that they received rave reviews from summer workshop attendees, who said that learning how to personalize their applications while getting feedback in real time has already enriched their graduate school preparedness.

Supporting the Success of Students From Underrepresented Groups

The second part of the GOAL program will continue in the fall, when students will work with faculty mentors to finalize and complete their applications.

The professors hope that some of the GOAL participants will continue their education at Derner. “Our undergraduate students are terrific,” said Dr. Brumariu, “and probably many of those participating would find that our programs provide outstanding training. “

Both she and Dr. Fiori believe in the potential of GOAL to increase the success of graduate school applicants from underrepresented groups—who would ultimately earn degrees and embark on meaningful careers.

“The field of psychology grapples with the issue of diverse representation, and psychology as a discipline does not necessarily reflect the diversity of the individuals that psychologists serve,” said Dr. Fiori. “We hope this program can start to change that.”

The post Scoring a GOAL Toward Earning an Advanced Degree: Pilot Program Offers a Crash Course in Crafting Winning Applications appeared first on ��Ƶ.

Honoring a Legacy, Looking Forward: Introducing the Jonathan Jackson Endowed Clinical Psychology Workshop Series

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:23:31 +0000

Jonathan Jackson, PhD, admitted he wore a number of hats—including director of the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology’s Center for Psychological Services, director of practicum training and founding director of the Derner Internship Consortium—during his 36-year tenure at ��Ƶ. “All of these roles afforded me opportunities to enhance students’ professional development through connections to clinical training,” he noted.

In 2022, Dr. Jackson officially stepped down from his official roles, but today he remains an active member of the ��Ƶ community by serving each year as an adjunct clinical supervisor of a doctoral student in clinical work. He’s also scheduled to take part in a convocation panel in the fall, where he said he will discuss the emergent trend of hospital-owned medical groups buying up group psychology practices to capitalize on their profit potential.

And perhaps most significant, in December 2023, the was created by ��Ƶ to honor his many contributions to the training of clinical psychologists. The workshop series is supported by student, faculty and alumni donors intent on making a lasting and transformative impact on clinical psychology education at ��Ƶ.

Exploring New Directions in Clinical Psychology

“The impetus for the workshop series comes from the desire to supplement and complement the broad and general curricular requirements, which do not permit a breadth of student interest and input into training,” Dr. Jackson explained, “hence, a meaningfully student-instigated offering of various topics and trainings in emerging and new directions in the field.”

The new series will welcome distinguished presenters—from leading scholars and professionals to alumni practitioners—who will share new perspectives and up-to-date innovations and approaches with ��Ƶ students, faculty and alumni.

“We’re so lucky to have so many graduates doing interesting, viable and prominent things in the field,” he noted.

A Broad Range of Current Topics

According to Dr. Jackson, the workshops will complement the curriculum by addressing timely and specific topics, such as the use of ketamine and other mind-altering medicines to treat mental conditions, new approaches to substance use disorders, the role of mindfulness and spirituality in mental health, the role of psychologists in advocacy for marginalized groups, and new models of professional service delivery such as group practices.

“It will also put a spotlight on how many pathways there are to specialized careers in clinical psychology,” he said. “More than we ever imagined are emerging every day.”

The first workshops, which are slated to begin in the Spring 2025 semester, will include lectures and discussions, as well as topic-related activities and training.

Dr. Jackson stressed that many graduates who have become prominent in the field of clinical psychology have provided training opportunities for current students. The workshops are certain to offer ample—and fruitful—opportunities for students and alumni alike to network with scholar and practitioner presenters.

Help enrich Derner clinical psychology students’ educational experience by adding your support to the .

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Helping High School Students Rise to the Next Level

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 14:49:37 +0000

“There are kids in high schools today who are not getting the support they need to pursue higher education and who know very little about college—as little as I did when I was in high school,” said Joseph Celentano, MBA ’04, senior adjunct professor of management at ��Ƶ. “They just need some information and direction, and—boom—they could be some of our best scholars.”

Celentano, who was one of the first in his family to attend college, decided to take action. He created the College Rise program, a new mentoring initiative that helps high school students from underrepresented communities prepare for college. Attracting dozens of ��Ƶ students and faculty members as volunteers, the program is subsidized by a private grant.

College Rise is only Celentano’s most recent effort to increase access to college education and promote diversity, both of which are central to ��Ƶ’s Momentum 2 strategic plan.

The chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Council at the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business since 2020, he notably teamed with associate professor of finance and economics David Machlis, PhD, to launch the Two Museums Program, designed to increase understanding between Black and Jewish students at ��Ƶ. His commitment to bringing about change won him a 2024 Diversity in Business Award from Long Island Business News.

Supporting the next generation of scholars

College Rise launched in February 2023 in partnership with Long Island’s Uniondale High School, where 15 to 20 students participated in a weekly mentorship program run by ��Ƶ volunteers certified in mentoring by New York state.

Danaid Sinani, a sophomore majoring in computer science, was one of the mentors whose own experience drew him to the program.

“I joined the College Rise program as a mentor primarily because of my challenges as a high school senior evaluating college options,” Sinani said. “Understanding the complexity and significance of this decision, I was inspired to assist students in navigating their choices, drawing on my own personal journey.”

“Our mentors would answer students’ questions about the college application process and college culture,’” Celentano said. “They’d also join in on their after-school programs, where students were learning about things like goal setting and mental health. We’d give the students encouragement and participate in any way we could.”

The high school students were also invited to take a 1-credit college business course, Financial Literacy for Life.

“Essentially, we helped them get started on their college career while they’re still in high school,” Celentano said. “We taught them about everything from opening bank accounts and borrowing money for college to leasing a car and saving for retirement.”

College Rise participants even spent a day of the five-week course touring the ��Ƶ campus and attending a few educational sessions with professors.

“The students were just awed by what they saw,” Celentano said. “When they saw the Performing Arts Center, the gymnasium and the pool, the labs—everything that a college campus has—they were just flabbergasted. Many of them don’t know that this world exists because they don’t have anyone in their life who is talking to them about it.”

After completing its first year in April 2024, College Rise has already made an impact on students’ lives.

“The first time I went to ��Ƶ, I heard Mr. Gupta talking about finance,” one student said, referring to Rakesh C. Gupta, associate professor of decision sciences and marketing. “I really liked the course and how everyone welcomed us at the University. I’m getting more knowledge and I would definitely recommend the program to any other student.”

Creating a national model for other universities

Going forward, Celentano hopes to promote College Rise nationwide at educational conferences, providing a model for other universities to mentor and recruit students from underrepresented populations. As for the coming year, he looks forward to continuing the program with Uniondale High School and expanding to partner with other schools in the Long Island area.

“We’ll bring new ��Ƶ faculty and students to these schools and, ideally, do this on an annual basis,” Celentano said. “We’re there to show students that they have a support system outside of their high school, and that it resides at ��Ƶ.”

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