March 2017



Transforming Our Students. And Our University, Too.

When I became president of Adelphi in 2015, I knew this was a remarkable university. Small classes, professors who know your name, a passionate commitment to each student succeeding, no matter what their background, ability, interest or income. I saw lives changing for the better, all around me.

This month, I wanted to tell you about how we are working together toward a very powerful and transformative new goal: to move Adelphi University from being a regionally known university into a nationally and globally known modern metropolitan university, able to transform the lives of all its students.

I invite you to look at our new plan at Adelphi.edu/momentum and explore the six goals all of us at Adelphi believe will lay the path for a strong future.

This strategic plan, appropriate for a place of learning, comes with its own report card. You will be able to check back anytime and see the progress we are making on each important initiative.

Each story I share with you below will reflect one of our six goals. I hope these stories help you understand how a goal on a website can change the life of a student in a classroom. That inspires me, and I hope it inspires you.
 
Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.
President
Trending Up: Adelphi Wins Seven Best of Long Island Awards
Our personalized approach to learning is paying off with a record seven wins in the Best of Long Island Awards . Along with Best College or University , which puts us ahead of 19 other colleges, we also took home Best Public Garden, Best Concert Venue, Best Local Live Theater, Best Publicist and Best College Sports Coach. It meant a great deal to me to be named Best College President, but most of all I am thrilled to see that Adelphi is being recognized for making a difference in students' lives.

Shaping Her Success
We are relentlessly dedicated to bringing out the best in our students so that they can shape their own success stories. Danielle Bowen ’16 , a talented ceramicist who dreamed of being a nurse, carved out an incredible path, with our help. This is her story.
GOAL 1: World-Class Academics  
Adelphi is committed to developing new, highly relevant programs for graduate students. One of them is an innovative Manhattan-based M.B.A. program with a global focus . Students will gain an international perspective on business in this highly personalized, hands-on M.B.A. that will use the city as its classroom. The Global M.B.A. is another way that we are creating life-changing experiences for students from all backgrounds. 
 
GOAL 2: Focus on Student Success   Our location in New York provides our students and faculty with exciting opportunities for hands-on learning at world-renowned research facilities like the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Chemistry professor Ivan Fabe Dempsey Hyatt, Ph.D., and his student Marly Medard headed to Brookhaven to work with scientists at the lab's National Synchrotron Light Source II, where they analyzed a new compound Medard had synthesized in Dr. Hyatt's lab.

GOAL 3: Model of Diversity
Becoming a model of diversity and inclusion  means thinking about all types of learners, including students on the autism spectrum.  Our Faculty Center for Professional Excellence is doing just that creating course design that inspires the many students at Adelphi who have learning differences. Our approach to teaching is all about small classes and one-to-one interaction with professors, and although we think that is best for every student, it is an ideal model for students who need specialized supports to succeed. Our new director, Nathalie Zarisfi, is taking this to heart as she steps into the role.  
GOAL 4: Powerfully Connected
The isolation and challenges faced by Long Island nail salon workers —mostly immigrants with limited English—is a crucial problem for our area. Adelphi's Center for Health Innovation has taken the lead on this issue by partnering with the Town of North Hempstead to create information packets in four languages to educate these workers, their families and communities on how to be prepared in the event of an emergency. This is just one inspiring example of how Adelphi is committed to helping people in our community.
GOAL 5: Financial Strength 
Around the University, we’re investing in new labs that will transform students’ experiences. We’re making updates to our Home Health Lab, turning it into a cutting-edge facility for Adelphi’s health informatics students and an even better resource for nursing students. We’re converting an outdated science lab into a new powerhouse facility for anatomy and physiology courses, and we’re adding state-of-the-art capabilities to new math and game design labs. 
GOAL 6: Recognition and Renown  Adelphi’s innovative programs are making news. The College of Nursing and Public Health is ranked in the top 10 in New York State by Niche.com. And Newsday recently highlighted our high-tech approach to preparing students for success as nurse practitioners . The demand for nurse practitioners is spiraling—it is now the second most in-demand health degree in the country, according to USA Today . Adelphi is readying students for the healthcare environment of the future.  
Athletics Update

March Madness and All-Region Honors Have Adelphi Cheering
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association just named eight of our athletes to its All-Region honors.  Along with five other track stars, Emily Hagarty, above, set a new school record in the pentathlon, Victoria Major is the Northeast-10 Conference indoor high jump champion and Mary Camarano took a second nod in the 60-meter hurdles. And we’re rooting for our women’s basketball team, which is heading to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third time in the past four years. Congratulations, all.
Alums Who Make a Difference
We thank  Marc Strachan ’81 for his extraordinary gift—the Adelphi Multicultural Scholarship. Read his story here.
And Please Visit Alumnifire , a powerful new tool to connect us all.
Let's Stay in Touch

I love sharing news about Adelphi. But even better is hearing from you. Please feel free to reach out to me any time at president@adelphi.edu .

You can also follow me on: