Friday, April 1, 2016
What If? 
Celebrating Inauguration with you last month was a true highlight of my life, personally and professionally. I am deeply grateful to the faculty, staff and students who served on the Presidential Inauguration Committee and to the entire Adelphi family for making the week such a wonderful celebration of our University. 

Each event put the talents and accomplishments of our faculty, students, staff and alumni center stage. I was reminded of what a remarkable place Adelphi is. Enjoying a beautiful original composition by a Pulitzer Prize-winning faculty member and seeing audience members moved to tears by student performers are experiences that are unique to Adelphi. 

Wasn't the "Seasons of Love" performance phenomenal?

I thought so, and have since been thinking: What if Jonathan Larson '82 had not attended Adelphi and met Nick Petron, M.A. '70, his professor and mentor? Would he have gone on to create
Rent? While I am sure that his tremendous talent would have shown regardless of where he went to college, I believe that the stories and the characters would not have been the same.

Later this month, Adelphi will host TEDxAdelphiUniversity, sponsored by our Center for Health Innovation (CHI). The theme of the event is "What If?" It has inspired an impressive lineup of speakers from the Adelphi community. It has also led me to ask the question in other contexts. What if, for example, the alumni, faculty and staff who will be sharing their stories at TEDx never came to Adelphi to learn, teach and work? Because they chose Adelphi, our community is stronger and more vibrant. 

What if Adelphi never imagined CHI in its last strategic plan? Today we are reaping the rewards of that inspired idea, an important reminder as we shape our new strategic plan--to think boldly and keep our eyes on the future.  

Below, you will learn more about our Relay for Life event on April 8 and April 9. To date, this student-driven initiative has raised close to $30,000 for the American Cancer Society. What if our students did not believe that their commitment could improve the lives of patients and caregivers?

At this year's President's Gala, where we raised a record $552,000 in support for student scholarships, honoree Vincent C. Tizzio '89, president and CEO of Navigators Management Company, Inc., recognized Professor Salvatore Primeggia '64, M.A. '66, Ph.D., for changing his life. What if Sal didn't bring his passion to Adelphi's classrooms? Sal has changed the lives of hundreds of students and, now, through Vince's generosity, many more will have the opportunity to pursue a more affordable education at Adelphi.  

What if these alumni, students, faculty and staff chose a different path? We would surely be a different place. Our greatest strength is the collective ingenuity and commitment of our people, and I thank each of you for choosing Adelphi and for all you do each day to make this such an extraordinary community.

All the best,
 

Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.
President
 
CAMPUS UPDATE
Rising U.S. News & World Report Rankings

U.S. News & World Report just released its graduate school rankings, and Adelphi has moved up in a number of areas. The School of Social Work jumped up from 43 to 38. The Doctor of Audiology program advanced from 69 to 57, and the graduate program in speech-language pathology moved ahead 11 spots from 131 to 120. Congratulations to all involved in advancing these rankings and creating even more opportunities for our students and graduates. 

April Is a Crucial Month in the Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions Cycle  
 
April is a busy and crucial month in Adelphi's undergraduate and graduate admissions cycle. Admitted freshmen will be deciding whether to enroll, and prospective transfer and graduate students will be deciding whether to apply.

For freshman applicants, we will host two Accepted Student Days, on Sunday, April 10, and Saturday, April 16. Admitted students and their families will have the opportunity to meet with Adelphi faculty and staff to learn more about our academic and extracurricular programs and support services. 


Thank you to everyone who is involved in making these events successful. We have a collective responsibility to make prospective students feel welcome in our community. 

 
Strategic Planning: Draft Coming to You Soon
 
It has been inspiring to see the innovation at work as the 134 members of our strategic plan work groups have collaborated with one another and with their other Adelphi colleagues to propose action plans for our key priority areas.

The recommendations are now in, and we will integrate them. Later this month, we will share draft ideas with the entire Adelphi community for review.

Your feedback is critical. To facilitate campuswide participation, we will hold a series of town hall meetings in late April and early May. Dates and details will soon be available on our strategic planning intranet site. If you are unable to join us for the town hall meetings, you will be able to share your feedback online.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who have already contributed to this vital process. Together, we are writing an exciting chapter for our University. 
 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Rallying to Fight Cancer 
 
Adelphi students are showing their tremendous community spirit by leading Adelphi's sixth Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research and cancer patients. The inspiring all-night event, held this year on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to celebrate survivors of cancer and honor those who have lost the battle. Already, more than 600 participants have raised close to $30,000. There is still time to sign up and donate to help Adelphi beat its 2015 record of $76,000. 


STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Recognized for Leadership
 
On March 29, the Student Government Association (SGA) revealed the winners of its 2016 Women's Recognition Awards. The annual awards celebrate women at Adelphi whose leadership, service and commitment to excellence benefit and inspire others in the University community. Each year, SGA honors women students, staff and faculty members. This year, four of the winners are members of the administrative staff. The administrative staff winners (above, from left to right) are:  Patricia Anelante '08, executive assistant, Office of Academic Services and Retention; Joan Carillo, administrative assistant, Office of University Admissions; Lauren Purcaro, associate director, Center for Student Involvement; and Valerie Lombardo, office manager, Department of Public Safety and Transportation. 

Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for your leadership!

See additional photos and coverage from the event. 
 

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Better Care for the Aging, Thanks to $1 Million Grant

As a clinical social worker working at the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, Daniel B. Kaplan, Ph.D., assistant professor, knew that older people with dementia and their families needed better care. Last fall, backed by a $1 million grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation, he and a colleague launched Supervisory Leaders in Aging, which, ultimately, will improve the care of 100,000 clients annually.
SHOUT-OUTS
 
Every day, Adelphi students, faculty, staff and alumni show their talent and commitment to the community through their achievements on campus and beyond. Here are some recent examples:
 
Jacqueline Jahelka, a junior and captain of the Adelphi women's lacrosse team, was named one of the top NCAA women's lacrosse players in contention for the 2016 Tewaaraton Award for the most outstanding American college lacrosse player, presented by Under Armour, Inc.

A breakthrough study by Michael D'Emic, Ph.D., indicating that dinosaurs were warm-blooded was named one of the top 15 stories of 2015 by Stony Brook University.

Two of the winners of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards are Adelphi alumni. Matthew Hancock '10 won for lead performance in the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center and Sixth Avenue at the Los Angeles LGBT Center's production of Hit the Wall. Tom Buderwitz '82 won for best set design for The Whipping Man, produced by the South Coast Repertory and The Pasadena Playhouse.  
EVENTS 
 
Commencement 2016 
We are thrilled to welcome two extraordinary women leaders as speakers at Adelphi's 120th Commencement on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. Marian Wright Edelman, J.D., founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, and alumna Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the National Book Award for Brown Girl Dreaming, will speak and be presented with honorary degrees. 
 
AUPAC Performances
Performances at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center (AUPAC) this month include:
 
Shawn Mullins, the singer-songwriter best known for his hit "Lullaby." Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m.
Axiom Brass Quintet, called one of the major art music groups in brass chamber music. Saturday, April 9, at 8:00 p.m.
Spring Dance Adelphi: Lar Lubovitch, the semiannual performance by students, Wednesday, April 13-Sunday, April 17. Times vary.
Adelphi Student Composers' Concert, in which faculty members perform student compositions. Friday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m.
The Shadow Box, a performance by Adelphi students in the Black Box Theatre. Tuesday, April 26-Sunday, May 1. Times vary. 
Adelphi Jazz Ensemble, featuring the students of the Department of Music. Friday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. 

Upcoming Lecture 
Europe's Agenda: Migration, Terrorism and Global Challenges by H.E. Ambassador Joćo Vale de Almeida, head of the European Union delegation to the United Nations. Thursday, April 14, at 11:00 a.m. 
 
ADELPHI IN THE NEWS
In March, 24 media stories covering Adelphi appeared in the top 100 national media outlets, with 634 stories appearing in total. In the past month, Adelphi and its experts have been featured in a number of stories. Some highlights of recent coverage include:
Just days after the Brussels terrorist attacks, USA Today  featured a front-page story on how the bombings could affect the ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI over iPhone encryption. Mark Grabowski, J.D.,
 associate professor, who has written extensively about the case, was one of the experts interviewed for the story.  

The Presidential Inauguration ceremony on March 11 received considerable media coverage.
Newsday published articles in its print and online editions. News 12 Long Island, LIHerald.com and FiOS1 News Long Island were among the other media outlets that covered the event.

An article in Newsday, "Certificate programs: A shortcut to new careers," covered Adelphi's online certificate in translation and featured interviews with Shawn W. O'Riley, Ed.D., dean of University College, and alumna Olga Castro, who earned a Certificate in Translation Studies from Adelphi. 

Meredith Whitley, Ph.D., assistant professor, was one of a number of prominent experts featured in an article in theNew York Observer on studies showing how athletic participation boosts career performance.

On March 15, Adelphi hosted its eighth annual Veterans Mental Health Conference, which focused on aging veterans.News 12 Long Island was on hand to cover the event and aired its coverage in four separate segments throughout the day on March 15.