Through strategic partnerships, networking events and practice-focused education, the College of Nursing and Public Health ensures that graduates land their ideal positions.
Since graduating from the Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health (CNPH), Sean Kildare ’19 has already made a lasting impact at Cohen Children’s Medical Center at Northwell Health. A former Adelphi track captain, Kildare channeled his leadership skills into spearheading Blossom Care, a behavioral health initiative that ensures pediatric patients at risk of self-harm receive compassionate, tailored support, significantly reducing behavioral health emergencies. Kildare is also chairperson of the Collaborative Care Council at Cohen Children’s and a mentor to young nurses.
Those accomplishments landed Kildare among the ranks of Adelphi’s 2025 10 Under 10 honorees, a designation that celebrates exceptional young alumni each year. He also received the Northwell Health President’s Award for Truly Innovative, as well as the Cohen Children’s Nightingale Best Team Player Award (2022) and Rising Star Award (2023) for his work in creating Blossom Care.
The Golden Ticket to Career Success
Kildare initially connected with Northwell as a student through the Golden Ticket Nursing Showcase, an invitation-only networking event hosted by Northwell Health each year. CNPH faculty nominate exceptional senior nursing students to fill approximately 30 slots.
“If you attend the Golden Ticket Nursing Showcase as a student, it’s kind of like having a gold star on your résumé when you apply to a Northwell position,” says Caitlin McElroy, executive director of strategic initiatives and special programs at CNPH.
That was the case for Kildare, who credits the showcase for helping him score a summer externship at Cohen. “At the Golden Showcase, I met with the director of nursing education at Cohen and told her the story of how much I love pediatrics and what I’m doing at Adelphi,” he recalls. “I guess I made a lasting impression, because she told me when the externship opened up at Cohen.” The externship eventually led to a full-time nursing role a few months after graduation.
“The connection Adelphi has with Northwell Health really started my career, and I’m forever grateful for it,” Kildare said.
Career Connections Abound at CNPH
In addition to the Nursing Showcase, CNPH students can attend several in-person and virtual recruitment events throughout the year. The College hosts well-attended nursing job expos once a semester at minimum, and student organizations work with school administrators to bring in recruiters monthly.
“For instance, we just did a virtual workforce development event with Family Service League—they brought in their chief strategy officer and four or five of his direct reports who serve in different areas across the organization,” McElroy said. “It gave a comprehensive view of what it’s like to work for Family Service League, what opportunities they have coming up and how to get in touch with them.”
The College maintains a close relationship with Adelphi’s Center for Career and Professional Development, which offers continuous support to help students present their best selves when meeting with potential employers. The center regularly hosts workshops in résumé writing and interview skills, and career counselors are available to provide one-to-one support. “They actually helped me write my résumé and cover letter for Northwell,” Kildare noted.
McElroy also ensures that every job expo has several representatives from the center on hand to review résumés and answer questions. “Adelphi really tries to best set students up for success,” she said.
While these initiatives help students connect with employers, CNPH also focuses on preparing graduates through system-wide partnerships.
CNPH works closely with every health system in the tristate area to gather feedback on graduate preparedness and identify areas of improvement. This continuous communication allows the College to respond to critical feedback on how to make students more practice-ready upon graduation. Listening and providing a solutions-focused education helps connect students with employers seamlessly.
“We always have an eye toward ensuring graduates have future employment, but students have to stay aware of all the opportunities,” McElroy said. When students do take advantage of these opportunities, the benefits extend well beyond landing a job—it creates a strong network of Adelphi nurses throughout the region’s healthcare systems.
“It’s nice working at Cohen and seeing a familiar face of somebody who went to Adelphi,” Kildare said. “You know you can trust them and they’re going to be a good, competent nurse.”
McElroy agrees: “Adelphi has such a phenomenal focus on outcomes and setting students up for success that it’s a home run when you’re an Adelphi nurse. It’s really a seal of approval on the education, the experience and your level of preparedness.”
Learn more about becoming an Adelphi nurse through the College of Nursing and Public Health. Visit adelphi.edu/nursing or call 516.877.4510 for more information.