How does this specific trip to Italy align with the College’s mission to prepare future leaders and professionals for a globalized world?

aligns closely with the College’s mission by preparing students to become future leaders and professionals who can work effectively in a globalized world. The program is intentionally designed to move learning beyond the classroom by placing students in environments where history, culture, education, community and daily routines are experienced as interconnected realities rather than separate systems. Through visits to schools, historically significant sites and engagement with daily life, students encounter firsthand how social values, historical development and local resources shape approaches to education and everyday practices. These experiences allow students to see that professional practice is always embedded within cultural and social contexts, often shaped by constraints and priorities that differ from those in the United States.

Working in unfamiliar linguistic and cultural settings requires students to adapt, communicate across differences and reconsider assumptions they may have previously taken for granted. Rather than observing passively, students engage in structured reflection and faculty-guided discussion that connect daily experiences to their emerging professional roles. They examine how professional practices are influenced by history, policy and community expectations, and consider how these insights inform their own future work with diverse populations.

As a result, students develop not only cultural awareness but also practical judgment, flexibility and ethical sensitivity, capacities that are essential for professionals who will serve increasingly diverse communities. More importantly, the experience helps students recognize that effective professional practice requires the ability to understand context, listen across difference and respond thoughtfully rather than relying on a single model or assumption. In this way, the program advances the College’s commitment to educating professionals and leaders who are prepared to navigate complexity, engage responsibly with diverse communities and contribute meaningfully to an interconnected world.

Why was Italy chosen as the flagship destination for this faculty-led initiative?

Italy was chosen as our destination because it offers a uniquely layered learning environment that allows students to examine how culture and community are shaped over time and across civilizations. As a crossroads of Mediterranean, European and global exchange, Italy has played a significant role in the development of many ideas, institutions and artistic traditions that have influenced Western societies, while itself being shaped by interactions with other civilizations through trade, migration, religion and conquest. This historical layering provides an ideal context for helping students understand that contemporary professional practices do not emerge in isolation, but are the result of ongoing cultural dialogue and adaptation.

Italy’s cities and regions offer living classrooms where ancient traditions coexist with modern systems. Walkable urban spaces, strong regional identities, and a cultural emphasis on family, community and everyday well-being allow students to observe learning, care and social relationships as lived practices rather than abstract institutional models. Within a relatively compact geography, students can engage with schools, cultural institutions and community settings, making Italy especially well suited for a short-term program that seeks depth rather than superficial exposure.

Italy was also selected with equity and access in mind. Many of our students come from Italian or broader European heritage backgrounds, yet would not otherwise have the opportunity to engage meaningfully with this heritage through an academically structured, faculty-guided experience. At the same time, for students without personal or familial ties to Italy, the program offers an accessible entry point into global learning, one that combines cultural richness, linguistic diversity and strong infrastructure in a way that supports first-time international travelers. Without a college-organized program, financial, logistical and experiential barriers would prevent many students from participating in study abroad at all.

Taken together, Italy provides a powerful setting for a flagship program because it allows students to explore how historical depth, cultural exchange and contemporary professional practice intersect. The destination supports the College’s commitment to preparing future leaders and professionals who can understand complexity, appreciate multiple perspectives and apply culturally responsive thinking in an interconnected global context.

Does the program provide opportunities for education students to observe classroom instruction and student learning in local schools?

Yes. The program provides education students with opportunities to observe both elementary and secondary school settings in Italy. During these visits, students are able to observe classroom instruction, student engagement and teaching approaches within a different cultural and educational context. These observations allow participants to compare instructional practices, classroom organization and student-teacher interactions with those commonly found in the United States.

In addition to observation, students have opportunities, when appropriate, to interact with Italian students and educators. These interactions allow for informal exchanges about school life, learning expectations and cultural perspectives on education. Faculty-guided reflection following the visits helps students connect what they observe to their own developing teaching philosophy, encouraging them to consider how cultural, social and policy contexts influence educational practice. As a result, the experience supports the development of culturally responsive perspectives and broadens students’ understanding of teaching and learning in diverse settings.

For health science students, does this trip help them compare the Italian healthcare system or wellness culture with the U.S. model?

While students do not formally observe the Italian healthcare system or clinical settings—as we are not allowed to have access to healthcare facilities—the trip provides meaningful opportunities for students to examine broader concepts of wellness and well-being within the Italian cultural context. Students observe how health is embedded in everyday life through dietary practices, food preparation and social routines centered around meals and community interaction. Activities such as cooking classes and discussions of regional food traditions allow students to explore the relationship between nutrition, lifestyle and preventive approaches to health.

In addition, students observe patterns related to walkable cities, daily physical activity, social connectedness and the pace of daily life, all of which contribute to broader understandings of wellness beyond clinical care. Faculty-guided discussions encourage students to reflect on how cultural values, environment and lifestyle influence health outcomes, and to compare these observations with prevailing models in the United States that often emphasize treatment rather than prevention.

Through these experiences, students gain a more holistic perspective on health and well-being, recognizing that healthcare systems operate within cultural and social frameworks. This comparative perspective helps students consider how lifestyle, community practices and cultural attitudes toward health may inform future professional practice in diverse populations.

In what ways does navigating a foreign country help our students become more empathetic educators or healthcare providers when they return to diverse New York communities?

Navigating Italy places students in the position of linguistic and cultural outsiders. They must ask for help, interpret unfamiliar cues and manage moments of uncertainty. These experiences foster humility, patience and perspective-taking. When students return to New York, they carry a deeper understanding of what it feels like to navigate systems that were not designed with them in mind. This lived empathy translates into more responsive teaching, more compassionate care and greater sensitivity to the experiences of multilingual, immigrant and culturally diverse populations.

What is one “off-the-syllabus” experience you hope every student has while in Italy?

I hope every student has a moment of genuine connection in an ordinary setting, a conversation with a local shopkeeper, a shared meal, a moment of misunderstanding that turns into insight. These unscripted encounters often become the most meaningful learning moments. When students pause, reflect and talk through these experiences together, they begin to see how learning happens not only in classrooms, but in everyday human interaction.

How can students best translate this short-term Intersession experience onto a résumé or into a talking point during a job interview?

Students can frame this experience as evidence of global competence, adaptability and reflective practice. Rather than presenting the experience simply as travel, they are encouraged to articulate the specific skills developed through the program, including cross-cultural communication, careful observation, ethical awareness and teamwork in unfamiliar environments. In interviews and professional settings, students can draw on concrete examples of how navigating new cultural and social contexts in Italy challenged their assumptions, required flexibility in communication and problem-solving, and strengthened their ability to work thoughtfully and respectfully with diverse populations.

If you were a student again today, what part of this trip’s itinerary would you be most excited about?

I would be most excited about the moments that blend learning with lived experience, walking through historic cities, observing daily life, visiting schools and engaging in conversations that connect past and present. These are the moments when assumptions become visible and open to reflection, and learning feels alive. They are also the moments that stay with you long after the trip ends.

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The Teacher Pipeline program does more than address today’s national teacher shortage crisis. As a “grow your own” initiative, it creates a direct pathway from local high schools to Adelphi’s Scholar Teacher Education Program (STEP), an accelerated program that grants students undergraduate and graduate teaching degrees in just five years, saving them time and tuition.

“It’s connecting two ends of a pipeline,” said Emily Kang, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs at the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, the program’s creator. “Though Adelphi has strong numbers in our undergraduate teaching programs, we’re always looking to recruit more young people who are enthusiastic about the field. Now, high school students who want to start their careers early can do so while earning college credit.”

A Pipeline That Benefits Everyone

Dr. Kang calls the program a “win-win” for both high schoolers and Adelphi’s education department. In addition to training the next generation of qualified educators, it’s also enhancing engagement, academic interest and retention within high schools by putting career opportunities front and center. Research has shown that high school seniors tend to experience a drop in motivation, leading to lower retention rates by graduation. But for the students enrolled in the Teacher Pipeline program, “everything they do counts,” Dr. Kang said. “They’re seeing the fruits of their labor immediately.” With the program’s headstart, they’ll also be able to earn a college degree in three years, reducing the time and cost barriers that keep many interested students from pursuing teaching careers.

Built to Serve Each District’s Needs

There’s no “one size fits all” model for the Teacher Pipeline. Adelphi worked with partner school districts—including Freeport, Mineola and East Meadow—to develop different models that meet each district’s needs. Students in Mineola schools are bused to Adelphi four days a week to take Adelphi courses, for instance, while Freeport students are bused twice a week. Meanwhile, students in East Meadow take equivalent courses at their home schools, taught by qualified district personnel. Courses cover the fundamentals a high schooler would need to proceed through STEP, such as community, schools and society; adolescent/child development; sociolinguistics and children with special needs.

Field experience is also a core component of the program. One day a week, students observe K–12 classrooms in their home districts, gaining hands-on experience while strengthening connections to their communities and potential future employers.

Sparking “Remarkable Growth” in High School Students

Pipeline students receive plenty of support on their journey. As soon as they join the program, they’re able to access all of Adelphi’s regular support services, from writing and subject-specific tutoring to assistance from the Student Access Office. Within the program, they benefit from mentor relationships with Adelphi faculty, as well as their own peer networks. According to Dr. Kang, ties between participating students are incredibly strong. “They’re gathering together to help each other out with assignments,” she said. “We’ve seen remarkable growth in terms of maturity and community.”

LaShonda Gardenhire, an adviser at Freeport High School, says her students are so excited about the program—and their own growth—that they’re spreading the word themselves. “We’re seeing an increase in hard skills like academic ability. Students are engaging with educational pedagogy at a level beyond what we’d ever expect from teenagers.” Participants’ soft skills are evolving, too. Gardenhire reports an increase in confidence, public speaking aptitude and eagerness to take on leadership roles within the district and the local community.

For Communities, by Communities

Once Pipeline participants complete their undergraduate degrees, they can go on to a one-year graduate program that prepares them to acquire New York state licensure and a master’s degree—and return to teach in their home districts, resulting in a cycle of community-based educator development that can be repeated year after year.

“If you know the community you’re teaching in, you know how to work within it,” Dr. Kang noted. “This program is diversifying the workforce while minimizing that transitional shock for new teachers.”

The value of recruiting teachers to lead classrooms where they once learned is “not even quantifiable,” Gardenhire said. “They’re bringing an emotional investment in their community, a place where they grew up and probably still have family. And by coming full circle, they’re making a huge impact on their students. They are their own success stories. They can say to their students, ‘I sat in that seat. I went through this system. And look at me now.’”

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Resolving child malnutrition requires identifying the most significant contributing factors, which can then be used to develop effective, targeted programs. To take on that challenge, Dr. Antony and his research team created a novel scoring framework, which was published in the article “” in Frontiers in Public Health (October 15, 2025).¹

Bridging the Gap Between Data and Reality

RISE (Relevance-based Integration of Statistics and Expertise) is a scoring system that prioritizes the most important factors driving malnutrition in children ages 0 to 23 months. While earlier frameworks relied solely on machine learning to identify these determinants, RISE integrates real-world data from the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre at KR District Hospital in Mysore, India.

Machine learning models play a valuable role, but they often prioritize variables that improve prediction performance yet overlook social realities. “You’re not only relying on numbers—you’re also giving importance to real-world clinical experiences and established scientific evidence to interpret the findings,” Dr. Antony said.

RISE combines three layers of analysis to create its scoring system. First, researchers took hospital records from 206 children admitted to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre between March 2024 and January 2025 who had been identified with moderate or severe acute malnutrition. Those records included data on 22 variables across three categories: child information, maternal information, and socio-demographic information. Then, researchers ran those variables through four statistical filter methods and a machine learning model.

“Instead of trusting one single method or one computer model, it combines three different ways of checking and identifying to find a balanced answer to the question of what leads to malnutrition,” Dr. Antony said.

What the Framework Found

With the scoring system in place, a clearer picture of what drives child malnutrition began to emerge.

The framework identified child anthropometry—weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference—as the most influential determinant of child malnutrition. But the second-ranked factor was less expected and had been overlooked by traditional scoring models: the mother’s physical health and social status, including breastfeeding practices, employment, weight, height and even caste. The child’s birth order was the third most influential factor, with more than 56 percent of malnourished children being second-born or later, suggesting that resources become increasingly stretched as the family grows.

This hierarchy of factors highlights a dual burden: the child’s current physical growth status and the mother’s nutritional condition together strongly shape malnutrition outcomes.

From Research to Real-World Impact

The framework highlights that child malnutrition is not caused by a single factor—and that there is no single solution. Moreover, the determinants of child malnutrition depend highly on region: According to Dr. Antony, “in countries like India, there are rural-urban differences—local food practices, sanitation, family structure—these all affect contributing factors.”

By identifying region-specific factors that contribute to child malnutrition, RISE offers decision-makers in government and nongovernmental organizations clear, data-informed direction on where to direct limited resources.

It is also important to consider how those interventions are delivered. “I was in India for another study, and while people in some remote communities didn’t have access to some basic needs such as proper housing or toilets, they had televisions and cellphones,” Dr. Antony said. “So can we use cellphones as a tool and send small messages or small clips to educate people in the community?”

Next Steps to Resolving Child Malnutrition

Now that Dr. Antony and his research team have identified key factors driving childhood malnutrition, they are collaborating with clinicians in Mysore, India, to align the RISE framework with public health programs.

The RISE framework can also be replicated in other parts of the world—provided it’s culturally responsive. “What works in India might not work in another region,” Dr. Antony said. “But can the framework be modified? Absolutely yes.”

Regardless of what form the framework takes, the global issue of child malnutrition demands a solution. While governments and international organizations continue to implement policies and programs, tens of millions of children worldwide continue to suffer from wasting and stunted growth.

“Child malnutrition is something that is preventable—it can be addressed in communities,” Dr. Antony said. “You’re talking about a new generation. This is something happening to children that can be controlled, but we are not doing enough.”

¹ Research team: Arumbuliyur Natarajan Uma, Shruthi Srikantamurthy, Shalini Sankalapura Rangaswamy, Priya Govindarajan and Lalith Rangarajan

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This March, Dr. Shore is set to deliver the opening keynote address at the in Berlin, Germany. The global forum brings together leaders in autism research, clinical practice and education to share cutting-edge insights, build meaningful connections and advance their collective knowledge.

“I deliver this keynote several times around the world each year, and it’s the most popular of my presentations because it’s autobiographically based,” said Dr. Shore, who was himself diagnosed on the spectrum at an early age. “People are often interested in learning about the lives of autistic people from autistic people.”

While Dr. Shore was nonspeaking until age four, he went on to build a renowned career as a full-time faculty member at Adelphi, adjunct professor at NYU, author and editor of books, including , and board member for and other organizations. Just last year, Dr. Shore also advised on Carl the Collector, the first PBS Kids show headlined by a character with autism.

Understanding and appreciating neurodivergent individuals

Dr. Shore will join more than 50 international speakers in presenting at the 2026 Euro-Global Summit. As a keynote speaker, he’ll deliver a customized version of his talk, “The 4 A’s of Autism for Promoting Fulfilling and Productive Lives.” Those 4 A’s—awareness, acceptance, appreciation and action—are all necessary in order to fully support individuals with autism and others with neurodivergent conditions.

“We’ve gone from the perception of autism as being a very rare psychiatric condition caused by poor parenting to it being much better known, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a prevalence rate of one in 31,” Dr. Shore explained of the “awareness” component. “Now, society is much better at recognizing autism when it occurs at home, in jobs, in school or in the community.”

Meanwhile, acceptance and appreciation are essential to helping these individuals to understand and harness their differences as strengths as opposed to “curing” or “fixing” them. This is an evolution from the medical approach, which sought to treat or eliminate their differences.

“If you have a heart attack or a broken bone, you want the doctor to identify and fix the problem,” Dr. Shore said. “However, people with autism aren’t broken. It’s about working with these characteristics instead of against them.”

Connecting Adelphi to the global conversation on neurodivergence

Dr. Shore’s international advocacy runs parallel to his work teaching and consulting at Adelphi.

“The work that I do preparing for my courses to teach my students definitely has an influence on my presentations and, similarly, the work I do to present and consult around the world informs my teachings,” he said. “It’s a great symbiotic relationship.”

For example, Dr. Shore has been a longtime special adviser to the Bridges to Adelphi program, which provides personalized academic, social and career support for neurodivergent students. Bridges to Adelphi was one of the nation’s first college programs for neurodivergent students and recently expanded its support for students and alumni by that focuses on career success.

“I often meet with the director of the program and give workshops, both for the students who are involved with the Bridges program and for faculty and staff at Adelphi,” Dr. Shore said.

He also stresses the ripple effects of understanding and accommodating the needs of neurodivergent students on campus.

“When we talk about helping students better receive and process information in order to demonstrate their mastery of material, perhaps by providing a copy of the instructor’s notes or visual supports, these accommodations tend to help everybody else as well,” ” he said. “As we learn more about supporting neurodivergent students, we become better educators overall.”

Working alongside Temple Grandin, PhD

Dr. Shore already has a full schedule for 2026. He’s running a workshop for neurodivergent parents and parents of neurodivergent children at the the New York City Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance Center, part of the . He’ll also be introduced by Temple Grandin, PhD—one of the most renowned autism advocates—at the Gillen Brewer School in Manhattan and give his own presentation on sensory differences in autistic people. And before he heads to Germany, he’ll first present to a collaborative of English-speaking international schools in Bangkok, Thailand.

So the question remains: After visiting more than 50 countries, where will Dr. Shore’s advocacy work bring him next?

According to Dr. Shore, not even the sky’s the limit.

“Where does it go next? That’s unpredictable,” he said. “Maybe there will eventually be an autism conference on the moon, for example. I could go there.”

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At first I thought the creators had taken inspiration from me, because in the reel, the character of Carl was wearing the same kind of clothing I wear, and like me, he was interested in watches and bicycles. But I found out they’d never heard of me when they were putting the character together. They’d just done their research.”

Carl, the hero of the PBS Kids show Carl the Collector, is a young raccoon who loves collecting objects and playing with his animal friends. Carl also has autism, making him the network’s first-ever lead on the spectrum. The show follows Carl as he plans sleepovers, tries to keep his room clean and hashes out disagreements with friends, providing viewers with an up-close look at how people with autism navigate everyday life. “The show did it right from the very beginning,” said Stephen Shore, EdD, clinical associate professor of education at Adelphi, who served as an autism adviser on Carl. “Its creators worked hard to meaningfully involve the autism community and commit to authentic representation.”

Dr. Shore, who is autistic, has traveled the world as a researcher, educator and speaker, appearing before audiences across more than 50 countries. With Carl, he added creative consultant to his résumé. “I had never consulted on a show before,” he said, “but the creators reached out to me out of the blue.” Initially, Dr. Shore was asked to share his thoughts on a promo reel. “At first, I thought the creators had taken inspiration from me, because in the reel, the character of Carl was wearing the same kind of clothing I wear, and like me, he was interested in watches and bicycles. But I found out they’d never heard of me when they were putting the character together. They’d just done their research.”

Stephen Shore, EdD, clinical associate professor at Adelphi

An Integral Part of the Process

Dr. Shore was involved throughout the entire creative process for each episode, from the initial premise to the final rough cut. At each stage of development, he let the creators know if the actions, gestures, speech patterns or reactions of a character with autism did not ring true. Sometimes, he found, even the tiniest adjustment could make all the difference. “For instance, they would have Carl saying, ‘The ice cream social is going to happen in four days.’ I told them an autistic person might actually say, ‘Four days, 11 hours and 56 minutes.’ A lot of people with autism are very exacting.”

Dr. Shore’s expertise—and personal experience—shaped a number of storytelling decisions. When Carl decides to tell a friend why he’s behaving in a certain way, Dr. Shore looked to his own “four-step autism disclosure protocol” for inspiration, which he notes the team put to “good use.” He also advocated for Carl to stim—repetitive behaviors, movements or sounds used to manage emotions or self-soothe—with his fingers in response to specific triggers.

Other stims, such as pacing and jumping on a trampoline, help map out Carl’s thought processes for an audience who may not be familiar with autistic cognition. In one scene in which Carl must make a decision, the show takes viewers inside his brain, dramatizing its inner workings. “Even if people watching can’t immediately relate to Carl, they might gain some insight into how a person with autism thinks through something,” Dr. Shore said. “Then they can generalize that information to better support the people in their life who are on the spectrum.”

Helping to Shape Carl’s Crew

Carl isn’t the only autistic character in Carl the Collector. When the show introduced a second character who has autism, a fox named Lotta, who is hypersensitive to loud sounds and strong smells, Dr. Shore “adopted” her, too. There’s also Paolo, a panda with autism, who is nonspeaking and communicates with a tablet. Together, these three characters challenge the misconception that not all autistic people can talk—and that those who don’t talk don’t still have something to say—or that all individuals with autism tend to behave in one single way.

It’s work that Dr. Shore is proud to have a hand in, especially on television screens nationwide. “I often say that when you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re fundamentally different from neurotypical people, either. We’re all more similar than we are different.”

Read more in the 2025 issue of Academic & Creative Research Magazine, where we highlight the innovation and imagination shaping Adelphi’s academic community.

About Our Faculty

Stephen Shore, EdD, is a clinical associate professor in the School of Education. Dr. Shore is on the board of directors of Autism Speaks, is a frequent speaker on the topic of autism, and the author of College for Students With Disabilities and Understanding Autism for Dummies. His work focuses on helping persons with autism and other conditions lead fulfilling and productive lives to their greatest potential.

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“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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Access and inclusion program director at the Long Island Children’s Museum

Beth Ann Balalaos ’15, MA ’16, is the access and inclusion program director at the Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM), where she creates and champions inclusive programming that ensures families—especially children with disabilities—feel completely welcome and free to be themselves. A passionate advocate for social justice and accessibility, Beth Ann first discovered her calling through gender studies courses at ������Ƶ. These eye-opening classes inspired her to center her career around advocacy and community engagement.

Beth Ann earned both her bachelor’s degree in psychology (with a minor in gender studies) from the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology and her master’s in education from the College of Education and Health Sciences through Adelphi’s Scholar Teacher Education Program (STEP). During her time at Adelphi, she immersed herself in leadership and service—from being an orientation leader and working in the Center for Student Involvement to volunteering after Superstorm Sandy and leading the Relay for Life team with the American Cancer Society. A pivotal experience was her 2014 internship with the Long Island Children’s Museum through Adelphi’s Community Fellows Program—a connection that launched her full-time career there in 2016.

In addition to her work at LICM, Beth Ann presents nationally at conferences on accessibility in cultural institutions. She also serves on the board of directors of the Museum Association of New York and contributes her insights as a member of the Town of Huntington LGBTQ+ Task Force.

Among her proudest accomplishments is developing LICM’s inclusive programming, which has transformed how families with disabilities experience cultural spaces. She recently co-curated the Visibility of Disability exhibit in partnership with the Viscardi Center—an experience that pushed her into new, meaningful territory as a museum professional and advocate with a disability herself.

Beth Ann encourages current students and recent grads to stay curious and proactive: “Your college experience is what you make of it. Be a lifelong learner—the learning never stops, it just takes new and exciting forms.”

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Adelphi is offering more than 20 4+1 programs that meet many different career goals—from the liberal arts to sciences and social sciences, from business and education to health and wellness programs.

By opting into a 4+1 program in their second year, students can earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years. And every program is designed to ease the financial burdens of students and their families.

STEP Up to a Teaching Career, Faster

With options like Special Education (Teaching Students with Disabilities) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)—our 4+1 Scholar Teacher Education Program (STEP) readies students for teaching careers in five years.

“STEP offers an innovative pathway for aspiring educators to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, plus New York state certification, in just five years,” said Emily Kang, PhD, Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences associate dean for academic affairs.

“Students gain invaluable hands-on experience through extensive classroom fieldwork woven throughout the entire program,” she added. “This comprehensive approach ensures our graduates enter the profession as confident, well-prepared educators ready to make an immediate impact in their classrooms.”

STEP alumna Autumn Majorana ’24, MA ’25, reported that STEP “taught me so much about education and what it takes to be a great teacher. It gave me the chance to study abroad in Norway and learn about education in different parts of the world. She continued, “It also helped me grow both personally and professionally.”

A Win-Win Program for Future Teachers

Students are eligible for New York state Pre-K–12 teacher certification in physical education and health education after earning their BS and MA degrees in five years.

According to Kevin Mercier, EdD, professor and chair of the School of Health Sciences, the Physical Education and Health Education 4+1 program features small classes and extensive fieldwork opportunities led by expert faculty. “Adelphi’s strong reputation in physical education and health has helped students gain teaching jobs on Long Island, in New York City and throughout the country,” he noted.

With its balance of theory and practical experience, the program carved a path to a career that current educator and coach and recent 4+1 graduate Melissa Duffy ’24, MA ’25, is passionate about. She said the faculty was “genuinely supportive, helping guide my growth every step of the way. Not only did I build strong connections, but I gained enormous confidence.”

She added, “The program gave me the tools to teach and inspire young people in the classroom and on the athletic fields. Adelphi paved the way for my future, and I’m positive I’ll make a difference in students’ lives.”

A Faster Path to an Accounting Career

MaryAnne Hyland, PhD, dean of the ������Ƶ Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, said, “Our 4+1 BBA/MBA in Accounting equips students with the problem-solving and strategic skills needed for today’s careers. Our graduates are not only CPA ready—they’re ready to take on the complex challenges of the business world.”

Students like Arshdeep Kaur ’25, who earned her BBA this past May and expects to receive her MBA this December, are prepared for careers in accounting in private and public sectors, while at the same time completing the credit hours needed for New York state CPA licensure.

Kaur praised the program’s well-rounded academic experience, which includes strong faculty support, access to real-world applications, and opportunities to network with peers, alumni and industry professionals. She said the program helped her “gain professional experience, clarify my career goals and build the confidence to pursue them.”

Reducing the Cost of a Computer Science Graduate Degree by 40 Percent

Kees Leune, PhD, associate professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, described the 4+1 program in computer science as an “excellent proposition.”

It gives students the tools to launch a variety of careers in a dynamic, fast-growing field, ranging from software and systems engineers and web application programmers to mobile app developers and systems architects.

According to Dr. Leune, students can take up to 12 credits in graduate courses during their junior and senior years—reducing the overall cost of a graduate degree in computer science by 40 percent.

“While a graduate degree is not technically required to find a job in the computer science field, it is extremely helpful to start a career,” he explained. “4+1 students have better subject-specific knowledge and are trained to a higher degree than undergraduate students.”

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