Honoring Your Outstanding Spirit

2025 Awards and Recognition

Philanthropist of the Year — Richard Garner, PhD

The Philanthropist of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional generosity in the promotion and support of Adelphi University. Through philanthropy and service, the recipient has helped shape Adelphi’s future and enrich the lives of students, faculty and staff.

Richard Garner, PhD, is best known at Adelphi as the founding dean of the Honors College, a role he calls “the most rewarding experience of my life.” From the moment he arrived, he dedicated his time, talent and resources to shaping a nationally recognized program and supporting the students who would call it home.

Before joining Adelphi, Dr. Garner’s academic journey included Princeton, Harvard, the University of Chicago and Yale, where he earned all three of the university’s top teaching awards. An accomplished author, he built an international reputation as a scholar and teacher.

At Adelphi, he built more than a college—he built a community of intellectual curiosity and achievement. His philanthropy matched his vision. Dr. Garner established seven endowed scholarships for Honors College students, representing more than $1 million in contributions, and became the first Adelphi employee ever to join the University’s Million Dollar Roundtable giving society.

Through his leadership and his generosity, Dr. Garner has touched generations of Adelphi students. His legacy lives on in the Honors College, its faculty, and alumni, as well as in the countless students whose futures have been transformed by his example.

Ruth S. Harley Service Award — Diane Abbey ’59

The Ruth S. Harley Service Award celebrates an alumnus who has rendered outstanding volunteer service to Adelphi University.

For Diane Abbey ’59, the foundation of her service began during her student years. At 19, she lost her mother to cancer and found comfort and support from Adelphi and Dean Ruth Harley. That generosity left a lasting impression, inspiring Diane’s lifelong commitment to giving back to her alma mater and to the broader community.

After Adelphi, she began her career as an English teacher in the Bronx. Later, while raising her family, she dedicated herself to volunteerism and philanthropy. She has supported numerous causes, including Planned Parenthood and New Alternatives for Children, where she helped establish a volunteer corps that has grown to over 300 members.

With her husband, Arthur, Diane co-founded the Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families at New York Law School, where she trains future lawyers and provides pro bono support for vulnerable families. She has also contributed to JCCA, the Safe Passage Project, the Brotherhood Synagogue’s shelter program and numerous nonprofits focused on social justice, animal rights and conservation.
At Adelphi, Diane has been a longtime donor, a member of the President’s Advisory Group, and a loyal advocate for the University. Her service reflects the kindness she received as a student, multiplied many times over in the lives she has touched.

Alumnus of the Year — Marc S. Strachan ’81

The Alumnus of the Year Award is the highest honor bestowed upon alumni by the Adelphi Alumni Advisory Council. The recipient must demonstrate outstanding service to the University and community, along with excellence in their chosen career.

Marc Strachan ’81 discovered his career path at Adelphi and has been paying it forward ever since. A Brooklyn native and first-generation college graduate, Marc explored several majors before discovering marketing through an elective class and an internship arranged by Adelphi faculty. That experience set him on a path to become a senior marketing executive and a national leader in advocating diversity in media and technology.

At Adelphi, Marc served as president of the Black Student Union and a leader of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Decades later, he returned to serve on the Board of Trustees, becoming the University’s first African American male chair in 2021 and serving until 2025. His generosity has included creating four multicultural scholarships honoring trailblazers and providing new opportunities for Adelphi students.

Professionally, Marc has held senior roles at Publicis Sapient and Diageo, where he helped transform major brands including Cîroc Vodka and Tanqueray Gin. He now serves as chair of ADCOLOR, a national organization promoting diversity in the advertising and media industries, and as principal and chief marketing officer of Adgile Media Group.

Marc continues to encourage students to take advantage of Adelphi’s proximity to New York City, reminding them that “if you show the initiative, Adelphi will give you the tools and the opportunities to succeed.” His leadership, mentorship and philanthropy exemplify the Adelphi spirit.

Panther Family Award — WBAU

The Panther Family Award honors an Adelphi family—whether by relation or through the bonds formed in organizations, athletics or campus life—who have shown outstanding dedication to the University through engagement, philanthropy and service.

For Adelphi’s WBAU alumni, radio was family. From its beginnings as WALI in the 1960s to its FM signal at 90.3 in 1972, WBAU provided Panthers with a platform to broadcast their voices, experiment, and launch careers that have shaped media and culture.

The station’s influence reached far beyond campus. Students gained hands-on experience in broadcasting, engineering, production and promotion while introducing listeners to future icons like Run DMC and LL Cool J. WBAU launched the careers of alumni such as Public Enemy’s Chuck D ’84, ’13 (Hon.), sportscaster Al Trautwig ’78, Gary Dell’Abate ’83 of The Howard Stern Show, media entrepreneur Al Cattabiani ’80, and many others.

Two WBAU leaders, Bill Stephney ’82 and Steve Jones ’89, also turned their Adelphi opportunities into remarkable careers. Stephney, as program director, gave Spectrum City and Chuck D their first show, later becoming the first president of Def Jam Records and helping shape the rise of Public Enemy. Jones built his foundation at WBAU before embarking on a decades-long career at ABC Radio, where he rose to the position of vice president and general manager.

Beyond the celebrity names, WBAU created a culture of community and creativity that gave students confidence, friendships and a launching pad for success. Alumni describe it as a place where experimentation was encouraged and where diverse voices came together to create something greater than themselves.

Although WBAU went off the air in 1995, its legacy continues to reverberate today. Through the WBAU Affinity Group, alumni continue to preserve its history, mentor Adelphi students and strengthen the University’s commitment to broadcast communications. Their enduring spirit truly makes WBAU family.

Legacy Family Award — To Be Announced

The Legacy Family Award honors Adelphi families whose connection to the University spans generations. Legacy families include parents, grandparents and siblings who are alumni or current students. With one or more generations of Adelphi graduates, they represent the University’s proud tradition of Panther pride carried forward over time.