“I want to inspire people to take charge of their own lives and make the world a better place.”

That’s how Afra Masud describes her purpose. It’s a purpose that has guided her experience as a student leader at Adelphi, a podcaster and writer, and as a successful nominee for a prestigious from Campus Compact.

As one of this year’s fellows, she will be able to connect with other student leaders from colleges and universities across the country. She’ll attend an in-person Convening of Fellows, take part in virtual events and work with a mentor to further develop her leadership skills. She’ll also have opportunities to present or publish work through Campus Compact.

For Masud, the fellowship is “an opportunity to learn more about the world and connect with like-minded individuals who want to change the world for the better. I’m looking forward to the many leadership opportunities that come with the program.”

Masud gets around campus in an electric wheelchair, undeterred by the rare genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, which causes her bones to deform and break easily. “My disability has never been a problem for me academically,” she said. “But socially, physically and emotionally, it has always been a struggle. Despite all of this, I’ve never seen my disability as a burden or an obstacle. It’s one of my many superpowers.

“It motivates me to make the world a better place, and reminds me to take care of myself and others,” she added. “Ultimately, my disability is the reason I’m able to do so much. It gives me perspective, hope, courage and a lot of empathy.”

A Voice for the Silenced

The Queens native’s journey as a Panther is fueled by her inherent understanding of others that she has gained through her own experience as a Muslim woman in a wheelchair. She started her podcast drama, The Ugly Princess, in order to be a “voice for those of us who have been silenced and to speak for the voiceless,” she has said.

Masud’s short story “Our Fallen Stars” was published this year in issue. “I wrote about a girl who was named after a star [because] her parents wanted a child who would illuminate the world,” she explained. “This is what a voice can do. Armed with education and love, I aspire to do just that.”

A Campus Leader, a Global Scholar

Masud also met the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult at the Writers & Readers Festival.

From the start at Adelphi, she has exhibited a commitment to leadership, community engagement and service, and academic excellence as a sociology major and psychology minor.

“Sociology and psychology are fields about people—how our world works and who we become as individuals are explained in many ways through both fields of study,” she explained.

“One thing that fascinates me the most is what makes a human being so complex and multifaceted,” she added. “This combination has allowed me to get more answers and find more questions about this topic.”

While she has presented the results of a research project on societal reactions to people with antisocial personality disorders and psychopathy at Adelphi’s Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, she also explores arts such as filmmaking, sculpture and storytelling.

A student leader, Masud is the secretary of Adelphi’s Levermore Global Scholars (LGS) program, which prepares students for leadership roles as global thinkers.

“The thing I value most about LGS is the way it has enriched my college experience,” she said. “The classes that I took for the program have truly changed my life and the way I think about the world. It’s a great experience and a big key to why I love my journey as a Panther so far.”

She has also worked at Adelphi’s Innovation Center as an ambassador supporting fellow students’ academic success, and has served as an Office of University Admissions event assistant.

Looking Ahead to a Career Helping Others

“Adelphi has taught me a lot about independence and what it means to act on your own values and morals,” Masud said. “I’ve done many things that I never thought I would do before, and I’ve learned how to do many things by myself that I didn’t know how to do two years ago. I believe that I have become more grounded and more able to appreciate the world that I live in.”

It’s a world full of possibilities. “I want to do many things after I graduate,” she said. “I want to go to grad school and become a psychologist. I want to give TED talks. I want to write books about humans and how we make our own world without really realizing it.”

As a Newman Civic Fellow, Masud will be well on her way to honing the leadership skills that will help her meet those goals—now and in the years ahead.

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This annual, prestigious award is a measure of an institution’s individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance core values of student and employee mental health and well-being through programs, initiatives and other campus priorities deserving of this national recognition.

Adelphi will be featured, along with 37 other selected colleges, in the September 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine.

“The culture of care we have built at Adelphi goes far beyond academic and professional development—it requires fostering a community that recognizes the mental health challenges students face and actively supports them at every level,” said ������Ƶ President Michael Balboni ’81, JD. “This proud honor from Insight Into Academia reflects the ongoing work and dedication of our care teams to provide accessible mental health resources and wellness initiatives, which will continue to be a focus on our campus.”

Expanding Campus Mental Health and Student Wellness Services

Insight Into Academia magazine selected Adelphi because of its leadership in providing outlets for rest, well-being and self-care, including the University’s Mindfulness Center. Opened in 2022, the center not only provides a quiet refuge on campus for all community members, it also offers programming such as guided meditation, yoga classes and annual wellness retreats. The center also serves as a training ground for the Keys to Well-Being Certificate for employees.

Adelphi offers comprehensive counseling services for students navigating psychological, behavioral or learning challenges at all campus locations. Support is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with both scheduled appointments and walk-in crisis counseling. Offerings include individual and group therapy, substance education, wellness workshops and resource referrals.

The Achan Family Interfaith Center supports spiritual life at Adelphi by creating spaces for worship, fellowship and open dialogue across different traditions. The center fosters an inclusive campus community where students can explore their values, share their religious practices and connect with peers.

“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to and prioritizing mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “We are proud to honor the colleges and universities who are standouts as the need for these resources continues to grow substantially.”

For more information about the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award, visit .

About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning

������Ƶ, New York, is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university dedicated to transforming students’ lives through small classes with world-class faculty, hands-on learning and innovative ways to support academic and career success. U.S. News & World Report named Adelphi a 2026 Best National University, Best College for Veterans and Top Performer in Social Mobility. In addition, Forbes has ranked Adelphi the top private university on Long Island for three past three years.

Adelphi serves more than 7,300 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York—just 23 miles from New York City’s cultural and internship opportunities—and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, as well as online.

More than 125,000 alumni Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, engaged citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world.

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“We are delighted that The Princeton Review has once again recognized our MBA program among the nation’s best,” said MaryAnne Hyland, PhD, dean of the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business. “Grounded in student feedback, this recognition highlights the strength of our community and the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff and students.”

Adelphi’s Willumstad School of Business stands out through several core differentiators designed for today’s dynamic workforce:

• Flexible and Accelerated Formats: Students can customize their trajectory through full-time, part-time or online options, with accelerated pathways that allow completion in as few as 12 to 24 months.
• In-Demand Specializations: The curriculum connects foundational management theory with real-world applications in high-growth fields, offering specialized tracks in Business Analytics, Finance and .
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Dedicated days where student teams synthesize cross-course MBA learning to address real-world business scenarios
• New York City Connection: Adelphi’s new Manhattan Center, located on Fifth Avenue, connects graduate students directly to top-tier financial, healthcare and corporate networks through mentorship, industry guest speakers and executive networking.

Learn more about ������Ƶ’s graduate business programs.

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Today, Stephen Shore, EdD, is a clinical associate professor in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences and has added a new honor to a long and successful career in neurodivergence advocacy: a 2026 Emmy Award.

The longtime educator, author and international speaker received the award for his work as technical advisor on the PBS KIDS breakout animated series, Carl the Collector. The show, about a raccoon on the autism spectrum and his friends, won the 2026 award for Outstanding Public Service Initiative at the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in New York.

The show has drawn accolades for presenting autism as a different—not disordered—way of being.

Adelphi is already a national leader in educating students on the spectrum. Bridges to Adelphi, a program for neurodivergent students, won the for Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice and Related from the National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) in 2022 and 2023.

The inscription on Dr. Shore’s Emmy Award reads “2026 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards/Outstanding Public Service Initiative/Carl the Collector/PBS Kids/Stephen Shore, Series Advisor”

An Emmy for Getting Autism Right

Dr. Shore’s role as technical adviser meant he reviewed every story, script and stage of animation to ensure that Carl the Collector portrays autism accurately while showcasing the strengths of these individuals in a way that resonates with children, parents and educators.

“My job was to comment on how Carl and the other characters might react or communicate in any situation,” he said.

The result is a show that critics have praised for its commitment to authentic representation of neurodivergence because the series is crafted by a team that includes neurodiverse writers, animators and advisers.

Dr. Shore was a key part of the team because he brings not only academic expertise but also lived experience to Carl the Collector: He is on the spectrum himself. Able to take apart intricate watches and reassemble them at a young age, his parents recognized unique talents amid his challenges.

That personal history shapes his insistence that autism be framed as a “different rather than disordered way of being,” and it propels his career as a nationally known expert and author on neurodivergence; he has written extensively, presented in 59 countries, and uses both the classroom and the screen to model what authentic representation and true inclusion can look like.

An Emmy to Call His Own

Dr. Shore originally assumed the Emmy recognition belonged purely to the series. “My thought was that the Emmy was awarded to the show, and we all got to share in the Emmy, and that was great,” he recalled. Then, in May, a large box arrived at his home.

Inside was an Emmy statue with his own name on it, honoring his individual contribution.

“It made me very proud,” he said. “I’m so pleased that others have found my experiences and what I have to say about them to be worthy of inclusion and on such a massive and grand scale.”

A Warmhearted World for Kids—and Adults

Carl the Collector follows Carl, a logical young raccoon on the autism spectrum who loves amassing meticulous collections of everything from rare leaves to unique bottle caps. Carl uses his extraordinary attention to detail to help his neurodivergent and neurotypical friends solve everyday dilemmas. Alongside his best friend, Sheldon the beaver, and Lotta, a talented neurodivergent and artistic fox, Carl learns to navigate big emotions and unexpected changes in plans within a supportive community that celebrates everyone’s unique traits.

Beneath the visual charm is a clear purpose: acceptance. “Everybody helps each other out,” Dr. Shore said. “Sometimes there are misunderstandings, but they all work out in those 11 minutes and four seconds and seven hundredths of a second.”

From “Institutionalization” to Institutions of Honor

The Emmy resonates deeply against the backdrop of Dr. Shore’s childhood. As he notes in his autobiographical presentations, professionals wanted to admit him to an institution. His parents declined.

“Perhaps, in a way, those diagnosing professionals were correct, and that I needed to be in an institution,” he notes wryly. “An institution of higher education.”

Now, he adds with a smile, he’s also part of the “institution called the Emmy Awards.”

Bringing Carl Into the Classroom—and Beyond

Dr. Shore’s involvement with Carl the Collector is tightly woven into his education classes at Adelphi and his advocacy work. During production, final episodes were embargoed until broadcast, but once released, he said he “went wild” incorporating them into his Special Education (Teaching Students With Disabilities) classes and presentations. For his students, Carl the Collector is a case study in authentic representation. For conference audiences of educators and clinicians, it’s a model of how media can portray autism with accuracy, warmth and respect.

Production on a second season of Carl is currently up in the air due to funding shortages at PBS, Dr. Shore said, although other organizations have expressed interest in sponsoring the show. “When we get the green light … we open those toolboxes, fire up all the engines and get going again.”

Until then, the Emmy on the shelf is a tangible reminder of how far he—and the broader understanding of autism—have come.

The post Rewriting the Script: How Professor Stephen Shore, EdD, Turned Lived Experience With Autism Into an Emmy Award appeared first on ������Ƶ.

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 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.

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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 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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“This award reflects the dedication of the entire team here at Adelphi,” said Rhattigan. “Our focus has always been on building a resilient financial foundation for the University. Through long-range planning, including our recent $106 million bond offering, alongside major expansions like our new Manhattan Center, we are ensuring Adelphi is built to thrive for years to come.”

Leading Adelphi’s financial portfolio since 2022, Rhattigan has seen the University through challenging times in higher education and has kept it on a steady course, showcasing solid growth, stable finances and exceptional financial leadership. According to Rhattigan, “The three primary keys to Adelphi’s success: transparency, widespread partnership and thinking ‘university first’ rather than ‘department first.’”

Before joining Adelphi, Rhattigan spent more than a decade leading two eLearning platforms in K–12 education, which he helped expand into approximately 30,000 schools worldwide. He previously directed a consolidation of broadcasting stations, successfully executing equity and debt financing, restructuring and cost management. Rhattigan began his career at Andersen Consulting and worked in Europe, helping clients implement controls, processes and technology to transform their organizations. He later worked in debt securities at JPMorgan. Rhattigan has an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Rhattigan joins fellow from organizations including Jovia Financial Credit Union, Stony Brook Medicine, Discover Long Island and Teachers Federal Credit Union. A ceremony celebrating this year’s awardees was held at Crest Hollow Country Club on May 21.

Learn more about Rhattigan’s winning financial strategy.

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