Students spotted a rare cassowary—the world’s most dangerous bird—in the Daintree Rainforest. The cassowary, although normally shy, can stand up to six feet tall and attack with dagger-like claws.

Led by biology and environmental studies and sciences faculty Aaren Freeman, PhD, Matthias Foellmer, PhD, and Elizabeth Buccheri, PhD, the group embarked on a two-week, hands-on expedition across Australia’s wild ecosystems—earning 2 course credits while having the trip of a lifetime.

Marine Ecology, Biology Research and Snorkeling

The adventure started long before takeoff. During the spring semester, students prepped by learning about marine ecology, practicing their snorkeling skills (with two students even getting SCUBA certified), and drafting their own research plans.

Then came the real world.

“Some had cogent plans, but when they arrived and put their faces in the water, what we thought would be there just wasn’t there,” Dr. Freeman recalled. “Adapting to the differences between planning a research project and the reality of conducting that research was an important field experience take-home academic lesson.”

(From left) Adelphi students Chelsea Javier, Ryan Will and Audrey Cozine after a day of scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef. Students spent up to two hours a day in the water, observing coral atolls and marine wildlife.

Sharks, Giant Spiders and “Indiana Jones” Moments

Base camp for the marine portion of the trip was the Heron Island Research Station, right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Students spent up to two hours a day in the water, swimming alongside sharks, stingrays and skates.

Adelphi student John DelCarpine enjoys a gondola high above a eucalyptus forest.

They also witnessed firsthand the harsh impact of climate change and coral bleaching on the 1,400-mile-long Great Barrier Reef—a sobering reminder of the planet’s fragility.

On this visit, Dr. Freeman, was pleasantly surprised at the corals’ resilience. “I remain hopeful,” he said. “But I’m not Pollyanna, the reefs aren’t really doing fine.”

When the group explored the ancient Daintree Rainforest, things were even wilder:

• The Cassowary: Students spotted the notoriously elusive—and notoriously powerful—cassowary, officially ranked by the Library of Congress as the world’s most dangerous bird.
• The Spiders: Guided by Dr. Foellmer (a terrestrial biologist and insect expert), the team navigated terrain packed with massive arachnids. “I had many interactions with big hairy spiders about the size of my hand,” Dr. Freeman recalled. “One web ended up on my back —with a four-inch spider on it—and made me feel like Indiana Jones. Yet, these spiders were harmless.”
• Canopy Views: The crew even hit the hinterlands, riding a gondola high above the canopy of a eucalyptus forest.

Beyond the Lab: Deep Diving Into Culture

It wasn’t all data collection and dodging wildlife. The group spent half a day in Mossman Gorge led by an Aboriginal guide, learning about sacred forests, traditional medicines and ancient toolmaking. Stops in Cairns and Brisbane introduced students to Australia’s vibrant city life and its incredible, Asia-influenced food scene.

For Dr. Buccheri, this kind of trip is full circle. She actually went on Adelphi’s 2017 Australia trip as an undergrad, which inspired her to move to Australia, earn her master’s and PhD in reef ecology, and eventually return to Adelphi to teach.

Dining alfresco in the Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest.

Expert Faculty as Australia Guides

Students benefitted not only from their professors’ individual scientific expertise, but also from their experience and knowledge of Australia and the climate change challenges facing its ecologically diverse reefs and rainforests, reflecting Adelphi’s commitment to sustainability.

“Each of us has our own area of expertise,” explained Dr. Freeman, a marine ecologist and chair of the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. In 2010, he and Dr. Foellmer, a terrestrial biologist and chair of the Department of Biology, took the first group of Adelphi students to Australia. This year’s was their sixth such trip.

According to Dr. Freeman, adjunct biology professor Dr. Buccheri’s experience as a student on Adelphi’s 2017 Australian alternative break trip was life-changing, as it inspired her to gain expertise in reef ecology and reproductive biology by earning master’s and doctoral degrees in Australia. “She’s a great success story,” he said.

Front left: Professor Matthais Foellmer, PhD, one of three professors serving as a guide, photographs wildlife along the Daintree River.

Next Australian Trek: 2028

For these 13 biology students, the trip was a massive eye-opener. As one student put it: “It will leave such an amazing impact on your life. You’ll want to go back as soon as you get home.”

Dr. Freeman and the department are already planning their next Australian trek for 2028. The Great Barrier Reef, the Milky Way in a clear night sky and a few friendly sharks are waiting.

Students and their Adelphi professors gather at sunset after a day of exploring coral atolls around Heron Island Research Station.

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Located five minutes from Grand Central Terminal and an eight-minute walk from Times Square, ������Ƶ is bringing a robust set of elite graduate and professional academic programs to this new location, including master’s degrees in AI/machine learning, social work, business, psychology and education and doctoral degrees in the learning sciences and global higher education leadership. A 15-month accelerated bachelor’s degree in nursing rounds out the offerings for 2026–2027, with more programs to be added each
year.

The brand-new space features an extension of Adelphi’s Swirbul Library, nursing simulation lab, state-of-the-art classrooms, community clinic and more. Designed with today’s students in mind, there are meeting and study spaces on all floors, as well as lounge areas for informal gatherings. We will welcome our accelerated nursing and STEAM education programs, which will begin classes in the summer.

Right now, we are putting on all the finishing touches and accepting applications for summer and fall starts. For more information or to request a tour, contact manhattancenter@adelphi.edu.

Follow us for more updates and photos.

We are excited to welcome you all to the ������Ƶ Manhattan Center.

Jennifer Lancaster
Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies
Executive Director of the Manhattan Center

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“Each of these individuals brings with them a wealth of expertise, deep professional accomplishments, a personal connection to our community and a profound commitment to our University’s mission,” said Adelphi President Michael A.L. Balboni ’81, PhD. “As we work together to guide Adelphi into its next era of excellence, their diverse insights will be vital to our future growth and success.”

Kristopher Amplo ’00 is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive with a dynamic career spanning construction, real estate and philanthropy. As president and CEO of J.C. Steel Erectors Corp., he leads a commercial steel company of more than 300 employees and $100 million in annual sales, delivering landmark projects such as UBS Arena, LaGuardia and JFK Airports, and TSX Broadway. His real estate ventures include multifamily developments, self-storage facilities and vacation rentals across the United States. He is also deeply committed to charitable work, founding the Amplo Family Foundation and co-founding the DezyStrong Foundation, while serving on the boards of multiple nonprofits. With prior experience as a history teacher and business owner, he holds degrees from SUNY Farmingdale, ������Ƶ and Stony Brook University, and currently contributes his expertise to several industry boards, including the Subcontractors Trade Association and Allied Building Metal Industries.

LeeAnn Black ’83 is the chief operating officer of Latham & Watkins, where she oversees the firm’s global business operations, financial management and strategic direction. Under her leadership, Latham has expanded significantly, while maintaining the culture that defines its success. Black has been instrumental in Latham’s rise as a top global law firm, overseeing its international growth and operational evolution. She has championed innovation and the early adoption of technologies to enhance efficiency and client service. A certified public accountant, she began her career as a senior auditor at Arthur Andersen & Co. and now draws on three decades of leadership experience at Latham. She has been recognized as a trailblazer in the legal sector and was named one of the Top 10 Innovative Individuals in North America by The Financial Times in 2017. Black previously served on the ������Ƶ President’s Advisory Council, chairs the board of trustees of The Chapin School, and devoted 15 years to the board of Pro Bono Net, an organization dedicated to expanding access to justice. She is also co-chair of Adelphi’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference.

Bruce A. Jones ’82, PhD, is a renowned educational leader, scholar and administrator who is currently a professor of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University. He previously served as Howard University’s senior vice president for research and was instrumental in securing its historic R1 Carnegie Classification. Over a dynamic career spanning higher education and public education policy, Dr. Jones has held prestigious academic and administrative posts, including vice provost for academic affairs and interim dean of the Graduate School at the University of Houston. He has also held endowed faculty chairs at the University of South Florida and the University of Missouri. A proud alumnus who earned his undergraduate degree from Adelphi, he has a PhD in political science from Columbia University. His research foci include leadership and public policy in higher education and K–12 education, the politics of education, the sociopolitical history of education, studies in community development, and institutional assessment and program evaluation in education and the nonprofit sector.

Walter P. Schmidt ’84 is a co-founder of Rockwood Capital, a prominent private equity real estate investment firm, and has 40 years of experience in real estate investment on behalf of institutional clients. He served as a senior managing partner until 2022, when he became senior partner focusing on strategic client relationships. With the formation of Harrison Street Asset Management in 2025, he continued as senior adviser. He began his career in 1984 with Touche Ross & Co (currently Deloitte). He is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association, AFIRE and INREV and served on the President’s Advisory Council of ������Ƶ. He also serves on advisory boards serving youth development programs in the United States and Central America.

In addition to welcoming new trustees, the board welcomed back Charles J. Fuschillo ’83, Dennis J. McDonagh ’78 and Michael J. Tiedemann ’89 during the past year after they had previously stepped away due to other obligations.

Learn more about the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees.

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As an executive function coach in ������Ƶ’s Learning Resource Program, with my colleague Erin Truesdell, a senior clinical educator and adjunct professor, I have a unique approach to helping first-year students navigate their initial steps on campus. Together, we guide them to find inspiration with the help of a canine professor named Echo.

For our newest students, I think walking onto campus for the first time causes the same uncertainty that a dog feels when it steps into an unfamiliar dog park. The environment is overwhelming, the social dynamics are entirely new, and everyone is trying to figure out exactly where they fit in. Finding your footing in this transition requires adaptability, resilience and, above all, a willingness to connect.

When you break it down, the skills required to understand a canine companion are identical to the executive functioning skills first-year students need to thrive on a college campus:

• Reading the Room (Nonverbal Cues): Dogs communicate almost entirely through posture, energy and subtle micro-expressions. Similarly, walking into a lecture hall, a bustling dorm lounge or a professor’s office requires new students to develop a keen sense of situational awareness and social attunement.
• Building Trust Over Time: A dog does not offer its trust overnight; earning it requires consistency, patience and clear boundaries. Navigating early college friendships and professional relationships with faculty follows this exact same trajectory.
• Co-Regulation and Stress Management: The human-canine bond is famous for its biological benefits—lowering cortisol levels while boosting oxytocin. We leverage this behavioral concept to teach students how to manage the intense anxiety of their first semester, using the grounding nature of the human-animal bond as a framework for active self-care.

Launching a First-Year Seminar on the Human-Canine Connection

The human-canine bond has real biological benefits; it lowers cortisol levels and boosts oxytocin.

Inspired by the many lessons Echo has taught us, we took our approach to a new academic level and launched a first-year seminar dedicated to the human-canine connection.

This course is one of 46 engaging first-year seminar options at Adelphi—ranging from Becoming Human and The Psychology of Happiness to The Politics of Immigration. These seminars offer a vital space for students to explore new ideas and engage in dialogue with professors and peers, and most students must complete one to graduate. The first-year seminar is part of Adelphi’s general education requirements, or PATH (Preparation, Awareness, Transformation, Hands-On Learning).

Bringing this particular course to life is Echo, a gentle and beautiful black Labrador retriever. Echo’s presence completely transforms the traditionally rigid college classroom into a warm, low-stress sanctuary. For an anxious first-year student, walking into a room and being greeted by a calm, accepting dog instantly lowers defenses. The dog acts as a living, breathing teaching assistant, offering students a real-time lesson in emotional co-regulation and providing a comforting touch of home just when the student needs it most.

Executive Functioning on Both Ends of the Leash

Echo is a welcome sight around campus; here she is at a fund-raising event for the Panther Pantry.

In our course, we teach students that training or understanding a dog demands working memory, emotional control, cognitive flexibility and sustained attention—the very definition of executive functioning in humans and canines alike.

The co-evolution of humans and dogs is a master class in behavioral adaptation. For thousands of years, two completely different species have learned to read each other’s body language, build trust from scratch and form mutually beneficial partnerships. By analyzing how dogs and humans successfully formed one of history’s greatest partnerships, and watching those dynamics play out with Echo in the classroom, students learn how to take active control of their own schedules, emotional health and social lives.

For New Students, a Lesson From Echo

According to executive function coach Tullo, “Echo’s presence completely transforms the traditionally rigid college classroom into a warm, low-stress sanctuary.”

Ultimately, this first-year seminar is a reminder to our newest students that the journey of higher education is not a path they have to walk alone. Success in college—much like building a bond with a trusted companion—does not happen overnight. It is built in the small, quiet moments of patience, open communication and the courage to reach out to someone new.

So as you navigate your own way through these unfamiliar hallways, remember the lesson Echo teaches us every single day: Hold your head high, stay calm, earn the trust of your new friends and never underestimate the power of a strong connection.

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Robert Darling ’81 with President Bill Clinton in the White House

Rather than steering Darling toward a traditional medical career, Eickelberg encouraged him to apply to the newly established (USUHS), the nation’s military medical school. It proved to be one of the most consequential conversations of Darling’s life.

That single conversation launched a career that would eventually take him aboard Air Force One, into the White House and to the front lines of some of the nation’s most significant medical and national security challenges. In fact, Darling often reflects on the professors who helped shape his future, crediting Eickelberg—as well as biology faculty members Ramon Grillo, PhD and Gayle Insler, PhD—with providing the encouragement, mentorship and educational foundation that made an unconventional path seem possible.

Commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy while attending medical school, Darling earned his medical degree in 1985 before training as a naval flight surgeon. His early assignments took him aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, where he helped care for more than 6,000 sailors and supported naval aviators operating some of the military’s most advanced tactical aircraft.

As his career progressed, he served at the , cared for and later joined the U.S. , where he helped strengthen the nation’s medical defenses against biological threats.

In 1996, Darling became the first emergency medicine physician to serve the President of the United States at the White House and aboard Air Force One and Marine One. Working alongside the Secret Service, he prepared for every imaginable medical emergency while helping safeguard the nation’s highest elected leaders.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Darling participated in the investigation and medical response to anthrax attacks in several U.S. locations, another chapter in a career dedicated to protecting others. After more than 25 years of active-duty service, Darling retired from the Navy as a captain and shifted from caring for individual patients to ensuring entire hospitals and healthcare systems were prepared for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats.

Military retirement did not mark the end of Darling’s service. Returning to the institution where his own military medical journey began, Darling joined the faculty at USUHS, mentoring future military physicians and directing disaster preparedness and worldwide humanitarian medicine programs. Since 2009, he has been in private practice and serves as medical director at .

The post From Adelphi to Air Force One: Dr. Robert Darling ’81, MD Reflects on a Lifetime of Service appeared first on ������Ƶ.

Please be advised that South Avenue is partially blocked between the University Center entrance and the entrance nearest Woodruff Hall due to a fallen tree.

The Town of Garden City is actively working to remove the tree. Until the work is complete, all incoming traffic will be redirected to Cambridge Avenue.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Safety Command Center at 516.877.3511.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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Despite these impressive and lofty titles, Balboni has made himself accessible to the Adelphi community. And nowhere is this more evident than his TikTok series, Coffee With the Chair From a Chair. Although it was discontinued after Balboni’s ascension to president, this series offers a glimpse at a president who’s willing to listen to his students, hear their stories and share his own.

Creating a Series for TikTok

TikTok is currently one of the most popular platforms across social media. According to , approximately 63 to 68 percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 use TikTok, with one in five reporting that they use the app “almost constantly.” ������Ƶ initially lacked a strong TikTok strategy, viewing it as just another hosting platform like YouTube. It was Adelphi’s board of trustees who recognized the missed opportunity of using this platform to engage with young people and prospective Adelphi students. Creating TikToks suddenly became a top priority for the University.

The board tasked the Office of University Communications and Marketing with producing TikTok content to share the Adelphi story with young people. In the end, the board chair himself, Michael A.L. Balboni, became directly involved in the project. He agreed to a refreshingly simple concept: unscripted, unrehearsed conversations with students over coffee. With near zero production costs and maximum authenticity, the series Coffee With the Chair From a Chair was born.

Each video featured Balboni chatting comfortably one-to-one with a different Adelphi student at the campus Starbucks. featured Adelphi ’26, a political science major who is now a business graduate student. She discussed her rigorous schedule and her favorite memories at Adelphi.

“Having the opportunity to sit down with then-chairman of the board Michael Balboni and be interviewed for the series was a really unique experience. It made University leadership feel much more connected to the student body, and when I learned he would become Adelphi’s next president, I genuinely felt like the University was heading in the right direction,” said Munayirji. The video quickly garnered more than 2,500 views.

featured finance major Jerry Iavarone, who talked about his Greek life friends at Adelphi and his family-owned gourmet Italian food market, . Iavarone’s is a favorite spot for many Adelphi students, including, as it turns out, Balboni himself—who remembered going there as an Adelphi student.

“I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect or if I needed to give specific answers to the questions. A few seconds in, I realized the interview was going to be a fun experience after Mr. Balboni brought up Iavarone Bros.”

This video amassed more than 10,000 views, making it Adelphi’s top-viewed TikTok at the time.

“I didn’t expect the video to take off like it did,” said Iavarone.

Winning the Circle of Excellence Award

The execution and success of Coffee With the Chair From a Chair earned Balboni’s TikTok series an award nomination from the , a prestigious and global nonprofit association for educational institutions. Coffee With the Chair From a Chair wound up , bronze level, in the Communications/Digital Campaigns (Student-oriented) category. The CASE judges noted, “The concept behind this campaign was great for student engagement, and we were impressed by what they accomplished without adding any extra resources and by getting their board chair to participate.”

“This is a huge honor for our creative team, but it’s also a testament to how impressive our students are,” said Balboni. “The confidence and professionalism they have developed at Adelphi, as well as their natural charisma, truly shined in these videos. I had a great time discussing their favorite campus experiences, and I know their future is bright.” Although , this particular victory highlights the University’s success with executing a TikTok strategy—and it also marks a major win for Balboni as he begins his role as president of the University.

The post Award-Winning, Student-Approved: Meet Adelphi’s New TikTok-Famous President appeared first on ������Ƶ.

Elliot Gordon, MA ‘68 pictured at the Waterfront marathon on April 23, 1988.

It’s an oath.

“In stark contrast to some of the politics today,” Gordon says, “I clearly remember raising my right hand and swearing an oath to our Constitution. The graduation ceremony is long forgotten. The oath, never.”

That sense of purpose has guided Gordon’s remarkable career spanning military service, scientific research and decades of work protecting public health. After earning his commission through Cornell University’s Naval ROTC program, Gordon served aboard the USS Cheboygan County, an LST that operated throughout Latin America before returning to Virginia.

Later stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, he applied to ������Ƶ. It proved to be a pivotal decision.

Working in biology professor Dr. Raymond Grillo’s laboratory while earning his master’s degree, Gordon immersed himself in scientific research. Adelphi not only provided an education, but it also opened the door to doctoral studies at New York University and a career in toxicology. Over the next several decades, Gordon worked in cancer research before joining an Israeli agricultural company specializing in pesticide safety. When the company relocated to North Carolina, he established his own consulting practice, advising clients around the world, including one he continues to serve in New Zealand.

Even while building that scientific career, Gordon never truly left military service. After arriving at Adelphi, he received a reminder of his continuing reserve obligation. What followed were years of additional Navy Reserve service, culminating in retirement as a commander.

“I was told Navy uniforms ‘pick up lint and women,'” he jokes. “So naturally, I signed up.” His trademark humor has remained intact alongside an extraordinary list of accomplishments!

A lifelong runner, Gordon completed 42 marathons before surviving an aortic dissection—a medical emergency he credits his physical fitness with helping him overcome. Today, he looks forward to spending more time in his garden, at the piano and, as he jokes, with “a good Padrón”—his favorite premium handmade cigar.

Looking back, Gordon sees each chapter naturally leading to the next. Cornell prepared him for military service. The Navy brought him to Alaska. Alaska led him to Adelphi. Adelphi opened the door to a doctorate. The doctorate became a lifetime devoted to science.

It’s a journey he could never have predicted when he first raised his right hand.

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Following basic training, Greenhut was selected for Officer Candidate School before deploying to the Korean Demilitarized Zone as a second lieutenant. He led a platoon with the quick reaction force before serving as a company executive officer and ultimately a battalion operations officer. During his service, he was wounded in action and received both the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

William Greenhut ‘66 during his active duty in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

“It was wartime,” he says. “You did what you believed was right.”

When his military service ended, another chapter of service began. Rather than remaining in uniform, Greenhut devoted himself to healthcare. After several years with the Suffolk County Boy Scouts, he built a four-decade career in diagnostic medical ultrasound, performing examinations, supervising clinical staff and teaching future healthcare professionals.

He lectured at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, New York University Medical Center and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, sharing his expertise with generations of students. He also served as a site visitor for the organization that accredits ultrasound education programs nationwide.

Through it all, the friendships he formed at Adelphi never faded. He remains close with several brothers from Omicron Pi fraternity—relationships that have lasted nearly six decades.

Retirement has hardly slowed him down. Greenhut joined the Veterans Writing Workshop at Fordham University, where he has published dozens of short stories. He has competed in the National Veterans Golden Age Games, earning medals in multiple track-and-field events.

Then life handed him another battle. Following treatment for five cancerous tumors, chemotherapy left him with neuropathy and significant physical challenges. Yet after beating cancer and regaining his strength, Greenhut returned to competition. At 82 years old, he once again prepared to compete in the National Veterans Golden Age Games—running the 50- and 100-meter sprints while also throwing the javelin, discus and shot put.

On Sundays, he still plays softball. Each week, he still plays golf in a veterans league.

His life has spanned combat, medicine, education, athletics and writing, but one thread connects every chapter: service.

“I’ve been fortunate,” he reflects. “I’ve had opportunities to continue serving people in different ways throughout my life.”

Today, Greenhut lives in Ossining, New York, where he enjoys time with his family, including his son, an author, and his grandson. Nearly 60 years after leaving Adelphi, he continues to demonstrate that service isn’t defined by a uniform, but by the way a person chooses to live.

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“This recognition affirms Adelphi’s standard of excellence, proving why we remain a top choice for students and their families,” said Michael A.L. Balboni ’81, JD, president of ������Ƶ. “Students who earn a degree from Adelphi land jobs with high salaries and high potential for growth as a result of the mentorship, connections and real-world learning experiences we provide.”

Money’s rigorous annual Best Colleges selection process analyzes data from more than 700 four-year institutions nationwide, evaluating them across three pillars:

1. quality of education (30 percent)
2. affordability (40 percent)
3. student outcomes (30 percent)

To determine its final star ratings, the publication weighs 25 critical data points, with a heavy emphasis on net price of a degree, value-added graduation rates, average student debt upon graduation and long-term alumni earnings. Unlike traditional rankings, Money’s methodology focuses entirely on practical value, highlighting universities that deliver a measurable return on investment for their students.

and learn more about the .

To discover what makes an Adelphi degree so valuable, learn more about Adelphi’s rankings, accolades and awards.

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