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December 2020

Dear Adelphi Friends and Family, As we head into the holidays, I want to start this letter by wishing you and yours all the joys of the season. Despite the pandemic challenges of 2020, we have a great deal to celebrate here at Adelphi. Our return to campus plan safely met all our milestones thanks to the hard work and dedication of our entire community. Additionally, I want to celebrate the success of some of our recent grads, all of whom are finding—in very different ways—how Adelphi led them to careers of purpose in a challenging and suddenly shifting job market. Meet a young woman who earned her BBA/MA in accounting, and already landed a top job. See how a determined 2020 mental health counseling grad is breaking into the field. Meet a nursing grad who faced pandemic obstacles but is now one of Adelphi’s healthcare heroes, working in intensive care. Read about a computer science grad who found a creative way to switch on his gaming career. And another outstanding highlight to celebrate—from our just-released Class of 2019 Outcomes Report. According to respondents, the average salary of our 2019 baccalaureate graduates is $75,000, and 90 percent of them agree that Adelphi “increased their intellectual curiosity, ability and potential as successful people.” In addition, 90 percent of our 2019 master's graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation. As we look to 2021 with hope, may these reasons to celebrate inspire you as much as they do me. All the best,

Christine M. Riordan, PhD President

Finding meaningful work, and firm resolve, in a tough job market. Still looking for a permanent position where she can get the supervision needed to earn her license as a mental health therapist, Aaiza Kausar ’17, MA ’20, is gaining experience—and strength—as a consultant counseling parents of children with special needs. » Read her story

Persevering to launch a nursing career. Woods Conserve '20 studied to become a nurse while working full time as a medical assistant. Overcoming challenges brought on by the pandemic, he’s now an RN caring for patients in a high-pressure intensive care unit. » Meet him

The way to play the game. Launching a career in the video game industry takes skill. Daniel Hickey ’20 is hoping he’s found a winning strategy by creating his own game development studio while interning for an established one. » Get the score

Becoming an accountant, in a hurry. Jillian Myers ’20 finished her five-year BBA/MBA program in four years, passed the notoriously difficult CPA Exam on her first try, and is now on staff at the Big Four accounting firm of Ernst & Young. » See how she did it

Research: Adelphi’s Pandemic Response Adelphi responded immediately when the coronavirus arrived in the United States, not only by sending supplies and members of our community to the front lines, but by conducting research and providing expert public health information. Read about the University’s actions—and the COVID-related loss of a beloved faculty member—in “Adelphi and the Coronavirus,” a feature article in our Fall 2020 Academic and Creative Research Magazine.

Alumni Making a Difference

Jacqueline Woodson, who studied English at Adelphi and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree from the University in 2016, has won dozens of awards for her books for children, young adults and adults. This October, she added another when she received a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” in recognition of the way she is “redefining children’s and young adult literature to encompass more complex issues and reflect the lives of Black children, teenagers, and families.” Congratulations, Jacqueline, on this prestigious honor!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Adelphi: Across the University, Adelphi is actively working to create change. I invite readers to explore the most recent actions taken—including the formation of an Indigenous Peoples Awareness Coalition—and the progress made since 2015 in providing an environment where every student, faculty and staff member feels appreciated, respected and included.

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 anytime at president@adelphi.edu. You can also follow me on: Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Dr. Riordan is an internationally known expert and frequent speaker on leadership, diversity and inclusion, and career success. She has published nearly 70 academic and business press articles and is authoring Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work—a book on helping employees adapt to the changing workplace. Dr. Riordan’s TEDx talk, “Dare to Be Extraordinary,” has received more than 20,000 views. She has been interviewed by and written articles for media such as the Financial Times, the Harvard Business Review, Forbes and HuffPost. Her work has been cited more than 5,400 times by other authors, and she has appeared in the press more than 130 times. For more information on her research, christineriordan.com.