Graduates in the Class of 2026 are going places, many of them quickly. Meet 19 new degree holders who walked off the stage at Commencement knowing exactly where their next steps will be taking them. Whether it鈥檚 professional or graduate school or jobs in finance, education, technology, healthcare or business, they鈥檙e on their way to leadership positions in their fields.
Pictured with Lincoln life mask in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society
Vincent Calvagno
BA in History, Minor in Italian (Honors College)
PhD Candidate in History, Yale University
鈥淢y professors at Adelphi instilled in me an interest in historical research and the confidence to pursue it. They also provided role models for me鈥擯rofessor LaCombe for his mentoring, Professor Reno for his teaching style and Professor Haas for his lecturing abilities. I aim to focus my studies in graduate school on the environmental history of colonial New England.鈥�
Joacim Carhed
MS in Business Analytics
Data Analytics Associate, Flynn Zito Capital Management, Garden City, New York
鈥淢y experiences as a student, student-athlete and graduate assistant helped me grow as a leader and prepared me to take this next step in finance and analytics. In my new role, I support the firm through data-driven analysis, reporting and process improvement.鈥�
Julia Carpio
MA in Childhood Education and Advanced Certificate in TESOL
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, Athens, Greece
鈥淚 was in the five-year STEP program and with Professor Mary Jean McCarthy deepened my passion for learning about how education and pedagogy are approached in different countries. My Fulbright will take me to Athens College, where I will support English instruction at the elementary school level, mentor students and serve as a counselor at the college鈥檚 English language summer camp.鈥�
Mariane Diby
BS in Physics (Honors College)
PhD Candidate in Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
鈥淎s a physics major, I pursued research exploring astrophysical shock phenomena and devoted my senior thesis to it. This summer, before entering my PhD program, I will be interning at the Simons Foundation to work on computational astrophysics research. I have always been passionate about studying the universe and building the technologies that carry us into space. My goal is to contribute to a new generation of spacecraft and aerospace innovation through research and engineering.”
Jeremiah Ford
BS in Computer Science/Cybersecurity
Systems Analyst, Brown Brothers Harriman, Jersey City, New Jersey
鈥淚n my new role at Brown Brothers Harriman, I will be in a two-year program for recent graduates. It bridges the gap between finance and technology by allowing me to rotate through four different IT or systems teams. I will be able to gain real-world expertise in software development, data solutions and business systems analysis. Once completed, I will be placed in a permanent, full-time position within the firm鈥檚 systems department.鈥�
Kylie Goldade
BS in Physics
MA Candidate in Museum Studies, The Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY Oneonta
鈥淚 did lots of interdisciplinary work in the sciences, education and museum studies at Adelphi, and I had an internship at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. That led me to Cooperstown, which has the country鈥檚 only science-based museum education program. My ultimate goal is a PhD in preservation studies at the University of Delaware, with a focus on preservation technology.鈥�
Jose Gonzalez
MBA, Accounting
Audit Associate, PwC
鈥淚 was in the 4+1 Accounting and MBA program, and my graduate accounting research class truly solidified my decision to pursue accounting. It helped me understand that although technology will continue to change many professions, we should embrace those changes and use them to become the kind of professionals the future needs.鈥�
Rachel Halpert
BS in Biology (Honors College)
DMD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
鈥淢y experience as a tutor at the Center for Academic Support and Enrichment allowed me to see firsthand how personalized guidance can empower others, a passion I am excited to carry forward into my dental career. I want to thank my parents and my brother for their endless support, as well as Professor Hobbie and David Oroza of the Office of Pre-Professional Advising for mentoring me every step of the way.鈥�
Joanna Rita Karpiel
BA in Art History, Minor in French (Honors College)
MA Candidate in the History of Art, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, England
鈥淚 wrote my senior thesis on Young Poland, a Modern movement between 1890鈥�1918, and the symbols artists used to express their Polish identity. In grad school, I will focus on the art of China, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The incredible careers of my professors, and the Women in the Arts class I took, solidified the idea of pursuing a master鈥檚 degree. Both allowed me to visualize the stories I will be able to tell as an art historian and museum professional.鈥�
Allison Kohl
Elementary School Art Teacher, Hamburg (New York) Central School District
鈥淢y time at Adelphi helped me grow not only as an artist, but as an educator. Through student teaching, mentorship and hands-on classroom experiences, I gained the confidence and creativity to begin my journey as an art teacher and inspire students to express themselves through art.鈥�
Ashley Kreth
BS in Chemistry (Earned in Three Years)
NSF Graduate Research Fellow/PhD Candidate in Chemistry, University of Georgia
鈥淚 am excited to pursue a PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Georgia and plan to apply the skills and expertise I鈥檒l have developed there to a career in industry. Two pieces of advice I would share with someone just beginning their undergraduate career are to take full advantage of every resource and opportunity available to you and to be open-minded regarding your future career path. You never know what you may end up doing!鈥�
Valeria Lopez
BS in Biology (Honors College)
DVM Candidate, Long Island University Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine
鈥淚’m very grateful to the Honors College for funding my fellowship in Rome in the summer of 2024, where I worked with two large-animal sanctuaries to understand the unique challenges these animals face. This experience, coupled with being the owner of a crested gecko, helped me see the need for veterinarians that don’t just work with cats and dogs, motivating me to become an exotics vet.鈥�
Shota Mikautadze
BA in Economics and Political Science (Levermore Global Scholar)
Paid Finance Internship Leading to Financial Analyst Position, J.C. Steel Erectors, Islip, New York
鈥淭hrough Adelphi’s Leadership Certificate Program, I attended a New York Islanders game hosted by Chris Amplo 鈥�00. We had a genuine conversation that evening, and he asked me to send my r茅sum茅. I did, and he scheduled me for an interview the following week. It went well, and he offered me a position on the spot. So the University that shaped me connected me to the opportunity that’s launching my career.鈥�
Pazia Miller
PhD in Clinical Psychology
Advanced Fellowship, National Center for PTSD and the Yale School of Medicine
鈥淭he research I did for my dissertation was on decision-making in individuals with cocaine-use disorder. My postdoc is an advanced fellowship in mental illness and research treatment, where I will be doing research on decision-making and ambiguity in PTSD treatment, training in psychedelic-assisted trauma therapy, and gaining advanced clinical training on the treatment of trauma. I hope this is an important step to building a meaningful career as a scientist-practitioner in the research and treatment of trauma.鈥�
Juliana Morsello
BS in Cognitive Neuroscience
PhD Candidate in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Binghamton University
“Through Adelphi鈥檚 neuroscience coursework, along with opportunities like the Emerging Scholars Program and my role as a peer educator, I discovered not only my passion for becoming a neuroscientist, but also my love for engaging with and educating the broader community.鈥�
Hussein Ali Rifath
BA in Political Science and Spanish
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, Madrid, Spain
鈥淢y Fulbright is an incredible opportunity for me, and I鈥檓 deeply honored to have been selected. What excites me most about it is the chance it gives me to faithfully represent my country as a citizen diplomat. I hope to create a transformative classroom for the students I work with, one that can help them come to see America not as a distant foreign country but as a vibrant and welcoming society that not only honors them, but cherishes the bonds that unite us all.鈥�
Rebecca Rosa
Master of Social Work
Social Worker, Dementia Unit, Autumn Lake Healthcare, New Britain, Connecticut
鈥淪ocial work chose me long before I chose it, and 茄子视频 confirmed that calling. The Gerontological Social Work Fellowship Program, along with the transformative courses I took with Professors Zodikoff and Kaplan on dementia and healthcare, deepened my understanding of older adults and solidified my purpose. This population is too often overlooked, and I intend to change that. My vision is to pursue a PhD and drive meaningful research in Alzheimer’s disease because older adults don’t just deserve care; they deserve dedicated social workers by their side.鈥�
Christopher Sciortino
MS in Computer Science
Software Developer, Northville Industries, Melville, New York
“In my new role, I will be contributing to the development of enterprise desktop and web-based applications, from implementation to deployment and support. My goal has always been to create technology that solves problems and has a positive impact. Adelphi has helped me grow towards a parallel goal: to become a leader who inspires innovation, supports others and helps shape the future of technology.”
Nina Tchavtchanidze
MS in Biology
Lab Manager/Research Associate, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York
鈥淚 am especially grateful to Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks, who trained me as a scientist through his mentorship of my thesis research, guidance as a teaching assistant and instruction in laboratory skills. I am also extremely grateful to Thomas Ward and the team at the Center for Career and Professional Development, who helped shape me as a leader and a professional.鈥�