News at Adelphi

Bharat Bhisé, MBA ’78, believes Adelphi students should have global exposure to other countries, cultures and economies—and he funded an all-expenses-paid study tour to India to prove it. Meet the students who benefited from this extraordinary inaugural trip.

The Adelphi University School of Social Work was selected to participate in a premier program with the New York State Office of Mental Health. Graduate social work students like Stephanie Paterno work directly with adults diagnosed with severe mental illnesses—a unique bridge between two fields.

Honors College alumna Camille Pajor ’09, MBA ’16, shares her inspiring life story and explains how her career brought her to the war-torn Ukrainian border to assist refugees. It’s a story of determination, compassion and strength.

Melanie Bush, PhD, professor of sociology and an expert in teaching methods around the globe, has been awarded a Fulbright Specialist Award. During her three-year tenure, she will develop new insights into the ways we can make education more just and equitable for all.

Chuck D ’84, ’13 (Hon.), who earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Adelphi, is rediscovering his college roots as an illustrator. The hip-hop pioneer is releasing his first fine art book this month, Livin’ Loud. An homage to legendary musicians in hip-hop, rap and rock, it features more than 250 of his works.

Adelphi recently changed the name of its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). Find out why this change is so important on college campuses and learn about new ways the office is working to increase the sense of belonging among students and staff.

Isuri Wijesundara '18, is a perfect example of how an arts education at Adelphi can lead graduates to careers as working artists. The combination of strong professors, talented classmates, the proximity of New York City, and a legacy of accomplished, supportive alumni guides a student's journey from their first day to beyond graduation.

Language is an essential tool for connecting with others. As the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) states, effective communication is a human right that should be accessible to all. It is a right that speech-language pathologists and audiologists help people with language disorders exercise.

Michele Doubrava, a full-time working mother of two who is soon to be a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, knows exactly what she wants to do with the master's degree she will receive from Adelphi in December 2022. She wants to dedicate her career to helping people suffering from severe mental illness.

“No matter how much information there is in Google, one needs the ability to ask questions, because education is an interactive experience. I believe in hands-on learning and mentorship programs.”

Emily Ladau '13 has been speaking up for people with disabilities for most of her adult life.

Samuel Fremd ’69, born in a displaced persons camp in Germany at the end of World War II, left a monumental gift to our College of Nursing and Public Health. Made in honor of his mother and the nursing care she received, the gift has helped make 2022 a record-breaking fundraising year for Adelphi.

Graduates with an MS in applied mathematics and data science are breaking down barriers and taking on careers in STEM. One of them was advised in high school not to study science—and is now working in the Collider-Accelerator Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Recent communications alumna Ana Lyz Rodriguez ’22 created five powerful video profiles of Hispanic students at Adelphi. Watch their stories, and read about her own story as a filmmaker and advocate.

We have set the stage for Adelphi’s future with a plan to make a difference for a new generation of higher education students, our community and our world.

A generous gift to our School of Social Work will help graduate students gain knowledge and practical experience in the field of gerontology.

The prestigious experience and honors achieved by our gifted students in acting, directing and design/tech are a powerful springboard for their future careers.

Our fifth consecutive Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award is a great honor for all Adelphi students, faculty, staff and alumni as we work together to advance change.

Adelphi University has earned the exceptional achievement of a five-star rating on the Campus Pride Index—a nationally recognized measure of LGBTQ+ friendliness and inclusivity. Campus Pride also chose Adelphi as one of the Top 40 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Campuses.

The COVID-19 pandemic—and the more recent rise of monkeypox—have brought an often overlooked field into sharp focus: public health. At Adelphi, the work of our Master of Public Health (MPH) students and faculty has become even more important , and they have stepped up to serve.

Most colleges have programs to get incoming first-year students acquainted with the campus. Adelphi takes that idea one step farther with a program that gets new students acquainted with the University's commitment to serving the surrounding community.

Kees Leune, PhD, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, believes everyone benefits when a classroom is more diverse. It's a belief he shares with Salvatore Petrilli '05, EdD, now associate dean for academic operations and general education in the College of Arts and Sciences, and that led them in 2016 to rethink the undergraduate computer science curriculum.

These boards—and their dedicated members—make critical contributions to advancing student success. For example, our Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology Advisory Board launched its first-ever fundraising initiative 10 years ago to help support PhD students from diverse backgrounds. That scholarship fund has since grown to $1.25 million.

Biology professor Aaren Freeman, PhD (second from left), is known for his efforts to bring oyster beds back to Oyster Bay, Long Island. Now he’s also pioneering a new way to fertilize the town’s golf courses—with kelp. It’s a great example of Adelphi's commitment to sustainability.

Adelphi’s new Faculty Mentoring Academy is our way of supporting our newest academic colleagues by providing important connections, perspectives and valuable support for balancing teaching, research and service.

Adelphi’s award-winning Mentoring Program has helped bring about a culture shift at the University. Chotsani Williams West, MA ’07, who has led the program since its inception in 2014, explains its recipe for success.

Adelphi’s communication sciences and disorders program provides a broad range of treatment, care and support to people of myriad linguistic backgrounds—from toddlers to seniors. We are privileged to work with diverse communities across Long Island.

The Derner Hempstead Child Clinic has provided psychotherapy services to local children, teens and families since 2015. Now, a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant will expand what we can bring to Hempstead's students.

Among a national field of 1,400 programs, Bridges to Adelphi received the highest 2021–2022 honor from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Our Grand Gold recognition is for outstanding inclusion of neurodiverse students in career planning, student life and hands-on academics.

Featuring two-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman as our keynote speaker, Adelphi's fifth annual Women's Leadership Conference on Saturday, March 26, will empower colleagues and friends to be courageous in their careers and communities. Join us to commemorate “125 Years of Women in Leadership” during our milestone anniversary and celebration of Women's History Month.