Art and Art History Archives | ��Ƶ

Long-Lost 50-Year-Old Adelphi Class Ring Finally Back Where It Belongs Thanks to Some Amateur Sleuthing

yigarcia — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:10:54 +0000

Can a class ring, buried underground for decades, find its way home? This one did.

Mike Johnston, a local metal-detecting enthusiast, discovered a buried ��Ƶ class ring from 1976 in late September. The unexpected recovery sparked a true detective effort to find its rightful owner.

Johnston found the ring at West Hills County Park in Melville, New York, buried “about seven inches down”—like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack. He had only begun pursuing that hobby in January, although “I’ve wanted to do it my whole life.”

In a striking coincidence, the Class of 1976’s 50th Reunion was scheduled for Adelphi’s Spirit Weekend on October 18—just weeks after the discovery.

“I Googled ‘��Ƶ Class of ’76’ and saw that its 50th Reunion was coming up,” Johnston recalled. “I kinda got chills and wanted to track down the owner as soon as possible.”

A Dead End, Then Help From Alumni Relations

The first clue was a dead end, briefly. He connected with Megan Stewart, ��Ƶ’s director of alumni relations, who said that, at first, they thought the initials inside the ring were “LOC.” But after checking the 1976 yearbook, she said, “We couldn’t find a graduate with those initials.”

Once he gave the ring a more thorough cleaning, however, Johnston realized that the initials actually were “LDC.”

That discovery was the key to solving this mystery. Armed with that new info, Stewart resumed sleuthing in the 1976 yearbook on October 1 and was able to match the initials to Lawrence D. Cohen.

Lawrence (known to friends and family as Larry) grew up on Long Island and had died in Florida in 2021. Stewart immediately reached out to Cohen’s widow, Anita, to share the news that her late husband’s Adelphi ring had finally been found.

I turned out that Anita did not even realize his ring had been lost.

“He never mentioned losing his class ring,” Anita said. But the Melville location “made sense,” since he and his family lived in the Melville-Huntington area of Long Island, New York. Interestingly, “Larry was an avid metal-detecting enthusiast,” she recalled. “He had all the equipment and we think he lost his ring while he was metal-detecting in that area.”

Like a “Message From Heaven” From an Alum

Anita was “incredibly moved,” Stewart said. “She couldn’t be happier to have something that belonged to her husband returned to her. She described it as feeling ‘like a message from heaven.'”

Anita reflected on what the discovery meant to her family:

“He left us too soon, in 2021, and to find his ring like this brings him back in our memories. The whole family has had a chance to reminisce. He was very smart, kind and intense, he loved God and made friends everywhere. He was so, so funny, always making everybody laugh. Everyone loved Larry.”

Cohen majored in physical education at Adelphi, but later changed course. “He went on to become a podiatrist and worked in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens, until we moved to Florida in 1996.”

Anita, herself an Adelphi alum, got her bachelor’s degree in fine art and liberal arts in 1982. “I am still an instructor at Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park, Florida,” she said. “I teach painting and drawing to children, and I also teach adults silver metal clay jewelry.”

The Cohen family, left to right: daughter Michelle, Anita and Lawrence Cohen ’76

Missing Spirit Weekend, But There in Spirit

Although both attended Adelphi, the couple didn’t meet on campus.

“We met on Long Island at a Messianic Congregation in 1982,” Anita recalled. “We were inseparable after that.” Married in 1986, they raised a daughter, Michelle, who is now a registered nurse.

While Anita is unable to return to the Garden City campus for the Class of 1976 50th Reunion during Spirit Weekend (October 14 to October 18), Stewart ensured the piece of history would arrive safely.

“We’ll be sending the ring to her in Florida so it can be back with her family where it belongs,” Stewart said.

The Enduring Adelphi Connection

The unearthing of a 50-year-old ring—decades after it slipped away—serves as a poignant bridge between the past and present just as Larry’s classmates gather for their 50th Reunion milestone (to be held October 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.).

For Stewart, the story highlights the strength of the University community. “It feels like a wonderful example of how the Adelphi connection can endure across generations and decades,” she observed.

Thomas Kline, EdD, Adelphi vice president of University advancement and external relations, observed, “To see Lawrence’s ring make this miraculous journey back to Anita against all odds—especially as we approach the Class of 1976’s 50th Reunion—is incredibly inspiring. It is a profound reminder that no matter how much time passes, our Adelphi family remains deeply connected.”

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Echoes of a Single Day: How Adelphi Remembered, Survived and Healed After 9/11

yigarcia — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:04:44 +0000

From classrooms on campus to the upper floors of the World Trade Center, the lives of Adelphi students, faculty, alumni and leadership were irrevocably intersected by catastrophe. Twenty-five years later, their stories reveal how a single morning continues to echo across generations, offering a timeless blueprint of resilience, community and courage.

“Time Seemed to Stand Still”: President Michael Balboni’s Classroom Recollections

For ��Ƶ President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, September 11, 2001, began in a classroom. Then a New York state senator, he was serving as an adjunct faculty member, teaching a political science class on campus, when he received a phone call with the unbelievable news.

“Time seemed to stand still,” President Balboni recalled in a message sent to the Adelphi community on the eve of the 25th anniversary. “In that classroom, fear, confusion and grief washed over us, but so did a profound sense of shared humanity.”

That shared ordeal forged an indelible bond between President Balboni and his students—one he carries with him to this day. In the painful weeks that followed, he attended dozens of memorial services for constituents, neighbors and friends. Yet amid immeasurable sorrow, he discovered enduring hope in the quiet resilience of ordinary people—those who chose, day after day, to board trains back into a city with a smoldering skyline, displaying their own powerful brand of bravery.

For current Adelphi students who were too young to remember or not yet born, President Balboni emphasizes that 9/11 remains an active lesson in human strength. “You do not need to wear a uniform or rush into a burning building to be brave,” he wrote. “Courage is often found in the resolve to keep moving forward, to lend a voice of comfort to those who are grieving, and to show up for your community when it is hardest to do so.”

Inside the Tower: Dr. Nicholas Cagliuso’s Survival and the Lifelong Call to Serve

Nicholas Cagliuso Sr., PhD, MPH

While news was reaching the Adelphi campus, Nicholas Cagliuso Sr., PhD—now an adjunct faculty member in Adelphi’s —was at ground zero itself.

Dr. Cagliuso had recently started a job on the 86th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. He arrived that morning at about 8:20. About 25 minutes later, the plane struck the building.

To Dr. Cagliuso, the initial impact felt like an air conditioner blowing out. Soon, however, thick smoke began to roll in. Looking out the window, he saw desks, tables and office chairs falling past the glass. Acting quickly, he used a hammer to break a floor-to-ceiling window to bring crucial oxygen into the smoky room, creating a rush of wind so powerful it nearly tore a door off its hinges.

As Dr. Cagliuso and two co-workers entered the stairwell to begin their descent, his decade of EMT experience and fire service training kicked in: Assess what is happening, then act.

The journey down was treacherous. As the building shifted, stairwell doors jammed, forcing them to find alternate routes past darkened elevator shafts. Along the way, Dr. Cagliuso stopped to assist when Port Authority police called for CPR-trained responders, helping a struggling women down a flight of stairs.

As he neared the mezzanine, the South Tower collapsed, shaking the North Tower violently. Firefighters breached a wall to redirect evacuees to another staircase. Stepping onto the mezzanine level, Dr. Cagliuso spotted two airplane seats lying amidst the debris.

Finally reaching the street, he fled the complex. Approximately 10 minutes later, the North Tower collapsed. He walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to fire headquarters, eventually reuniting with his wife and father.

Looking back, Dr. Cagliuso does not view September 11 as a sudden turn in his life, but as a “crystallizing moment” that reaffirmed his devotion to public service. Today, he brings that lived experience directly into the Adelphi classroom, teaching emergency management students the practical realities behind safety theories. He stresses preparedness, vigilance and the importance of helping others.

“Our Lives Have Changed”: The View From Campus

Back on campus in Garden City, shock quickly turned to a collective effort to comprehend the tragedy.

Just two weeks into her first year at Adelphi, Amanda Barbieri ’05 watched the chaos unfolding in Lower Manhattan on a television in her dormitory’s common area. The reality hit close to home for the campus community. Many were terrified because they had family members who worked in or around the Twin Towers.

The personal impact was staggering for young students. “It was terrifying because the week before, I had gone up to the observation deck of the Twin Towers,” Barbieri recalled in an interview published this fall on September 10 in USA Today. “I couldn’t imagine getting out of there once you were in.”

Looking back, Barbieri, now a behavioral therapist, noted how profoundly the event shaped her outlook on life. “As a kid, I don’t know if I really understood it yet,” she reflected, fighting back tears. “But I know as I’ve gotten older, nothing is ever promised. That was something that was there one minute, and gone the next, along with the people that were in it.”

The front page of the September 21, 2001, issue of The Delphian

Just 10 days after the towers fell, The Delphian, Adelphi’s student newspaper, captured this exact heartbreak and sense of suspended reality across campus.

“Our Lives Have Changed,” read the bold page one headline of The Delphian. “The death toll is expected to reach ‘the thousands.'” An editorial summarized the inescapable reach of the tragedy across the University community: “There may not be a person at ��Ƶ who has not, in one way or another, been affected by this tragedy.”

Community Members Lost

The fears expressed on the pages of The Delphian were realized for many in the Adelphi family.

Among those lost was James Ostrowski ’88, who was working as a bond broker on the 104th floor of the North Tower at the Cantor Fitzgerald office. When American Airlines Flight 11 struck the building at 8:46 a.m., it hit directly below Cantor’s offices, severing all stairwells and elevator shafts in the impact zone and cutting off any chance of escape. Ostrowski died alongside 657 of his colleagues, just one day before his ninth wedding anniversary. He was 37 years old and left behind his wife and three young children.

Professor of art and art history Christopher Saucedo

Christopher Saucedo, a professor of art and art history who joined Adelphi’s faculty in 2012, lost his brother Gregory, a New York City firefighter, in the attack. Deeply affected by his brother’s death, Professor Saucedo created a series of works honoring him and others who perished that day. The series, Requiem MMI, includes portraits of his brother along with images of the World Trade Center floating on an azure background. Requiem MMI is on view at Adelphi as part of the University’s remembrance on the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Describing the works, Professor Saucedo wrote, “I wanted the works to exist outside of time, both before and after September 11, 2001. I needed it to remind me of the event that changed everything and still not make me sad. Mostly I wanted to see that blue sky and hopefully hear the voice of a cherished friend, if only as a distant echo.”

Twenty-five years later, his story, along with those of President Balboni, Dr. Cagliuso, student journalists and those who perished, form an essential tapestry of Adelphi’s history. They serve as a poignant reminder that while 9/11 reshaped our world forever, the spirit of community, service and quiet courage remains unbroken.

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��Ƶ Welcomes New Faculty for 2026–2027

ckatz — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:01:09 +0000

Stacey Balducci is a clinical assistant professor of health and sport sciences. She began her Adelphi career in 2020 as an adjunct professor in the same department, following a 30-year career as a health educator at Syosset High School. Balducci also serves as assistant director of the Peer Teen Health Symposium, a Northwell Health-affiliated leadership conference for local high school students, and directs the summer day camp at the Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club. Outside of work, she volunteers with residents at Orchard Estate of Woodbury and cooks meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park.

Ez-Zouhra Elmaaiden, PhD, is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. A research and development scientist with multidisciplinary expertise in bioanalysis, preclinical research and formulation development, her work focuses on bioactive compound extraction, molecular biology workflows and cosmeceutical innovation. She holds multiple patents in extraction technologies and natural product development, bringing extensive experience in interdisciplinary project management, commercialization and graduate student mentorship.

Wan Ling Fahrer is a visiting assistant professor of , bringing more than two decades of experience across higher education, K–12 schools, museums and community-based arts learning. Her work centers on art education, museum and object-based learning, and inclusive approaches to contemporary art and pedagogy. She has held appointments at Hunter College, Queens College and the School of Visual Arts, plus museum education roles at institutions including MoMA, the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, the Guggenheim and the New Museum. Fahrer has received the Keith Haring Scholarship Award and multiple outstanding art teacher awards from the NYC Department of Education, and previously served as president of the University Council for Art Education. She holds an MA in Art History from Hunter College and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts.

Marissa Galler, PhD ’26, is a clinical assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. With a clinical background spanning critical care, oncology and palliative care, her research focuses on nurse practitioner communication surrounding end-of-life conversations. An alumna of ��Ƶ, where she earned her PhD, she also holds degrees and advanced certifications from Hofstra University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Thomas Jefferson University and St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing.

Charleen Jacobs-Mcfarlane ’06, PhD ’23, is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. A nurse scientist, adult nurse practitioner and double alumna of ��Ƶ, her clinical practice and research focus on health equity and rare disease care, particularly sickle cell disease. She previously served as a clinician-scientist and nurse practitioner at the Mount Sinai Center for Sickle Cell Disease, a postdoctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a faculty member at Yale University and Columbia University. She earned both her BSN and PhD in nursing from Adelphi.

Susan Kang ’14, MS ’15, DPT, is a clinical assistant professor of health and sport sciences. An Adelphi alumna and former graduate assistant in the Human Performance Lab, Dr. Kang is excited to return to Adelphi and join her colleagues in the exercise science program. Her professional experience spans clinical testing and a variety of rehabilitation settings, including acute care, sports, neuromuscular and cardiac rehabilitation. Through her private practice, Blueprint Performance Physical Therapy, she helps active adults return to the activities and goals that matter most to them. Dr. Kang holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise physiology and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

Kyungmin Lee, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences and sustainability director. Her research spans energy policy, climate policy, urban sustainability and community development, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her recent work focuses on applying AI techniques to analyze public responses to environmental issues through large-scale image analysis. Dr. Lee holds a doctoral degree in energy and environmental policy, a master’s degree in environmental studies, and a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Louise Lee, EdD, is associate professor and founding program director of Adelphi’s new Physician Assistant (PA) Program, to be housed within the College of Nursing and Public Health. Dr. Lee has worked as a PA educator for more than 26 years and as a clinically practicing PA in internal medicine and emergency medicine for nearly 40 years, holding leadership roles including department chair, program director, and director of didactic, clinical and research programs at universities across New England and New York. She has taught clinical medicine, patient assessment, and healthcare law and ethics, among other subjects. Dr. Lee holds a doctorate in education with a focus on higher education leadership, a master’s degree in healthcare administration and a bachelor’s degree in PA practice.

Yongjin Lee, PhD, is an assistant professor of health and sport sciences. Building on a decade as a K–12 physical education teacher and teacher community leader, Dr. Lee’s research examines how teacher and student reflection strengthens social and emotional development and informs curriculum design and instructional strategy. His recent work highlights physical education as a vehicle for building social awareness and responsible decision-making, and he is currently studying how artificial intelligence can support reflection among teachers and students to promote character and ethical growth.

Kathleen O’Connor is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. She is a PhD candidate at ��Ƶ and a nurse practitioner and clinical researcher whose background spans pulmonary medicine, post-operative surgical care and nursing education. She previously served as an adjunct instructor at Adelphi, a nurse practitioner and research coordinator at Northwell Health, and a clinical nurse at the Hospital for Special Surgery. O’Connor’s dissertation is focused on Rosemarie Rizzo Parse, PhD’s humanbecoming paradigm. She currently teaches pharmacology, fundamentals of nursing lab and health assessment lab at the undergraduate level, and her scholarly interests include nursing theory, competency-based nursing education and the human experience of isolation. She earned an MS from Pace University and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Carlos Encina Oleart, PhD, is a visiting associate professor of sociology. A sociologist, journalist and organizational researcher, his work spans policy research, societal analytics, strategic communications and qualitative methodology. As a former investigative journalist and international correspondent for Chile’s La Tercera, he covered major national and global events, including human rights abuses during the Pinochet regime, the 2008 Wall Street financial crisis and international politics. He has advised multinational technology companies on strategic content and taught courses in criminology, gender studies, Latin American politics, the sociology of race and qualitative research methods.

Esi Quaidoo, PhD, is an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics. A registered dietitian nutritionist and public health researcher, her work spans clinical nutrition consulting, community health and dietetic practice. She previously served as a nutrition consultant at Mission Clinic Accra and worked as a researcher and educator at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a PhD in Public Health from UMass Amherst, an MPhil in Human Nutrition from the University of Ghana and a BSc in Biochemistry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology.

K. Lynn Robinson, PhD, is assistant professor of . She holds a PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy (concentration in art education) from The Ohio State University, began her studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Master of Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She brings extensive experience in exhibit design and activation for arts institutions as a curatorial and archival assistant, and as a facilitator of community-based art and teacher development in arts integration. Her research expands the definition of educators to include caregivers exploring the arts and community-based interventions to support a “village” model for young Black learners and their caregivers, within and beyond formal schooling. She serves on the editorial review boards of Art Education, Visual Arts Research and the Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, and as an editorial assistant for the Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education.

Jason Spencer, PhD, is assistant professor of communications, teaching and researching AI, emerging media, podcasting, virtual production and immersive storytelling, with a focus on how AI, XR and adaptive learning can support creative practice, personalized education and public communication. He earned his PhD from Texas A&M University, where his work in virtual production and AI-assisted education produced six intellectual property disclosures. His 20-plus years in film, TV and emerging tech include work with PBS, MTV Networks, Bravo, and documentaries by Blackside and Florentine Films, as well as teaching 1,800-plus students at Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M University, The Art Institutes and CUNY. Dr. Spencer’s current work explores how emerging tech can expand human creativity and learning while preserving human judgment, authorship and agency.

Sloan Vahldieck is an assistant teaching professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. She is a nurse educator and adult nurse practitioner whose career reflects a deep commitment to clinical excellence, student development and community service. She has taught at ��Ƶ since 2018; after discovering how much she loved teaching, Vahldieck returned to graduate school to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Adelphi. As an adult nurse practitioner at St. Francis Hospital, she provides comprehensive occupational health services, diagnostic interpretation and employee wellness support. Her earlier roles in the emergency department shaped her expertise in triage, quality assurance, interdisciplinary teamwork and high‑acuity patient care and developed her focus on initiatives that improve safety, strengthen clinical practice and enhance patient outcomes.

Eric Dean Wilson, PhD, is an assistant professor of English and faculty member in the Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program. He is the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort (Simon & Schuster, 2021), a work of literary nonfiction weaving the science and history of Freon with reflections on living meaningfully in a warming world. His essays have appeared in The Baffler, Orion, Esquire, Time, and Evergreen Review, among other publications. He holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from The New School and a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center, and previously taught at Wagner College. He is currently writing a book-length work of literary nonfiction for Timber Press.

James Zahardis, PhD, is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. He earned his doctorate at the University of Vermont and completed postdoctoral fellowships at both The University of Iowa and the University of Vermont. His research expertise centers on physical chemistry, with specializations in aerosols, mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy.

To learn more about the members of Adelphi’s faculty, visit our Faculty Profiles.

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What Can You Do With an Art Degree?

ckatz — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:48:51 +0000

Never mind the “starving artist” tropes. Declaring an art major is a power move. A creative degree gives students versatile skills for a world that craves innovation, leading to career possibilities that are as diverse as they are exciting.

Art students not only learn how to paint, draw and sculpt—they also learn to think. “The art department prepares students to be creative problem solvers, and we give our art students a wide range of skills based in the studio arts as well as in design, digital art and technology,” said Kellyann Monaghan, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Art History.

Adelphi offers degrees to appeal to different areas of interest, including Studio Art, Graphic Design, Art and Design Education, and Art History. Students benefit from small classes led by successful artists, branding experts and seasoned educators, along with real-world experiences like internships, collaborative mural projects and career preparation courses. “We function like a small art and design school within the larger University,” Monaghan said. Students can develop skills in complementary fields like psychology, business and communications. This flexibility helps them tailor their career paths to their interests.

Those paths are broader than many people assume. Adelphi art alumni work as photographers, art directors, school educators, art therapists, and in many other fields. “Students don’t have to be starving artists,” Monaghan said. “There are lots of different ways for them to make a living in the world.”

Case in point: Meet several Adelphi alums who built a thriving career with their art degree.

Turn a Creative Vision Into a Thriving Agency

Carl Timpone ’08, Portrait, Editorial and Commercial Photographer and Partner at Visual Natives

Photographer graduated at the start of an economic recession. Jobs were scarce, but the creativity and independence Adelphi fostered helped prepare him to think outside the box. He began sneaking backstage at concerts to take photos of musicians, which quickly led to creating album artwork. “My job was just to listen to the music, listen to their lyrics and translate that into a visual form,” Timpone said.

As he gained experience and became more successful, he partnered with a graphic design graduate he met through the music scene and launched an agency——that is still in operation today. Their clients span record labels, the fashion industry, enterprise companies, and legacy artists like Stevie Nicks and Def Leppard. “What I enjoy most about my career at this point is the ability to think quickly and creatively and the human connections that I make with the subjects, even if it’s brief,” he said. And those subjects happen to be Hollywood’s biggest stars, from Cynthia Erivo to Timothée Chalamet, and music industry icons like Post Malone and Chappell Roan.

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Cara Lynch ’12: A Passion for Public Art

cscala — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:09:14 +0000

That’s how Cara Lynch ’12, adjunct ��Ƶ faculty member for the BFA in Studio Art and BA in Art programs, describes her passion for bringing her artistic vision to city blocks, transit stations and public libraries around our region. Receiving public commissions has allowed her to bring a stunning glass skyscape to Newark Penn Station, painted roadways in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and brilliant stairwells in a local public library. She often shares her inspiration in , and brings her art majors along with her to installations, giving them hands-on experience in real-world design challenges.

Here’s a look at her latest projects.

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Reinvention, One Snack Bag at a Time: Insurance Exec-Turned Art Education Student Finds His Creative Path at Adelphi

ckatz — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:00:14 +0000

The connection forged with Briar through art made Ryan wonder if he could take teaching beyond his kitchen table. But to do that, he knew he had to find a way to get an education from his kitchen table.

“I always had a decent way of explaining,” Wosleger says of his 2023 epiphany. “I had the light bulb moment of thinking art and education would be a great path forward.”

Now completing his second year in the online at the ��Ƶ Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, Wosleger has officially abandoned the life of assessing risk for insurance applicants by taking a risk of his own. He’s halfway toward reinvention from insurance underwriter to art teacher.

“Ryan is a model student in our program,” said Courtney Weida, EdD, professor and director of the MA in Art Education Program, “engaging deeply with parenting and art making.”

The Decision to Chart a New Course

While art had always played a role in Wosleger’s world, the Massapequa Park, New York, resident began to elevate its rank in the fall of 2021 when Briar was feeling homesick at nursery school. To cheer her up, Wosleger began drawing bubble letters, cartoons and whimsical creatures on the plain brown bags that held her daily snack. To his surprise, Briar started bringing the artsy sacks home, crumpled and crumb-filled, but cherished, nonetheless. As Briar’s days brightened, the bags also began to fill the blank canvas of Wosleger’s artistic potential.

“If my daughter didn’t throw them out,” Wosleger reasoned, “that meant something.”

As Briar eagerly anticipated what magical design would materialize on the next bag, her dad began to question whether he was happy outside of his life as a father and husband. The grind of corporate America was weighing on him, and the daily drawings became Wosleger’s refuge. Lifted by the reaction to his flourishes of personified fruit, dancing french fries, goofy dinosaurs and more, Wosleger publicly launched his art in September 2023 under the Instagram handle “.”

Wosleger’s story and his brown-bag artistry have captured the attention of the media. In the fall of 2025, he was featured in segments on and .

In addition to bridging home and school, the snack bags began to commemorate family milestones. When Ryan and his wife, Brittany, surprised Briar with tickets to Radio City Music Hall, her bag featured a Rockette. When the surprise was a trip to Disney World, Mickey Mouse and friends served as harbingers. And when Briar asked her dad how to draw the enchanted images, Wosleger’s reinvention took further shape. Within a week of teaching her the crosshatching technique, the underside of finished art that suggests form, Briar began to grasp the skill.

The idea of a mid-career transition was familiar to Wosleger, whose mother became a math educator at age 38. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t scary. Pushing 40, Wosleger feared putting his family in financial jeopardy, but also recognized he had to make a change.

“What I was most scared of was, ‘Will I leave a legacy? Will I leave this planet happy?’” he recalls.

Finding a Fit at Adelphi

With Brittany’s support and his it’s-never-too-late attitude, Wosleger discovered the online art education graduate program at Adelphi and assembled his portfolio. He soon embraced the flexible schedule, which allows him to balance his infant daughter’s nap routine with completing his courses at a pace that makes sense for his family. His professors even reached out when Wosleger was in the hospital for his daughter Cambell’s birth to offer congratulations—and extended deadlines.

“Adelphi,” he says, “has given me the tools and the resources to push myself into the world of education.”

Recently, Wosleger got his first taste of full-time teaching at shortly after resigning from his insurance job in June. His newfound confidence has been transformational. As an undergraduate at Virginia Tech, Wosleger studied graphic design but convinced himself it wasn’t a viable path. He’s proud of the courage it took to finally trade his insurance cohort for Spider-Man, Moana and boba-drinking axolotls. This fall, Wosleger is completing his slate of online classes in preparation for his student teaching. And he’s launched a series of “Art of SnackBagN” events at local libraries, where he shows children the basics of his craft.

Wosleger also has discovered a community of like-minded paper bag creatives. There’s the husband-wife duo “,” who introduced him to the group, and “,” to whom Wosleger refers as the “Yoda of snack bag dads.” That fellow artist reminded him what’s at the heart of his artistic renaissance.

“He said, ‘Focus on what’s really meaningful—making your kids happy.’”

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How Two Adelphi Grads Landed Creative Dream Jobs After College

ckatz — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 18:03:54 +0000

We talked with them to find out how Adelphi prepared them to land their dream jobs.

Samuel Abrams: A Ninja With a BFA

Abrams always knew he wanted to work in the arts. But a trip to when he was 15 years old gave him a clear goal.

“I knew I wanted to work there as soon as I saw it,” he said. “My mom joked, ‘I am going to lose you to this place. You’ll be working here.’”

His mom was right. Abrams is now in the craft department at Universal repairing the elaborate, hand-sculpted fixtures around the theme park. He works nights at various areas in the park, making sure everything is perfect for the next day’s guests.

“We’re like ninjas,” he said. “You can’t work on the cool sculpture stuff in the day when the people are there.”

Abrams works on fixtures in Universal Orlando’s newest theme park, Universal Epic Adventure, which opened last year. He’s worked on sculptures for rides like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, How To Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, and Super Nintendo World, just to name a few. “I work all over,” he said. “Craft workers cover the entire park.”

Abrams earned a BFA in Studio Art at Adelphi. He credits the University for putting him on the path to the Universal job.

“My professors gave me the space to grow as an artist,” he said. “They let me work in whatever medium I wanted, even unconventional media.”

He said his professors initially encouraged him to be a fine artist. “I explained that I like the idea of gallery art, but I really wanted to make stuff for film and TV,” he said. “I wanted people to be able to touch my work and enjoy it.” His professors supported his goal and helped him do more applied work, he said. “Once they understood what I wanted, they helped me develop the skills I needed to get there.”

With his professors’ support, his senior thesis was a collection of sculptures of imaginary creatures that won the University’s Thomas McNulty Award for Excellence in Sculpture. After graduation, Abrams did gig work for two years, making store displays and props for TV shows and movies around New York. He landed a staff position at Universal last fall, and he loves his work.

“This is my dream job,” he said. “If Adelphi didn’t let me have the freedom to do what I wanted, I wouldn’t have gotten the position I have now,” Abrams said.

His mom doesn’t mind that, as she predicted, her son went to Florida to work at Universal. “I get her free tickets to the park whenever she comes down to visit, so she forgives me,” Abrams explained.

Daniel Hickey: “Learning to be independent and teach myself”

Hickey is a technical designer for , where he works on the Zombies and Warzone modes of the popular video game Call of Duty. His mission there includes general programming and design work on quests in the game’s Zombies mode and on the seasonal updates of the Warzone mode.

“This is the job I always wanted,” he said. “I always wanted to be in the game industry, and I always wanted to be at the center of it all.”

High Moon Studios wasn’t the first step in his career, though. Graduating from Adelphi at the height of the pandemic, he got together with two friends to work on games and build their résumés. It paid off, helping him land a contract to work as a programmer and designer on Postal 4: No Regrets, the first-shooter game from Running With Scissors.

“That was a fun time, because I’m very, very locked in and focused on the action of video games,” Hickey said. “Anything to do with player combat is where I want to be in the driver’s seat of design and programming-wise.” Then he spent 10 months working for Mob Games on its Poppy Playtime game. All the indie work gave him a résumé that helped him land the job at High Moon, he said.

That same energy and drive had pushed Hickey to transfer to Adelphi from the New York City College of Technology to take advantage of the University’s new minor in video game design. Hickey majored in information systems, and said the program was solid preparation for being a game developer. “It’s a blend of business operation and computer science,” he said.

The skills he learned in the program have made him better able to work in the highly collaborative atmosphere of game development, where programmers, artists, sound designers and other teams work together to create the final product. “I learned to communicate with everybody, which helps us work smoothly,” he said.

Hickey said he was able to get the personal attention at Adelphi that he needed to succeed. “The school let me get close to all of my professors,” he said. “Honestly, I wasn’t the best student. I only saw school as a formality; I just wanted to make games.” His professors helped him channel his desire for hands-on experience and encouraged his entrepreneurial streak by pointing him toward clubs and independent studies.

Taking his professor’s advice, he dove into extracurricular activities. He got an internship with the , which runs esports tournaments, and founded Adelphi’s Esports club. He did so well in the internship that his boss recommended him for a position as a student ambassador for Unity Technologies, which connected him with game creators around the world. He became president of the campus chapter of the , turning the club into a group where students could work together on projects in the game development lab on campus. And he was a teaching assistant for Professor Lee Stemkoski, PhD’s video game course in Adelphi’s Pre-College Program.

One of the most important lessons he learned at Adelphi? “Dr. Stemkoski encouraged me to be independent and teach myself,” he said. “That’s a skill that keeps you learning for your entire life, even when you are out of school.”

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Students Find Community and Creativity at Adelphi’s Innovation Center

yigarcia — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:10:04 +0000

When Adelphi students talk about the Innovation Center, one word is consistently mentioned: community.

Located inside Swirbul Library, the Center doesn’t feel like your usual classroom—it’s a flexible space designed to meet the needs of all students. The Center supports hands-on projects, research and creative work while offering opportunities to engage with leading-edge technologies in its key focus areas: artificial intelligence, extended reality and digital studies. Some students come to experiment with cutting-edge technology, while others arrive seeking a space to think differently and connect across disciplines.

“The mission of the Innovation Center is to empower the University community via interdisciplinary thinking and leading-edge technology in order to take on the challenges of our ever-changing world,” said Lee Stemkoski, PhD, director of the Innovation Center and professor and associate chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. “We inspire, support and showcase innovative and interdisciplinary activities within the University and in cooperation with industry and community partners.”

That mission comes to life every day—making the Innovation Center one of the most dynamic spots on campus.

A Place for All Majors to Gather

For Katelyn Schwab ’25, who majored in psychology and minored in social work, the Innovation Center wasn’t an obvious destination. She first walked in while reporting a story for The Delphian, Adelphi’s student newspaper. That one assignment led her to a campus job and eventually a deeper connection to the Center.

“As a psychology major, I wasn’t sure if I’d feel like I fit in at a space that seemed focused on tech and innovation. But when I got there, I immediately felt accepted,” Schwab said. It was one of the few places on campus where your major didn’t matter. That sense of inclusion and creative freedom really drew me in.”

Schwab said the Center gave her confidence and leadership skills she plans to carry into her future career in counseling. “It felt alive and personal in a way that traditional classroom learning rarely does,” she said.

A “Third Space” for Big Ideas

Ovundah Okene Jr., an interdisciplinary major in mathematics, art and computer science, describes the Center as a “third space”—somewhere between home and the classroom.

“It’s an ambient space like a coffee shop,” Okene said. “Ultimately the atmosphere is calm and inviting for all regardless of majors.”

One moment in particular that stuck with him was watching high school students tackle wildfire prediction during a hackathon in which they came up with a database model to track vegetation and forecast fire paths. “The determination in their eyes to complete their work in the time crunch, high-pressure event was inspiring,” Okune said.

That same spirit of exploration and persistence pushed Okune to rethink his own path. What began as curiosity soon became transformation. “I was following the will of my parents and was going to be a doctor,” he said. “My time at the Innovation Center made me see that one day I could also make a fine professor or a game developer … I’m glad I stumbled into Professor Stemkoski’s office that day.”

Turning Passion into Action

For Christopher Sciortino ’25, a computer science major now pursuing his master’s degree at Adelphi, the Innovation Center became the perfect place to share his passion for video game design.

“I hosted an interactive video game design workshop at the Innovation Center. It went so well, I ended up hosting part two of the workshop,” Sciortino said. “The Innovation Center provided the support and community to help me share my knowledge.

Those workshops not only connected him with other students who share his interest in gaming and artificial intelligence, but also improved his own skills. “The Center has opened my eyes to how many different disciplines utilize the different technologies we showcase at the Center,” Sciortino said.

Preparing for Future Careers

What makes the Innovation Center stand out, students say, is that it prepares them for more than just the next exam. Whether it’s learning how to collaborate or finding the courage to chase a new career path—the lessons go beyond the classroom.

“The Innovation Center is a special place,” Sciortino said. “I see it as the hub for innovation, collaboration and growth for both students and professors.”

Okene put it simply: “It’s my home away from home.”

And for Schwab, it’s proof that innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. “It’s one of the few places on campus that breaks down barriers between majors and encourages everyone to work together. It makes Adelphi feel more connected, more creative and more human,” she said. “If you’re curious, creative or just looking for somewhere to belong, you’ll find your place here.”

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College of Arts and Sciences Students Go Out of the Classroom and Into the World

mshamsiev — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:07 +0000

From as near as New York City to overseas in Poland, students at Adelphi have traveled far and wide to build on their academic learning. Taking opportunities like these allows students to take a closer look into what they’re learning, like job shadowing, interning and even participating in a contest. All these collective experiences inspire students to go further and dream bigger.

Theater Tech With the Pros

Riley Oberting

Riley Oberting, now a senior double majoring in theatre technology and design and graphic design, got the opportunity to learn about sound design and lighting from professionals at the , the O’Neill is the country’s preeminent organization dedicated to the development of new works and new voices for the stage. He attended workshops and master classes and job shadowed sound designers.

The opportunity came about as a result of his work for Adelphi’s Department of Theatre. For 2023 and 2024, Oberting was awarded first place for his sound design at the . His win this year for his sound design for the Adelphi production of Men on Boats earned him a fellowship at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

Oberting said his experience at the O’Neill “has allowed me to expand my knowledge past what is taught at Adelphi [as well as] my professional network before I’ve even graduated … [and] has truly changed my perspective on theatrical and live sound and made me love it even more.”

Getting Political in D.C.

Vanessa Desrosiers

Vanessa Desrosiers, now an Adelphi senior, is majoring in political science and minoring in cybersecurity. She is on the pre-law studies track and is planning to take the LSAT and apply to law schools. This summer, she got an inside look at the workings of a public relations defense lobbying firm, , in Arlington, Virginia.

Her day as a research analyst intern at The Potomac Advocates consisted of calling and drafting emails to congressional offices, collecting National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and appropriations forms for clients, cyber reports, going to congressional hearings and drafting reports, working on the federal defense budget, and attending networking events, where she met a lot of people in the defense industry.

She said she had always hoped for an opportunity such as this one to come around. “This was a period of growth that I never expected but [was] so happy I got to experience,” Desrosiers said. Her long-term goal is to become a lawyer and then start her own nonprofit for immigrant kids.

Houston, We Have a Competition

Christopher Sciortino

Christopher Sciortino is an Adelphi senior studying computer science with a minor in mathematics. He has a passion for game development and a love of programming. When Kevin Liang, PhD, assistant professor of physics, put forth the idea of competing in a NASA competition presented to university students in the United States, Sciortino and six other students accepted the challenge. The students were asked to take one of NASA’s IPs (intellectual property) and come up with some type of invention with it. Not only does this require a business and marketing plan, but also writing skills, technical skills and teamwork. After presenting in front of NASA-appointed judges, they would determine a winning team and runner-up to be sent to California to the AMES Research Center to further continue their business.

Sciortino’s team came up with a mobile carbon capture device to reduce emissions from trucks. They were accepted and invited to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to present their idea.

“When I said success stems from a good team, I meant it,” Sciortino said. “Not only did I work with amazing friends, but Dr. Liang was a crucial part of our success.” Although they didn’t win, Sciortino says he and his team learned a lot and made many great connections.

To Poland and Back

Faria Rahman Oyshi

Faria Rahman Oyshi is an international student and senior majoring in biochemistry Her love for cooking and baking led her into the field, where she now works in the stockroom and as a laboratory teaching assistant in the chemistry department. Recently, she had the opportunity to go abroad to Poland for her second consecutive summer, thanks to professor of chemistry Justyna Widera-Kalinoska, PhD’s and support from the College of Arts and Sciences Student Excellence Fund. During this trip, Oyshi conducted research at the University of Warsaw. This program allowed her not only to learn and execute research projects, but to learn about the scientific heritage of Poland. “For me, research has always been fun whilst also allowing me to contribute to the wellness of society and the environment,” Oyshi said.

The research project she joined focused on developing semiconductor electrode materials for photo-electrochemical water splitting, a field promising groundbreaking advancements in hydrogen fuel production. She had the opportunity to collaborate and strengthen her skills, allowing her to flourish and think outside the box.

“Conducting research in Poland for two consecutive summers not only allowed me to have hands-on experiences with advanced instrumentations and techniques, but also to shape and strengthen my research skills, building me as a competitive candidate for PhD programs and future research positions as a scientist.”

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Patterns of Connection

edinda — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 18:35:13 +0000

Robyn Cooper ’09, senior adjunct professor, an artist who has for the last decade been a member of ��Ƶ’s Department of Art and Art History, embarked on a project nearly 10 years ago——that uses patterns and collaborative creativity to produce one-of-a-kind works of art that are a testament to personal connection.

We asked Cooper about her art and her inspiration for this meaningful project.

Tell us a bit about yourself as an artist and an art educator

I earned my Master of Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2012 and I’m actually an ��Ƶ alum! I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2009. I have been teaching for more than 10 years across Long Island and have been teaching at Adelphi in the Department of Art and Art History since 2014. In 2022, I started Protégé Art Studio, where I teach classes and workshops to adults. My goal is to make art more accessible to everyone. I am a painter and have experience working in acrylic, oil and gouache paint, in addition to drawing and digital media. I don’t think I can pick a favorite medium as it truly depends on what I’m working on at the moment. In my personal work, I am interested in exploring: family, relationships, the idea of home, community, love, loneliness, isolation, humor, sadness, happiness, food and gathering around the table.

What gave you the idea to start the To Robyn With Love project?

is a collaborative project that was derived from my need to feel more connected to those around me after the loss of my grandfather in 2015. Each postcard has an original pattern I designed that serves as a starting point for inspiration. Once complete, I ask for the piece to be titled, their connection to me recorded and then mailed back to me. When I receive each postcard, it reminds me that I’m never truly alone.

How do you decide on the pattern you will draw to begin each postcard project?

I took a lot of inspiration from coloring books, wallpaper designs, architecture and nature. I wanted them to each feel unique so participants could simply follow the pattern by coloring it in or create a completely new design right on top of the existing pattern.

Who was the first person you sent a postcard to and when? How many have you sent since that time and how do you choose who to send them to?

I think my family was the first to participate. They are the source of inspiration for what I do so it feels only right they get to be the ones to experience something first. I don’t have an exact number of how many I have sent but I would estimate hundreds. Anyone can participate! Some are from family and friends, others from friends of friends, people on social media and even an entire fourth-grade class. Participants’ ages range from 4 to 90 years old.

Do you have any favorite finished projects?

The ones my family did, especially my grandparents, are special to me but I honestly love all of them. It makes me realize how much community and love and support I have. You share your love with me by participating; I share mine back by painting a rock on top.

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