This year, more than 2,100 Adelphi graduates received degrees at the Commencement ceremonies. Most graduates were from the University鈥檚 College of Nursing and Public Health and the School of Social Work.

Adelphi鈥檚 Class of 2026 represented 60 countries and 29 states, with 1,803 hailing from the State of New York. This year, the graduates ranged from 18 to 73 years old.

On Wednesday, May 19, 54 doctorate degrees were conferred at the Doctoral Hooding ceremony at the 茄子视频 Performing Arts Center (PAC).

Adelphi Leaders Impart Words of Wisdom for Class of 2026

Adelphi’s Interim President Christopher Storm, PhD, addressing the Class of 2026 at the 130th commencement ceremonies.

Christopher Storm, PhD, who has served as Adelphi鈥檚 interim president for the past academic year, addressed the Class of 2026, reminding them that their Adelphi education has prepared them to meet the challenges of the future:

鈥淓arning a college degree is no small feat鈥攊t requires perseverance, resilience and dedication. Each of our graduates here today has shown that and more on their Adelphi journey, and I hope you leave feeling empowered by what you鈥檙e capable of achieving.”

Representatives from the Class of 2026 also shared personal stories and inspiration with fellow graduates from the podium.

Undergraduate Student Government Association President Hussein Ali Rifath walking to the commencement stage.

鈥淥ur story has been one of hard work, grit and determination each and every step of the way,鈥� said undergraduate Hussein Ali Rifath, Adelphi Student Government Association president. 鈥淏ut ultimately, those experiences have touched our lives. My friends, the road that lies ahead is one of hope. It鈥檚 shaped by dreams that lie deep within each and every one of us.鈥�

Emily Ledesma 鈥�25, president of the Graduate Student Council, spoke about how Adelphi鈥檚 inclusivity helped her feel seen and supported.

鈥淚 wish that I could tell first-year Emily that things would be different for a change, and that Adelphi would become more than a university; it would become a place where I felt seen, supported and accepted just as I was, and become a place that I consider a second home, one that is so hard to say goodbye to.鈥�

Joseph W. Westphal 鈥�70, PhD, former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia receiving an honorary degree at Adelphi’s 130th undergraduate ceremony.

During this year鈥檚 Commencement ceremonies, four honorary degrees were awarded to accomplished, inspiring alumni whose work is closely tied to Adelphi鈥檚 mission. Honorees included: Joseph W. Westphal 鈥�70, PhD, former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Serena Martin 鈥�05, founder and executive director of ; Christopher Pappas 鈥�81, a first-generation student who became founder, chairman, president and chief executive officer of ; and Z. Paul Akian 鈥�64, a technologist, entrepreneur and philanthropist who contributed to NASA鈥檚 Apollo Program.

Ambassador Westphal shared, 鈥淭he world does not need more spectators. It needs participants, people willing to engage and work hard and lead and stand for something meaningful. May you have the courage to begin, the strength to continue and the wisdom to enjoy the journey.鈥�

In Pappas鈥� address to the Class of 2026, he encouraged the graduates to strive for excellence. 鈥淲hatever path you choose, do not settle for ordinary. When a door closest, look for the next door, and when it opens, run through it. Today, you mastered your courses. Now go master life.鈥�

President-Elect Michael Balboni ’81, JD, speaking to Adelphi’s Class of 2026 at the 130th commencement ceremonies.

President-Elect Michael Balboni 鈥�81, JD, Adelphi鈥檚 first alumni president, addressed fellow Panthers at the ceremonies, asking them to stay the course and embrace challenges.

鈥淵ou have to embrace what you鈥檝e been given. Recognize it鈥檚 not always going to be a straight line to where you want to go or where you鈥檙e going to wind up. This University will be here for you. Go get 鈥檈m!鈥�

Learn more about 茄子视频鈥檚 130th Commencement.

The post Onward and Upward: Adelphi鈥檚 Class of 2026 Celebrates at 130th Commencement appeared first on 茄子视频.

It was just four years ago, in the spring of 2022, when Adelphi鈥檚 annual Giving Day first reached $500,000 in donations. Two years later, it set a new record of $684,000. Another big jump last year raised the bar to $886,000.

But nothing compares to the totals set this spring, when donations rocketed to $2.28 million, including $1.07 million in outright commitments and $1.2 million in planned gifts. The generosity was spread across the University, as every academic unit and key campaign reached or exceeded its individual fundraising target.

鈥淲ith 1,580 donors and 1,626 gifts, our community demonstrated the true impact of investing in the University we believe in,鈥� said Thomas Kline, EdD, Adelphi鈥檚 vice president of University advancement and external relations. 鈥淭his remarkable generosity is a powerful testament to the transformative potential of our Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact. We are filled with deep gratitude and hope for the future of Adelphi.鈥�

1,896 Minutes鈥攁nd Reasons鈥攖o Give

As it has since Adelphi鈥檚 125th anniversary, Giving Day has lasted a few more than 24 hours, extending to 1,896 minutes to reflect Adelphi鈥檚 founding in 1896.

While the timing has changed, Giving Day at Adelphi has continued to benefit programs and causes across the University. Donations are made to each of the University鈥檚 colleges and schools, athletic programs, the Bridges to Adelphi program for students on the autism spectrum, and causes including the Adelphi Fund, Performing Arts Center, Innovation Center, SPARK Center for undergraduate research, Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, and Panthers Pay It Forward Campaign.

A new challenge was added to Giving Day this year as well鈥攑lanned giving. Thirteen people, including four anonymous donors, met the challenge and committed a total of $1.2 million dollars. The University is proud to recognize all 13 donors as members of the Adelphi Forever Gold Society.

There are many other highlights of this year鈥檚 giving.

The 茄子视频 Honors College received a $45,000 gift from alumni Carole 鈥�64 and Neal 鈥�63 Stuber, and the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business led the University鈥檚 eight schools and colleges, raising $67,335, with generous matching gifts from its Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board, Trustee Kevin Mahony 鈥�83 and an anonymous donor. , always supported by Panther fans, raised $268,504, including $52,775 for men’s soccer and $45,630 for the men鈥檚 golf program.

Every current member of the 茄子视频 Board of Trustees participated, reflecting their ongoing commitment to Adelphi鈥檚 mission. Close to 1,600 donors in all showed their support for Adelphi, including alumni, students and their families, faculty, administrators, staff, and friends of the University. The funds raised will continue advancing Adelphi鈥檚 130-year-old mission to transform student lives through exceptional hands-on learning, extraordinary student experiences, accessible scholarships and academic resources.

The post A Record $2.28 Million Giving Day Reflects the Strong Support for Adelphi and Its Students appeared first on 茄子视频.

Adelphi is making it even easier for working professionals to earn a career-boosting MBA.

Starting this fall, the University’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business鈥攔ecognized as a Best Business School by The Princeton Review for eight years running鈥攚ill begin offering its Flex MBA program at Adelphi’s new Manhattan Center on Fifth Avenue and 44th Street, just steps away from Grand Central Station and easily accessible by subway, bus and commuter train.

The Flex MBA, which can be completed in as little as one year, is designed to meet the schedules of busy, career-minded adults. The program is conveniently presented in a hybrid format, with on-site and online classes held in the evening.

Professionals looking to advance their business career will have three other options at the Manhattan Center starting this fall: graduate certificate programs in business analytics and human resource management, as well as a human resource management concentration in the MA in General Psychology program.

All four programs are also offered at Adelphi’s main campus in Garden City, New York, and are part of a suite of 13 graduate business degree and certificate programs. The Willumstad School is also known for its undergraduate programs and was recently recognized as a Best Undergraduate Business School by Poets&Quants, ranking ahead of all other Long Island institutions.

We spoke with MaryAnne Hyland, PhD, dean of the Willumstad School, to learn more about the programs and the tuition-saving Manhattan Advantage Award scholarships available to Adelphi alumni.

What makes Flex MBA such a flexible option for working professionals?

The Flex MBA program is a 36-credit program that offers many convenient options for students. Students can earn their degree in one year or choose to study part-time in our two-year track. Courses will be in a hybrid format, with some class sessions held in the evening at the Manhattan Center and others conducted online. This setup offers the convenience of online learning with the personalized support and networking associated with in-person classes.

Is the Flex MBA program only for students with a business background?

No, not everyone comes with a business background. We have students with healthcare backgrounds and students with experience in various other fields outside of business, and we help to acclimate them. We provide online modules to help them understand some of the business basics so they’re ready to go once they start the program.

Are the graduate certificate programs flexible too?

We鈥檒l be offering two certificate programs at the Manhattan Center: the business analytics certificate and the human resource management certificate. The courses for those programs fold right into the Flex MBA program. So if a student wants to start out by earning a certificate and then enrolling in the MBA program, they can take these three to four courses, and those credits carry right in. These certificates offer a nice way to test the waters of what it’s like to be in school again and the ability to walk away with a strong credential, even if they don鈥檛 want to pursue a full master鈥檚 degree.

Adelphi alumni can earn their MBA at the Manhattan Center for only $20,000. How is that possible?

We are really excited to offer this opportunity to Adelphi alumni as a way to kick off the opening of the Manhattan Center. It works by combining two scholarships: our new Manhattan Advantage Award scholarship for $10,000 and our Alumni Award for Graduate Study scholarship, which covers $5,000 per year. If students take two years to complete this program on a part-time basis and they receive $5,000 a year in addition to the $10,000, one-time Manhattan Advantage Award, they can complete their degree for under $20,000, which is quite reasonable for an AACSB-accredited [Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business] program.

How does the Flex MBA program differ from other MBA programs?

We are trying to give students the skills that they need to be successful in today’s workplace. The Flex MBA program, for example, is a relatively new program that focuses on solving business problems. We have problem-solving days built into the program where students come in鈥攐utside of their classes鈥攖o work in teams on a project for a real company. They do this first without AI to work on their critical thinking skills, and then they use AI so they can see the differences between what they generated as a team and what AI assisted them with. That’s a distinctive feature of our program that we鈥檙e very proud of. We think it’s unique, and we get great feedback from our students about it.

It’s also the personalized attention that students really say makes their education special and valuable. When we ask students why they chose Adelphi, they almost always mention that it’s a place where professors know your name. There are small classes, and we have dedicated staff there to assist the students with finding jobs and internships.

What are your hopes for the first year of the Flex MBA program at the Manhattan Center?

I hope that it’s a program where students really thrive. My hope would be that the students who participate in this kickoff year of the program have an excellent learning experience in our brand-new, state-of-the-art facility.

The post A More Modern MBA: Adelphi鈥檚 Flex MBA Will Help Students Future-Proof Their Business Careers appeared first on 茄子视频.