Student Life | ��ƽ��

Beyond the Beach: How Eight ��ƽ�� Students Traded Long Island for the Ultimate Southeast Asian Odyssey

ckatz — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:54:08 +0000

This past August, an intrepid crew of eight ��ƽ�� Panthers—spanning incoming first-year students to seasoned graduate students—ditched our nearby Long Island beaches for an unforgettable, high-octane alternative summer break across Vietnam and Thailand.

Their mission? To dive headfirst into a whirlwind of floating markets, artisanal coffee workshops, overnight cruises, an elephant sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, experiencing firsthand how ancient traditions pulse alongside modern economic booms.

“International experiences broaden students’ perspectives, allowing them to view themselves as global citizens,“ explained Vice President Sentwali Bakari, PhD, vice president for student affairs and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging who accompanied the group. “They foster confidence, self-awareness and a deeper appreciation for friends worldwide.”

The proof? “Currently, these students are using WhatsApp to talk about how they want to visit Vietnam and Thailand again,“ Dr. Bakari added.

According to Dr. Bakari, by directly engaging with other cultures, which is something no formal classroom or campus activity can provide, students gain a broader sense of what’s possible in the world.

For incoming first-year students Jackson Clark, a business major, Sebastian Porter, a political science major, and Alyssa Kirkpatrick, a dance major, the trip also provided a special welcome to ��ƽ��.

“I built instant bonds not just with fellow freshmen, but with upperclassmen who gave me the inside track on ��ƽ�� life,“ Kirkpatrick shared. Clark echoed the sentiment: “I walked onto campus already feeling like a true part of the community.”

First year business major Jackson Clark at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

First Stop: Electric Vietnam

Touching down in Hanoi on August 7, the group hit the ground running with an action-packed itinerary that blended stunning scenery with deep cultural immersion.

“What blew me away was how much we packed in,“ recalled Kirkpatrick. “From local cooking classes to overnight cruises, every single day was an adventure.”

Clark, too, was captivated by the natural beauty of Ha Long Bay. “I enjoyed Vietnam the most due to its gorgeous scenery, walkable cities, and very safe and friendly vibe,” he said. “I’m a business major and this trip has shown me the business and legal opportunities available in Vietnam.”

Political science major Porter reported that he especially enjoyed “the welcoming communal culture of Hanoi,“ and the “stunning scenery of Ha Long Bay,” where an overnight cruise explored the UNESCO World Heritage Site that features more than 2,000 limestone caves and picturesque floating villages.

The journey wasn’t just about sightseeing;—it was about connection. The group led a sunrise tai chi session in Ho Chi Minh City and teamed up with Food Bank Vietnam to prepare meals and engage with visually impaired students.

“That service project was a core memory for me,“ Clark noted.

Key memories for Dr. Bakari included student participation in a case study at Earth Venture Capital in Ho Chi Minh City and their interaction with university students and administrators at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance.

“However, the visits to the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, where Senator John McCain and others were imprisoned during the Vietnam War, and Ha Long Bay were especially powerful,” he recalled.

Next Up: Majestic Thailand

Jetting into Bangkok, Thailand, the squad immersed themselves in a sensory feast: exploring the golden spires of The Grand Palace, the ancient reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, the vibrant Pak Khlong Talat flower market, and the bustling water lanes of the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

They mastered authentic Thai flavors at the Silom Thai Cooking School, connected with local university peers, and capped off the city experience with a magical dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya, known as the River of Kings.

The crown jewel of the Thai leg? A day spent at an ethical elephant sanctuary.

“My absolute favorite moment was being with the elephants,“ noted Kirkpatrick.

A Journey That Changes Everything

Reflecting on the service-learning core of the trip, Kirkpatrick drew inspiration from her own family roots. “My grandparents immigrated from the Philippines with almost nothing. Realizing the privileges I have makes me want to give back every chance I get. This wasn’t just a trip—it was a life-defining experience.”

Dr. Bakari believes this is just the beginning for these global Panthers: “This experience sparks a lifelong curiosity about the world.”

Where Will You Go Next?

Stay tuned to the Center for Student and Community Engagement. The destination for next summer’s alternative break will be revealed midsemester—alongside details for an upcoming winter break excursion to Spain.

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75 Years of Unfiltered Student Voices: Inside ��ƽ��’s Award-Winning Newspaper, The Delphian

ckatz — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:05:54 +0000

Before TikTok, YouTube and the internet took over—before “going viral” and social media algorithms ruled communications—��ƽ�� students had just one place to make noise: The Delphian. Celebrating 75 years on campus, the student paper remains the ultimate forum for raising awareness, highlighting student stories and fighting for causes worth believing in.

A 75-Year Legacy on Campus

Hitting a 75th anniversary isn’t just a fun milestone—it’s a testament to student grit.

Launching right after World War II, The Delphian quickly became the heart of campus conversation. Whenever history unfolded, ��ƽ�� communications, history and political science majors were on the front lines, documenting everything from cafeteria menus to major national turning points like the Vietnam War protests, the Civil Rights Movement, Watergate and the COVID-19 pandemic.

While earlier publications existed—like the ��ƽ�� College Fortnightly (1921–1946) and the ��ƽ�� Guidon (1946–1951)—it was The Delphian that truly took root, growing from a scrappy four-page weekly paper into an award-winning newsroom.

In its very first issue, the inaugural student editors issued a bold call to action that still drives the team today:

“Take notice, ��ƽ��, and give your representative voice all your backing. The Delphian is new, but most of all, the year is new. What better time is there to get those dingy scowls off our faces and ‘do something’?”

Today, The Delphian is winning recognition—including three awards in 2025 from the Press Club of Long Island, and many others over the years, including Best College Newspaper and Best College Reporter.

Time Travel in the Campus Archives

How did past generations handle absolute chaos? In the spring of 2026, Professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD, took students from her sophomore history deep into the archives at Swirbul Library to find out.

Heading down the stairs and into the stacks, students cracked open old issues of The Delphian from the 1960s and 1970s, analyzing how past Panthers reacted to the Vietnam War, the political earthquake of Watergate and the fight for gender equality.

“��ƽ�� was ahead of the curve in many ways with the free speech movement and protesting the Vietnam War,” Dr. Zaccarini explained. “There were incredible insights that made you understand the mindset of the entire community, just like our newspaper today helps us understand who we are right now.”

Launching Real Careers (and Bestselling Authors)

Joining the Delphian team isn’t just an extracurricular—it’s a hands-on career accelerator. You learn how to ask tough questions, connect with people of all kinds, meet real deadlines and lead teams.

Consider Alice Hoffman ’73, ’02 (Hon.). Before she became the New York Times bestselling author of the hit novel Practical Magic, she was sitting in the Delphian newsroom developing her writing voice.

Liza Burby, senior adjunct at ��ƽ�� and faculty adviser for The Delphian from 2013 to 2025, emphasizes that student journalism pushes people out of their comfort zones in the best way possible, preparing them for their careers.

“Having to come up with article ideas, figure out how to get the information you need to tell the story, and then being able to either interview someone on the phone or across a table—those are skills that a lot of people are really hesitant to pursue,” she said.

Professor of communications Paul Thaler, PhD, who preceded Burby as advisor to the paper, sees work on the paper as a powerful rite of passage for students.

“As a student-journalist, you are an active witness to events and also a commentator to ongoing matters of importance on campus, with the power to heighten the collective consciousness of the University,” he said. “In short, a student writing for The Delphian now wears the badge of a journalist—and that is an empowering feeling.”

That culture of mentorship creates a chain reaction where experienced editors help train the newest writers on campus.

“I’ve grown so much as a writer,” said Arpan Josan, a recent editor-in-chief who will graduate in December 2026. “It has challenged me to create meaningful articles and engage with different topics. As an editor, I’ve been able to help younger writers develop their skills while sharpening my own.

The Next Page

The Delphian is not standing still. Current faculty adviser Suzanne Valenza and the student staff are focused on leveling up their digital footprint.

“Our goal is to make the absolute go-to spot for campus news,” Valenza said. “We are building a strong staff with regular meetings in our redesigned office—a space where students can hang out, swap story ideas, debate current events or just kick back with friends.”

Alumni and current students are also invited to celebrate 75 years of student voices at a special anniversary event on October 17 as part of Spirit Weekend.

It’s a homecoming for generations of writers, photographers and designers who left their mark on campus—and proof that student voices at ��ƽ�� continue to shape the future.

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Forget Europe: Why 13 ��ƽ�� Students Swapped Paris for Sharks, Spiders and Australia’s Coral Reefs

tshah — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:26:28 +0000

When most college students plan a study abroad trip, they picture sipping espresso in Italy or riding trains through Europe. But this summer, 13 biology and environmental studies and sciences students chose a slightly different path: wading into the Great Barrier Reef, encountering giant hand-sized spiders and spotting the world’s most dangerous bird.

Students spotted a rare cassowary—the world’s most dangerous bird—in the Daintree Rainforest. The cassowary, although normally shy, can stand up to six feet tall and attack with dagger-like claws.

Led by biology and environmental studies and sciences faculty Aaren Freeman, PhD, Matthias Foellmer, PhD, and Elizabeth Buccheri, PhD, the group embarked on a two-week, hands-on expedition across Australia’s wild ecosystems—earning 2 course credits while having the trip of a lifetime.

Marine Ecology, Biology Research and Snorkeling

The adventure started long before takeoff. During the spring semester, students prepped by learning about marine ecology, practicing their snorkeling skills (with two students even getting SCUBA certified), and drafting their own research plans.

Then came the real world.

“Some had cogent plans, but when they arrived and put their faces in the water, what we thought would be there just wasn’t there,” Dr. Freeman recalled. “Adapting to the differences between planning a research project and the reality of conducting that research was an important field experience take-home academic lesson.”

(From left) ��ƽ�� students Chelsea Javier, Ryan Will and Audrey Cozine after a day of scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef. Students spent up to two hours a day in the water, observing coral atolls and marine wildlife.

Sharks, Giant Spiders and “Indiana Jones” Moments

Base camp for the marine portion of the trip was the Heron Island Research Station, right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Students spent up to two hours a day in the water, swimming alongside sharks, stingrays and skates.

��ƽ�� student John DelCarpine enjoys a gondola high above a eucalyptus forest.

They also witnessed firsthand the harsh impact of climate change and coral bleaching on the 1,400-mile-long Great Barrier Reef—a sobering reminder of the planet’s fragility.

On this visit, Dr. Freeman, was pleasantly surprised at the corals’ resilience. “I remain hopeful,” he said. “But I’m not Pollyanna, the reefs aren’t really doing fine.”

When the group explored the ancient Daintree Rainforest, things were even wilder:

The Cassowary: Students spotted the notoriously elusive—and notoriously powerful—cassowary, officially ranked by the Library of Congress as the world’s most dangerous bird.
The Spiders: Guided by Dr. Foellmer (a terrestrial biologist and insect expert), the team navigated terrain packed with massive arachnids. “I had many interactions with big hairy spiders about the size of my hand,” Dr. Freeman recalled. “One web ended up on my back —with a four-inch spider on it—and made me feel like Indiana Jones. Yet, these spiders were harmless.”
Canopy Views: The crew even hit the hinterlands, riding a gondola high above the canopy of a eucalyptus forest.

Beyond the Lab: Deep Diving Into Culture

It wasn’t all data collection and dodging wildlife. The group spent half a day in Mossman Gorge led by an Aboriginal guide, learning about sacred forests, traditional medicines and ancient toolmaking. Stops in Cairns and Brisbane introduced students to Australia’s vibrant city life and its incredible, Asia-influenced food scene.

For Dr. Buccheri, this kind of trip is full circle. She actually went on ��ƽ��’s 2017 Australia trip as an undergrad, which inspired her to move to Australia, earn her master’s and PhD in reef ecology, and eventually return to ��ƽ�� to teach.

Dining alfresco in the Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest.

Expert Faculty as Australia Guides

Students benefitted not only from their professors’ individual scientific expertise, but also from their experience and knowledge of Australia and the climate change challenges facing its ecologically diverse reefs and rainforests, reflecting ��ƽ��’s commitment to sustainability.

“Each of us has our own area of expertise,” explained Dr. Freeman, a marine ecologist and chair of the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. In 2010, he and Dr. Foellmer, a terrestrial biologist and chair of the Department of Biology, took the first group of ��ƽ�� students to Australia. This year’s was their sixth such trip.

According to Dr. Freeman, Dr. Buccheri’s experience as a student on ��ƽ��’s 2017 Australian alternative break trip was life-changing, as it inspired her to gain expertise in reef ecology and reproductive biology by earning master’s and doctoral degrees in Australia. She is now an adjunct professor in environmental studies and sciences . “She’s a great success story,” he said.

Front left: Professor Matthais Foellmer, PhD, one of three professors serving as a guide, photographs wildlife along the Daintree River.

Next Australian Trek: 2028

For these 13 biology students, the trip was a massive eye-opener. As one student put it: “It will leave such an amazing impact on your life. You’ll want to go back as soon as you get home.”

Dr. Freeman and the department are already planning their next Australian trek for 2028. The Great Barrier Reef, the Milky Way in a clear night sky and a few friendly sharks are waiting.

Students and their ��ƽ�� professors gather at sunset after a day of exploring coral atolls around Heron Island Research Station.

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Award-Winning, Student-Approved: Meet ��ƽ��’s New TikTok-Famous President

tshah — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:16:12 +0000

Ever since graduating cum laude from ��ƽ��, Michael Balboni ’81, JD, has been a proud Panther. He’s served his alma mater in various roles over the years, from adjunct faculty member to parent of an ��ƽ�� student to chair of the board of trustees. And as of June 1, Balboni has taken on a new role: serving as the 11th president of ��ƽ��. This makes him the first Long Island native and the first ��ƽ�� alumnus to serve as president of the University.

Despite these impressive and lofty titles, Balboni has made himself accessible to the ��ƽ�� community. And nowhere is this more evident than his TikTok series, Coffee With the Chair From a Chair. Although it was discontinued after Balboni’s ascension to president, this series offers a glimpse at a president who’s willing to listen to his students, hear their stories and share his own.

Creating a Series for TikTok

TikTok is currently one of the most popular platforms across social media. According to , approximately 63 to 68 percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 use TikTok, with one in five reporting that they use the app “almost constantly.” ��ƽ�� initially lacked a strong TikTok strategy, viewing it as just another hosting platform like YouTube. It was ��ƽ��’s board of trustees who recognized the missed opportunity of using this platform to engage with young people and prospective ��ƽ�� students. Creating TikToks suddenly became a top priority for the University.

The board tasked the Office of University Communications and Marketing with producing TikTok content to share the ��ƽ�� story with young people. In the end, the board chair himself, Michael Balboni, became directly involved in the project. He agreed to a refreshingly simple concept: unscripted, unrehearsed conversations with students over coffee. With near-zero production costs and maximum authenticity, the series Coffee With the Chair From a Chair was born.

Each video featured Balboni chatting comfortably one-to-one with a different ��ƽ�� student at the campus Starbucks. featured ��ƽ�� ’26, a political science major who is now a business graduate student. She discussed her rigorous schedule and her favorite memories at ��ƽ��.

“Having the opportunity to sit down with then-chairman of the board Michael Balboni and be interviewed for the series was a really unique experience. It made University leadership feel much more connected to the student body, and when I learned he would become ��ƽ��’s next president, I genuinely felt like the University was heading in the right direction,” said Munayirji. The video quickly garnered more than 2,500 views.

featured finance major Jerry Iavarone, who talked about his Greek life friends at ��ƽ�� and his family-owned gourmet Italian food market, . Iavarone’s is a favorite spot for many ��ƽ�� students, including, as it turns out, Balboni himself—who remembered going there as an ��ƽ�� student.

“I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect or if I needed to give specific answers to the questions. A few seconds in, I realized the interview was going to be a fun experience after Mr. Balboni brought up Iavarone Bros.”

This video amassed more than 10,000 views, making it ��ƽ��’s top-viewed TikTok at the time.

“I didn’t expect the video to take off like it did,” said Iavarone.

Winning the Circle of Excellence Award

The execution and success of Coffee With the Chair From a Chair earned Balboni’s TikTok series an award nomination from the , a prestigious and global nonprofit association for educational institutions. Coffee With the Chair From a Chair wound up , bronze level, in the Communications/Digital Campaigns (Student-oriented) category. The CASE judges noted, “The concept behind this campaign was great for student engagement, and we were impressed by what they accomplished without adding any extra resources and by getting their board chair to participate.”

“This is a huge honor for our creative team, but it’s also a testament to how impressive our students are,” said Balboni. “The confidence and professionalism they have developed at ��ƽ��, as well as their natural charisma, truly shined in these videos. I had a great time discussing their favorite campus experiences, and I know their future is bright.” Although , this particular victory highlights the University’s success with executing a TikTok strategy—and it also marks a major win for Balboni as he begins his role as president of the University.

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Trustee Leonard C. Achan ’99, and Family Establish the Leonard Achan Family Interfaith Center as a “Beacon of Light for the ��ƽ�� Community”

tshah — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:14:36 +0000

Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam. For trustee and alumnus Leonard C. Achan ’99, who grew up in New York City surrounded by this rich tapestry of faiths, the creation of the Achan Family Interfaith Center “is all about family.”

It is a reflection of his own multicultural, multidenominational family’s passion for philanthropy and community—and their deep, foundational belief that there is but one family of man.

A Multicultural Family Legacy

“I could tell you from being in healthcare my entire life, that we’re all the same. The more we could bring people together from different religions, cultures, and disciplines to show we are all exactly the same, the better the world will be,” Achan insisted. “It’s meaningful, peaceful, and it can heal a lot.”

Achan is proud that his wife, pediatric speech pathologist Kimberly Mayo-Achan and children Lenny III and Katherine, agreed to establish the Center. In fact, they collectively signed their generous donation letter.

He hopes that by representing his family’s own diverse cultural legacy, the Achan Family Interfaith Center “speaks to the generations before me and hopefully to the generations after me.”

A First Generation Student from the Inner City

For Achan, a son of immigrant parents and a self-described inner city youth from Queens, college was an aspiration, rather than an expectation. “Opening that acceptance letter from ��ƽ�� was like a spark of light,” he recalled. “I never thought I might go to college—and ��ƽ�� became a beacon for me.”

Enrolling in the College of Nursing and Public Health gave Achan his first glimpse of how he might achieve his dream of helping people in need.

After graduating, he continued his education by earning a master’s degree in advanced practice nursing and a business degree, as well.. His leadership in health care has been recognized with awards from Crain’s New York Business and Healthcare Leaders of New York.

Today, the ��ƽ�� board of trustees’ secretary is president and CEO of , a nonprofit organ procurement organization, as well as the founding chairman of a digital health organization. He is also a generous benefactor to his alma mater.

An Interfaith Center for All

With their significant gift, Achan Family Interfaith Center shines as a beacon of light for the entire ��ƽ�� community.

“This donation is going to allow students to have deeper, more meaningful experiences with one another,” promised Michael Hoffner, coordinator of ��ƽ��’s Mindfulness Center and Leonard Achan Family Interfaith Center.

According to Hoffner, the Center will enable students to attend retreats, and bring programs to campus that will connect them with their spiritual, faith and religious traditions—while fostering the sense of belonging and purpose that is at the heart of the college experience.

Gifts Honoring His Father, and His Grandmother, a Holocaust Survivor of Auschwitz

Supporting the campus Interfaith Center is not the Achan family’s first major gift. In 2017, the memory of Achan’s father, Leonard Achan, Sr., was honored by a .

In 2024, a second gift from Achan and his wife endowed a scholarship for future mental health counselors studying at the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology. The scholarship memorialize Kimberly Mayo-Achan’s grandmother, Zosia ‘GiGi’ Levine, a Jewish survivor of Auschwitz during the Holocaust, who went on to live a long, fulfilling life as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

When the family considered how they might address a deepening and challenging mental health crisis and shortage of mental health professionals, they were inspired by Gigi. Achan has described how “My family exists because she survived. Helping others create a legacy was the thought behind how we could be supportive.

“Helping even one person makes a difference.”

Fulfilling Dreams for Future ��ƽ�� Students

According to Achan his role as an ��ƽ�� trustee gives him a unique perspective. By remembering his own experience and dreams as a first-generation student, he recognizes how seemingly impossible student dreams will be fulfilled because of the foundation ��ƽ�� provides. And he has committed himself to doing everything he can to help them realize their dreams.

“I feel blessed to give back to ��ƽ�� and blessed to have a career in helping people,” he admitted. “��ƽ�� gave me a platform and opportunity that is the foundation of everything I do today in my community and with my family.”

He uses this platform as a trustee, to champion the goals of ��ƽ��’s strategic plan. By establishing the Achan Family Interfaith Center, he has directly supported the university’s commitment to its inclusive community.

This is, for him—and his family—the right time to create the Center. “When you look at our faculty and students and alumni, when you look at the contributions we are making to society and the world, it’s a moment to scale impact.”

Achan believes that as a place for the ��ƽ�� community to embrace differences, discover commonality, and celebrate and explore individual faith and purpose, the Leonard Achan Family Interfaith Center is doing just that.

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More Voices, More Visions: Research Day Expands Its Horizons

cscala — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:00:17 +0000

��ƽ��’s 23rd annual Research Day, formally known as the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, is expanding in both scope and size this year, encompassing more disciplines and presentations than ever before. On April 28, students, faculty, family, alumni and community members will gather at the Ruth S. Harley University Center to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of hundreds of ��ƽ�� students.

Along with a wide range of e-posters, exhibits and oral presentations from students in the sciences, social sciences and humanities, this year’s Research Day will introduce new events with a particular emphasis on the arts and creative projects, including a 24-Hour Play Festival from theater majors and thesis presentations from art majors.

This year’s conference also offers another exciting first: a keynote address delivered by a Nobel laureate, William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, the Sidney Farber Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, senior physician-scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Kaelin received the . He also recently endowed a prize at ��ƽ�� in honor of his mother, who graduated from ��ƽ�� in 1954.

We spoke with Research Day co-chairs Karolina Lempert, PhD, assistant professor in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, and Wei Liu, PhD, associate professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health, to learn more about the exciting new developments to the conference and ��ƽ��’s commitment to showcasing student-led research.

What are some of the new additions to Research Day this year, particularly those focused on the arts?

Dr. Lempert: For the 24-Hour Play Festival, theater students will write, direct and act in 10-minute plays based on abstracts of research that will be presented at the conference. They’ll receive the abstracts the day before the conference and will only have 24 hours to create and rehearse them before performing in the University Center (UC) ballroom from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be a different kind of presentation and it definitely involves more of the arts, which has generally been less represented at the conference.

Dr. Liu: Another new addition is the Senior Art Gallery Presentations. David Pierce, assistant professor of art and art history, will have seven students present their graduating theses in the UC art gallery from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. While we’ve had students display their art in past conferences, this year, they’re going to be there so they can converse and discuss their work with attendees. We’re also going to have anthropology students from two different culture and society classes display photos from their midterm assignments.

Are these new events the result of an effort to incorporate more creative disciplines in Research Day?

Dr. Liu: ��ƽ�� has always tried to promote interdisciplinary collaboration with the conference, but inevitably there are some departments that have less representation. We’re very lucky to have worked with Laura Mroz [associate director of executive communications], who played a critical role in conducting outreach to other departments.

Dr. Lempert: There’s a norm in the sciences of presenting posters at conferences, while arts students have other ways that they display their work. So I think changing that culture and showcasing arts and humanities may take some time, but this is the start of the effort. This year, we’ll have the biggest representation from those fields so far.

How is ��ƽ�� engaging local high school students as part of the conference?

Dr. Liu: For the first time, we’ll be hosting a for a chance to win a full-tuition scholarship to ��ƽ��. The admissions office, which is sponsoring the competition, is encouraging high school juniors from research classes to submit their abstracts to be presented on conference day. We’ll have judges at the conference who will review their work and select the winner.

How else will the Research Day conference be larger in scope this year?

Dr. Liu: We received approximately 350 abstract submissions—100 more than we usually receive. This marks increased submissions in every single category, including e-posters, oral presentations and computer science exhibits. While we used to host computer science and gaming exhibitions in the charter room on the second floor of the UC, this year, we’ll actually use a bigger space on the first floor to accommodate more participants.

Dr. Lempert: This is also the first year we expanded the event out to the entire UC—not just the second floor—and I think that it will only keep growing.

What are your plans for Research Day going forward?

Dr. Liu: If this year’s conference is a success and we receive positive feedback, we can do even more outreach and incorporate more disciplines next year. We’re also hoping to receive abstracts for new presentation types, such as humanities panel presentations and film presentations.

What do you hope students and attendees take away from Research Day?

Dr. Lempert: I hope the conference empowers students to do research of their own and to engage in their own creative work. I also hope it brings students closer together and helps them see that research is for everyone.

Dr. Liu: I really want students and faculty to take away the message that ��ƽ�� promotes a strong community, and we encourage collaboration and inclusiveness. When we gather post-conference feedback from our presenters, we always hear that they appreciate people outside their own disciplines coming to see their posters or listen to their presentations. It’s just really encouraging, this knowledge-sharing among students and faculty across disciplines.

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Frozen Fields, Fired Up: ��ƽ��’s Spring Title Chase Heats Up Amid the Blizzard

ahassan — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:03 +0000

While a historic blizzard gripped the Northeast, the promise of another championship-caliber spring was already taking shape for ��ƽ�� Athletics.

No. 1-Ranked Men’s Lacrosse Reloads for Defense of Back-to-Back National Championships

The road to an NCAA Division II National Championship runs through Garden City.

Fresh off winning back-to-back national titles, the became the first NCAA Division II team since 2018 and 2019 to repeat, and the first Panther squad to accomplish the feat since 1998 and 1999, under ��ƽ�� Athletic Hall of Famer . The ‘Cats enter the 2026 season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, according to the .

A new face will stand between the pipes following the graduation of National Goalie of the Year , who ranks second among the University’s career save leaders with 797 saves. A competitive “goalie room” featuring four contenders is headlined by , a three-time USA Lacrosse All-American whose collegiate journey has included stops at Belmont Abbey College, Keiser University and The Ohio State University.

While the defense sorts out its next anchor, the offense returns its biggest star.

Kyle Lewis: Tewaaraton Watch List Standout Leads the Midfield

Few moments in ��ƽ��’s athletic history compare to overtime game winner in last spring’s . The strike secured the Panthers’ second consecutive national crown and etched Lewis’ name into program lore.

Now the All-American midfielder enters the 2026 season as the lone Division II player named to the , lacrosse’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. He has also been cited as and headlines a group of .

Women’s Lacrosse Eyes Another Trip to the NCAA Finals

Under three-time national championship coach , has remained the gold standard in Division II. Though the ‘Cats finished as in each of the previous two seasons, falling to the University of Tampa in both instances, the program still boasts a national-best .

in 2026, ��ƽ�� has all three of its All-Americans back from a year ago: , and . Now add and to that, and you have a team leading the country with five USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America selections.

Lionetti was also tagged as the , after earning recognition last spring.

The foundation is in place for another deep postseason push.

��ƽ�� Baseball Begins New Era as Mike Gaffney Takes the Helm as Skipper

Spring also signals a fresh chapter for the .

The Panthers are turning the page following the retirement of , who dedicated 12 years to the program, including five as head coach. During that span, Ianniciello compiled more than 100 career victories, guiding ��ƽ�� to an NE10 Championship final in his debut season as skipper and an NCAA Tournament bid just a year later, off the heels of a 30-15-2 finish in 2022.

Now steps into the ��ƽ�� dugout with his own pedigree.

As a player, Gaffney was chosen in the 13th round by the Kansas City Royals in 2002 and spent five seasons in the organization, reaching the AA level. He built LIU Post into a perennial power during his managerial tenure from 2014 to 2019, guiding the Pioneers through the winningest five-year stretch in program history, capped by a single-season record of 38 victories in 2019 that earned him ECC and ABCA East Region Coach of the Year distinction.

“My family and I are so excited to be a part of ��ƽ��,” Gaffney said. “From my father being a Hall of Famer here to my sons now donning Panther gear, this is truly a full-circle moment for all of us. Our coaching staff will work tirelessly to make this program a success, on and off the diamond.”

His father, , is an ��ƽ�� Athletic Hall of Famer who led the Panthers to a Knickerbocker Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 1977.

Postseason Aspirations: Tennis Hosts at USTA, Golf Builds on Historic Breakthrough

Championship opportunities extend beyond the diamond and turf.

enters the spring unbeaten at a perfect 6-0 against Division II opponents. Later this spring, the team will serve as hosts for the 2026 NE10 Championship at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York, home of the US Open Tennis Championships.

After falling short in last fall’s conference final, the Panthers aim to reclaim both the regular season and tournament titles they captured in .

, meanwhile, continues to build on a historic fall season that saw the program capture its . Just a decade after its inception, the Panthers completed a remarkable rise under head coach , winning the conference crown by 23 strokes and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals this May in Findlay, Ohio.

With a roster that blends award winners and postseason-tested performers, ��ƽ��’s momentum shows no signs of slowing.

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A Quiet Room, a Campuswide Impact: Inside ��ƽ��’s Mindfulness Center

ckatz — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 22:23:32 +0000

On a gray Tuesday afternoon, a handful of students slip into a quiet room on the third floor of the Ruth S. Harley University Center and drop their backpacks by the door. They enter the silence of the Mindfulness Center and sit beneath the room’s canopy, lit by a wall of twinkling lights that change color to set the mood.

As phones go dark and eyes close, Michael Hoffner, the founding coordinator of the center, guides them to be here and in the moment. For half an hour, on a campus and in a culture built on constant doing, the only task is to stop.

Stress Relief From the Pressures of Student Life

College students arrive on campus carrying heavy loads: classes, jobs and family responsibilities. Add pressure to perform well, along with the sense that your future hinges on your actions, and daily life can feel like a pressure cooker.

To address that, many colleges are simply designating “quiet rooms.” But ��ƽ�� has gone a step further by creating a dedicated sanctuary for stress relief. Located within the renovated University Center, the Mindfulness Center—which opened in 2022—is a true retreat featuring soaring ceilings, soft twinkling lights and the calming scent of essential oils. A licensed social worker ordained in the Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Buddhist tradition, Hoffner was a natural choice to shape the new center.

“Integrating mindfulness into the college experience is something that is valuable on so many levels,” Hoffner said. It can transform “the energy of the campus as a whole” when more people show up calmer and more grounded.

The center’s weekly rhythm is simple: drop‑in mindfulness sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hoffner leads the meditations himself, inviting students to set down their to‑do lists, notice their breathing and rest.

For many, that’s an unfamiliar experience.

At ��ƽ��, Achieving Mindfulness Isn’t a Solitary Pursuit

Paloma Jose-Day, a senior majoring in psychology, first tried mindfulness on her own. Like many people, she quickly ran into frustration. Sitting alone with her thoughts didn’t feel calming. It felt impossible, even overwhelming.

Coming to the Mindfulness Center changed that. Practicing in a room with others, supported by Hoffner’s quiet guidance, finally helped her “get it.” The presence of other students made mindfulness feel less like a private test she was failing and more like a shared practice she could grow into over time.

Jose-Day has been going to weekly 30-minute guided sessions at the center since she transferred to ��ƽ�� in Fall 2024. The experience has quietly reshaped her daily habits.

“I didn’t go to the Mindfulness Center to quit my phone, but that’s what happened,” she said. “I’m not reaching for it first thing in the morning anymore. I wake up, stretch, breathe and think about my day instead.” She has stopped doomscrolling while she eats lunch, too, she said. “When I’m eating now, I’m not looking at my phone. Instead, I’m actually enjoying my food.”

Achieving mindfulness can even be part of career preparation. Ryan Mijumbi, MA ’24, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at ��ƽ��’s Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, says the techniques he’s learned at the center will help him in his career.

“The same mindfulness skills I practice here—being aware of myself, the space and the other person—are exactly what I’ll need in the therapy room with my clients,” he said.

It has also made his life better. “For me, the Mindfulness Center is a quiet place where I can step out of the chaos of grad school, breathe and remember that despite everything, it’s going to be okay,” he explained. “Mindfulness didn’t help me pass any tests, but it kept me going when grad school stress and burnout were at their worst.”

Weekend “Retreats”—Right on Campus

Recently, the Mindfulness Center mission has grown.

A weekend mindfulness retreat on campus has drawn about 125 participants over the past two years. Students practice sustained silence, meditation and mindful activities.

An alternative spring break retreat offers an even deeper dive. Hoffner and his team take a small group of students to a Buddhist monastery in the Plum Village tradition. Past trips have gone to retreats in upstate New York and Mississippi. This year, 12 students will spend a week at a monastery in California.

There, they join the daily rhythm of monastic life. Practices that feel strange or uncomfortable to students on the first day often become cherished by the end of the week, Hoffner said. “When it’s time to leave, many students ask the same question: How do I bring this back with me?” he explained.

Building a Mindfulness Community on Campus

Hoffner is now helping launch a mindfulness residential community at ��ƽ��, bringing together a handful of students to live together on campus. Next year, the program will expand into a full‑fledged community.

“Our mindfulness practice is not intended for us to escape the world,” Hoffner said. “It’s actually here to help us encounter the world more deeply so that we’re not running away from the world, we’re actually leaning in and showing up more fully.”

He hopes his students’ experiences will help build a new normal: a community where mindfulness isn’t an escape hatch, but a way of meeting the world with steadiness, courage and care.

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Expanding the Field: ��ƽ�� Launches New Premier Men’s Club Lacrosse and Soccer Teams

tshah — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:59:12 +0000

��ƽ�� believes that athletics are important for every student.

But what if you don’t earn a spot on ��ƽ��’s highly competitive varsity lacrosse or soccer teams?

This fall, there is a solution.

Beginning in Fall 2026, ��ƽ�� will introduce premier club offerings in men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse, creating expanded opportunities for students who want to play in a competitive league, with full-time coaching and intercollegiate games.

The move reflects a broader vision for : To ensure participation in competitive sports remains a defining and accessible part of campus life.

has long played a central role in the identity of the University. With 19 national championships, ��ƽ�� has built a tradition of excellence that resonates well beyond its Garden City campus. The and teams account for a remarkable 10 of those titles, making them two of the most storied programs in the University’s history.

Now that legacy is opening new doors.

Building on ��ƽ��’s Championship Lacrosse and Soccer Tradition

The has begun paving the way for a dynasty, entering the 2026 season as the in the land, after winning back-to-back and , the most recent of which was a 9-8 overtime thriller to stun The University of Tampa in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Interest in the program is at an all-time high, and lacrosse continues to be a hotbed as one of the most popular collegiate sports in the region.

The , which staked its only national championship in 1974 (the University’s first, in fact!), has remained nationally competitive in recent years. Under head coach , the Panthers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times and earned a place in the rankings in five of Book’s eight seasons.

The launch of premier club soccer and lacrosse is not a replacement for that success. Instead, it is an extension of it.

“These premier club sports programs are an extension of the strong campus life that Panther Athletics has always supported,” said , ��ƽ�� director of athletics and campus recreation. “They will complement our varsity, club and intramural offerings and give students another meaningful way to connect with the University through sport.”

What Makes Premier Soccer and Lacrosse Clubs Different

Unlike traditional student-run club teams, ��ƽ��’s premier club programs will have full-time coaches, regular practices and competitive schedules against peer colleges offering similar high-level club experiences.

“These premier club sports serve as an elevated experience,” McCabe discussed. “The professional coaching component is the key differentiator. Students will receive high-quality training and structured competition while still enjoying the flexibility that club sports provide.”

For students who want to continue improving and competing at a high level, this pathway offers another avenue to catch the eye of ��ƽ��’s varsity squads.

“Certainly, for students who want to continually improve at their sport, this provides a unique opportunity to compete after high school and potentially try out for varsity teams.”

Expanding Access and Opportunity in Athletics at ��ƽ��

At its core, this initiative is about widening access.

Competitive sports are often described as one of the most rewarding aspects of college life. ��ƽ��’s leadership believes that experience should not be limited to a select number competing only at the varsity level.

“It’s exciting to know that we will offer athletic opportunities to every kind of athlete,” McCabe noted. “From intramurals to club to varsity, our students will have options to stay active and be part of a vibrant campus community.”

A Model for the Future of College Athletics

Men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse will be the first premier club sports at ��ƽ��, serving as the initial launch of a model designed to expand structured athletic opportunities across campus.

“There are a number of schools offering high-level club experiences like this,” McCabe said. “We look forward to competing with those institutions as schedules are developed and continuing to evaluate how this model may work with other sports.”

The University’s long championship history remains a point of pride. Now, with the launch of premier club sports next fall, that tradition of excellence expands to include even more student-athletes.

At ��ƽ��, the message moving forward is clear: Competitive opportunity and campus engagement can go hand in hand.

And the foundation remains the same.

Athletics are for everyone.

Students interested in learning more can reach out by email or by filling out an interest form:

or email clubmsoc@adelphi.edu
or email clubmlax@adelphi.edu

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��ƽ�� Deltasigs Experience Leadership and Connection at National Conference

tshah — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:27:04 +0000

Last August, Gabrielle Stafford found herself exploring downtown Palm Springs, California with new friends from New Mexico, Arizona and right there in the Golden State—connections she’d made during . Stafford and other members of ��ƽ��’s chapter attended the biennial event, held August 6–10, 2025, thanks to funding from the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, joining hundreds of Deltasigs across the country for four days of networking, leadership workshops and fraternity business. “Being able to meet people through the commonality of Delta Sigma Pi who were from different places and pursuing different careers was definitely the most valuable part,” Stafford says.

For Stafford, the 56th was an opportunity to expand her network and develop her professional skills. As vice president of chapter operations and a voting delegate, Stafford got an inside look at the legislative process. “I was really excited to learn about the process of voting and to be in a parliamentary procedure-style election,” she says. “To be able to think about the operations of the organization and how changes could affect certain things was really valuable.”

Sam Dotterman, an ��ƽ�� Deltasig who attended the conference as an alternate delegate, also enjoyed learning about how organizations function. “That was the best part of the whole conference—hearing what the other chapters across the country are like and how they operate,” he says.

Connecting, Problem-Solving and Plenty of Networking

Talking with other Deltasigs helped ��ƽ�� members brainstorm solutions for issues their chapter faced. “Being able to connect with chapters that are the same size who had the same problem and hearing how they approached it was really valuable,” Stafford says. Those conversations inspired them to build local partnerships for fundraising events and service hours.

Outside of legislative meetings, conference attendees could participate in education sessions led by alumni working in different companies. Sessions covered various business- and career-related topics, such as AI in the workplace, leadership development, how to land competitive internships and networking. Dotterman, who’s interested in a career in financial services, received practical career advice, from how to format his résumé to the importance of applying for internships early.

He also appreciated the opportunity to build networking skills. “I hadn’t had the experience where I’d fly across the country and have to talk to a bunch of new people,” Dotterman says. “That’s a really good skill to develop.”

His networking paid off: He met an alumna on the flight to California who’s helping him apply for an internship.

Founding Deltasig Alumna Sings the Fraternity’s Praises

Networking and professional development opportunities like this are exactly why Deborah Viola ’84, PhD, a founding member of ��ƽ��’s Delta Sigma Pi chapter and current Robert B. Willumstad School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board member, supports events like the Grand Chapter Congress. “Learning how to network when you’re younger is so beneficial—it’s much harder to acquire these skills once you get older,” she says. Many of the relationships she built as a Deltasig continue showing up today. “You may not keep in touch with the folks you aligned with when you were younger every day, but chances are they’re in your field,” she notes.

Social events at the conference facilitated these connections. Stafford’s casual basketball conversation at arcade night with a group of entrepreneurs made it easy to connect with them the next day to learn about their startup. “It made people more approachable,” she says.

Beyond individual connections, the conference format itself helps students develop as business professionals. “Personal and professional growth really comes from attending these conferences and meetings,” Dr. Viola says. “If you’re in business, you really need to understand others’ perspectives, and as a student, you challenge yourself more and appreciate what you’re learning in class.”

To maximize these benefits, Stafford recommends full participation. By attending as many sessions and social events as possible, she met professionals in fields she’s exploring, like forensic accounting. “I’ve been interested in forensic accounting for a while, but it can be hard to find people who are in the field, as it’s a bit more up-and-coming,” Stafford explains. Showing up to events gave her the opportunity to ask a forensic accountant about his experience working in the field. “The things he didn’t like about it were things that really interested me about it, so that was kind of funny,” she says.

Both Stafford and Dotterman returned to campus with strong connections and opportunities to pursue during their time at ��ƽ��. “The experience has really continued to open the door,” Stafford says.

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Beyond the Beach: How Eight �����ƽ�� Students Traded Long Island for the Ultimate Southeast Asian Odyssey