Featured Stories
Kelli and Sean enjoying one of their favorite pastimes, hiking.
Kelli and Sean at an Adelphi track meet
Sean Kildare ’19 and Kelli Smith ’20, MA ’21
Our story at Adelphi began in 2017. I had just transferred in as a junior, joining the cross country and track team, while Kelli was already thriving as a sophomore on the same team. We quickly discovered both lived in Massapequa. Kelli suggested we carpool to “save gas,” a suggestion that changed our path forever. As student-athletes, our dates consisted of activities that didn’t spend much money: long runs through the Massapequa Preserve, hikes in the Hudson Valley, sunsets at the beach, and when we wanted to splurge country concerts.
I graduated in 2019, and Kelli followed in 2020, and 2021 earning her Master’s degree. We’ve become the “textbook” Adelphi couple: a teacher and a nurse. Our journey continued beautifully as we got engaged in 2022 and bought our first home in South Huntington in 2023. Now, in August 2025, we’re eagerly anticipating our wedding, ready for the next chapter of our lives together.
We continue to explore new hiking trails, push our limits with running, play tennis and volleyball and attend as many country concerts as our schedules allow. At home we are usually preparing for our wedding or doing DIY projects to our new home.
Justin Macari ’17, MBA ’18 and Nicole (Elarde) Macari ’17, MS ’19
Left Top: Justin ’17, MBA ’18 and Nicole ’17, MA ’19 Macari in front of the CRS, Adelphi University, May 2017. Left Bottom: Justin ’17, MBA ’18 and Nicole (Elarde) ’17, MS ’19 Macari on their engagement day in front of the CRS, Adelphi University, December 2020. Right: Justin, Nicole and son, JJ
Justin and I met on our first day of Cross Country preseason in August 2013 when our team went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. We ran Cross Country track together for the following four years. We are so grateful for Coach Katie and the impact she had on each of us.
Despite knowing I wasn’t a fan of PDA, Justin decided to ask me to be his girlfriend on the Mets scoreboard, including my first and last name. I of course said no. Our “situationship” continued and about a year later, we finally made it official.
We graduated in 2017 with our bachelors degrees. We both furthered our education at Adelphi University where Justin earned his MBA and became a CPA and Nicole earned her masters degree in Speech Language Pathology.
Since graduating Justin has opened his own accounting practice in Commack, New York and has started to build his own empire.
I worked in a private practice in East Northport, New York up until this summer. I recently started a new job at a virtual company (eLuma) who placed me in a school.
In December 2020, Justin proposed at Adelphi University. This time I couldn’t wait to say yes! It was so special to have this very memorable moment happen outside of the CRS where we spent each morning at practices during our years at Adelphi. The security guards went above and beyond to make sure this moment went seamlessly.
In 2021 we bought a house in Commack, New York and moved in together after our wedding on November 12, 2022.
This past summer we welcomed our son JJ (Justin Alexander Macari, Jr.) and he has been the best part of our story, yet.
We are so grateful for the education that Adelphi gave us but even more so for the relationships that we formed, especially the one with each other. Adelphi will always hold a very special place in our heart.