“A Celebration of Firsts” spotlighted first-generation students, welcomed Adelphi’s first alumnus president and celebrated the $103 million impact of the Momentum Campaign.
Adelphi University’s 26th Annual Gala, A Celebration of Firsts, raised $1.6 million to support Adelphi’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 Adelphi’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 powerful video 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 Adelphi 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 Garden City Middle School, Ammerman also previously made a $1.5 million planned gift to Adelphi. 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.”
Additional support highlighted during the program included gifts from Trustee Walter Schmidt ’84, Grace Pilcer ’84, and Leonard C. Achan ’99, MA, RN, ANP, the chair of Adelphi’s Board of Trustees and president and CEO of LiveOnNY, who 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 while studying nursing at Adelphi. “The stories we heard at the gala are a reminder that support for one student can reach far beyond one degree, opening possibilities for families and communities.”
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 Adelphi 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 Adelphi University, 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. Adelphi students hustle, they lead, and they inspire—and when we support them like family, there is no limit to the impact they will make.”
Adelphi 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 Adelphi alumnus Jonathan Larson ’82. Guests also viewed moving testimonials from Adelphi’s first-generation Panthers.