President’s Report

Over the past decade, our Momentum and Momentum 2 strategic plans have nurtured the creativity, innovation and passion of our Adelphi University community members. Their success has strengthened our position as a leader in social mobility and value. With every milestone, proactive change has been the constant source of inspiration driving us forward.

In the 2023–2024 President’s Report: Changes That Change Lives, I’m proud to highlight many of the innovations that are creating life-changing experiences and making history at Adelphi.

The launch of our largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in University history is providing new opportunities for students and advancing our goals for the future. Our talented student-athletes brought home conference and national championships on their way to being honored as the top-performing program in the Northeast-10 across all men’s and women’s sports. Overall enrollment surged for the second straight year, and our student body became even more inclusive after we welcomed our most diverse first-year class ever.

These remarkable achievements allowed Adelphi to maintain its status as the top-ranked private university on Long Island. Meanwhile, our distinguished faculty earned more multimillion-dollar research grants and accolades that illustrate our academic distinction. Our student outcomes continued to prove why an Adelphi education matters in today’s evolving professional and higher education landscape. And we remained committed to supporting one another through shared values, purpose and community spirit.

Together, we will make an extraordinary impact for many years to come. I hope you enjoy reading our story, and I’m grateful to everyone who contributes to our mission.

President Christine M. Riordan, PhD

Highlights From the Adelphi University 2023–2024 President’s Report

Goal 1: Academic Distinction in Our Core Four—page 8

• Reflecting our growing leadership in graduate education, U.S. News & World Report placed three of our programs in the Top 100 of its 2024 Best Grad School rankings: master’s degree in nursing, Master of Social Work and Doctor of Audiology. Forbes also ranked our Online Master of Social Work and Online MS in Healthcare Informatics among its Best Online Master’s Programs of 2024.
• Kyana Gordon ’24 was discouraged from pursuing STEM research at her high school, but found exceptional opportunities here at Adelphi. She became a 2024 Fulbright Scholar—researching heart disease in Jamaica under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
• A $2.49 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, the largest Adelphi has ever received from the NSF, is truly life-changing for 25 Pell-eligible students in STEM fields. Each receives a generous grant, mentoring, career guidance and paid summer research opportunities.

Goal 2: Inclusive Community and Connectivity—page 16

• More than 300 Adelphi students have gone on 17 Alternative Break trips since 2014, improving lives in California, Hawaii, New Orleans and Texas, and internationally in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Peru. During the 2023–2024 academic year, 48 students traveled to Maryland, Florida, Puerto Rico, Morocco and Tobago.
• A program introducing high school students from diverse backgrounds to advanced research received a 2024 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The Adelphi Summer Institute in Mathematical Epidemiology brings the students and Adelphi mentors together for an intensive research experience investigating topics such as the use of machine learning in cancer screening.
• The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program is now able to provide greater support to patients than ever before in its 44-year history, thanks to a $2.165 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Goal 3: Smart Growth and Infrastructure—page 24

• The Class of 2027, which arrived on campus in August 2023, is the first at Adelphi composed of a majority of students of color—51 percent. First-generation college students made up a significant portion of the class. A full 41 percent identify as first generation, enhancing our status as a U.S. News & World Report Top Performer on Social Mobility.
• An emergency repair needed on the roof of the Center for Recreation and Sports sparked a different question from campus management: Could the entire roof be redesigned to support a solar power system? The answer was yes, and Adelphi is now installing a photovoltaic solar energy system—its second on campus. The new system supports a Momentum 2 strategic plan goal for sustainability.
• Opening in 2026, Adelphi’s new location in the heart of Manhattan’s Midtown will offer students and professionals a state-of-the-art location to advance in their careers. Located at 529 Fifth Avenue, the new space will offer spacious conference rooms, modern classrooms, a library with glass-fronted study rooms, computer and healthcare labs, and a lactation room for mother-scholars. Sustainable U.S.-sourced materials and energy-efficient lighting will be featured throughout.