For the past two years, Dr. Whitley and her research partner, William Massey, PhD, of Oregon State University, have been developing the United States’ first-ever comprehensive youth sports mental health guidelines. In the absence of federal regulations or a dedicated government ministry, these guidelines close a problematic policy gap. They’re the product of input from more than 100 athletes, families, coaches and experts, translating both scholarly research and lived experience into actionable, evidence-based guidance for youth sport leaders.

Rethinking the Youth Sports Ecosystem

In many youth sport settings in the United States, any adult can show up and volunteer to become a coach, no prior experience or training required. Dr. Whitley wants to change that. “We need to make sure volunteers are coaching in ways that are physically safe,” she said. That means, at the very minimum, conducting background checks and sport safety training.

But training coaches to support mental health is trickier. “How do we help coaches understand how to build psychologically safe, developmentally appropriate environments where kids can flourish? How do we help coaches cultivate a sense of inclusion and belonging?”

Dr. Whitley’s guidelines lay out a clear path forward—not only for coaches, but for parents, too. As her research revealed, parents’ behavior can make or break their child’s experience. “Time and again, we heard from young athletes that the worst part is the car ride home after the game.”

“” (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, May 2026), a related article Dr. Whitley co-authored with Dr. Massey, recounts young athletes’ frustration with their parents’ postgame critiques. Parents becoming critics rather than caregivers, even when their feedback is well-meaning, only adds fuel to the fire. Much like coaches, Dr. Whitley believes, parents have to be trained how to “show up.”

A Landmark National Initiative, Supported by $450,000 in Grant Funding

Dr. Whitley’s research has been supported by high-profile organizations across the country. A $100,000 grant from the powered phase one, with another $100,000 from Movember powering phase two—along with a $250,000 grant from the . For this most recent grant, Adelphi was selected as just one of 10 inaugural partners in its Empower Every Coach (EEC) program, enabling Dr. Whitley’s work to be connected with a national portfolio of other systems-level youth sport projects.

“Mental Health Guidelines for Youth Sport Across the United States” kicked off in early 2025 with an intensive literature review, encompassing 20,000 research papers and programming from 80-plus programs and organizations, as well as a series of national focus groups and an Adelphi study, which allowed her team to get feedback from 22 experts in the intersection of youth sport and mental health. Later in 2025, Dr. Whitley and her team held a two-day expert advisory panel at Nike’s headquarters in New York City to finalize the guidelines and develop a plan for dissemination.

In July 2026, the project entered a new, much-anticipated phase: implementation and testing. Dr. Whitley and her team began working with a cohort of “anchor partners,” spanning grassroots, school-based and performance sport settings from coast to coast.

The Seven Guidelines Making Real-World Impact

For the next 18 months, these anchor partners will serve as an important proving ground. As they put the mental health guidelines into practice, they’ll be reshaping their sport programs from the ground up, turning potential pressure cookers into the safe havens they were always meant to be.

The first three guidelines set a developmental baseline: prioritizing young athletes’ physical, psychological and social growth over performance. The rest address mental health directly, covering subjects like crisis response training, clear access to mental health resources and emergency preparedness plans.

“Lots of programs have emergency plans for physical injuries, but what about mental health?” Dr. Whitley said. “If there’s a collective trauma in the community, or something really hard has happened for one athlete on the team, we don’t want program leaders to be figuring out what to do on the fly.” She’s also determined to enhance mental health literacy. Coaches should be able to recognize early signs of distress and, critically, gauge if their athletes are just having a bad day, “or if it’s something more serious that needs to be escalated.”

A Healthier Future for Youth Sports

During the testing phase, Dr. Whitley’s team will be collecting data from their anchor partners, working in real time to refine the “Mental Health Guidelines for Youth Sport Across the United States.” “We’ll be learning as we go,” she said. “Where are the friction points? What is and isn’t feasible? How can we make sure the guidelines are ready for a broader rollout?” At the end of 2027, they’ll synthesize their findings into an open-access tool kit that can be accessed by any sport program leader, anywhere.

Though the guidelines will remain a work in progress for some time, Dr. Whitley is excited about the possibility of real, systems-level change—especially as some states are finally beginning to legislate mental health training and coach requirements. “I hope our guidelines will help shape those policies,” she said. “And eventually we’ll have a clear foundation for rebuilding youth sport as a healthier, more inclusive ecosystem.”

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

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

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

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

A Dead End, Then Help From Alumni Relations

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like a “Message From Heaven” From an Alum

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

Anita reflected on what the discovery meant to her family:

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

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

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

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

Missing Spirit Weekend, But There in Spirit

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

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

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

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

The Enduring Adelphi Connection

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

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

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

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The message “Take the First Step. You’re Not Alone” is the theme of the program’s Fall 2026 breast cancer awareness campaign. It encourages women to prioritize their health by scheduling mammograms, learning about available breast cancer programs and reaching out for information and support.

That message will come to life on Thursday, October 22, when the program presents its annual Celebration of Survivorship at ������Ƶ in Garden City. Breast cancer survivors Pam Shapiro, Donna T. Bacon ’94, MSW ’99, PhD, and Jeannie Rettura will share their experiences with diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and the support they received along the way.

“For many women, the most difficult part is taking that first step and reaching out,” said Reyna Machado, executive director of the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program. “Once they do, there are people here who understand what they are experiencing. Our volunteers, most of whom are breast cancer survivors themselves, and our professional staff provide information, support and connections to local resources. We want women across New York to know that support is available throughout their breast cancer journey.”

Since 1980, the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, a project of the ������Ƶ School of Social Work, has provided information and emotional support to people affected by breast cancer. Its toll-free hotline operates 365 days a year and connects callers with volunteers who are breast cancer survivors and understand firsthand many of the concerns surrounding a diagnosis.

The program also provides professional counseling in English and Spanish, support groups, educational forums and events, community outreach, survivorship programming and referrals for free or low-cost mammograms.

The women speaking at this year’s Celebration of Survivorship have various experiences with breast cancer and have been connected with our program supporting other women for decades.

Shapiro has faced breast cancer diagnoses in 2000, 2010 and 2019 and serves as a member of the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program Advisory Board. Dr. Bacon is a breast cancer survivor and advocate who was diagnosed in 2006. Rettura, diagnosed in 1986, is a breast cancer survivor and volunteer with the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

The Celebration of Survivorship will be held Thursday, October 22, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom at ������Ƶ’s Ruth S. Harley University Center in Garden City. Doors open at 4:00 p.m., with the program beginning at 4:30 p.m. A light supper will be served. The event is free.

About the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program

The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program provides free support and resources for people with or concerned about breast cancer. Services include a toll-free hotline staffed by breast cancer survivors, professional counseling in English and Spanish, support groups, educational programs, community outreach, survivorship programming and referrals for free or low-cost mammograms. The program is available 365 days a year.

For information and support, call 800.877.8077, text 516.262.3263 or visit: adelphi.edu/breast-cancer.

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Social workers play a key role in helping people understand these changes to eligibility—and supporting them from a whole-person approach. “Social workers are trained to help people navigate systems and to deal with mental health crises,” says Elizabeth Palley, JD, PhD, professor of social work and director of the PhD in Social Work program.

Here’s a closer look at what’s changing, who will feel it most and how Adelphi prepares students to help.

What’s Changing With SNAP

There are a few key SNAP changes taking effect on October 1, 2026, the start of the federal fiscal year 2027. These include:

• States and counties absorb more administrative cost burden. The federal share of SNAP administrative costs drops from 50 percent to 25 percent, increasing the local share to 75 percent. For New York, this equals an increase in state costs by roughly $36 million per year, and county costs by $168 million a year.
• Benefits increase slightly. Given the higher costs of living, the are rising. For example, a family of four will go from a maximum monthly benefit of $994 to $1,023.
• The new three-year work-requirement window starts. People who are subject to SNAP work requirements must work for at least 80 hours a month. If they don’t, they can receive SNAP for only three months in a three-year window. The three-year window resets on October 1, 2026.

Some changes went into effect earlier in 2026. In particular, work requirements now apply to adults ages 55 to 64 (previously adults ages 18 to 54 without dependents) and to parents whose youngest child is 14 years or older.

Who Will Feel the Impact Most

The expanded work requirements have made it more difficult for people to qualify for SNAP. The New York governor’s office estimates that 300,000 households will lose some or all of their SNAP benefits, with an average loss of $220 a month.

Meeting the updated work requirements can be especially challenging for older adults and parents with teenagers. “We don’t want teens to be without parents around,” Dr. Palley says. “Often, the kinds of jobs you can get have night and early morning hours when your kid is around, so that can have impacts on parenting.”

Dr. Palley also notes that many adults in their 50s and 60s who have recently been pushed out of the workforce already struggle to find new jobs, and the jobs they can find are often physically demanding, minimum-wage work.

Losing SNAP benefits will be especially hard on children. “Certainly for children, hunger affects your physical and mental health, as well as your ability to concentrate, so school performance will likely suffer,” Dr. Palley says.

And shifting more of the administrative cost burden on states and counties will put the most strain on poorer counties that can’t absorb the cost shift. So, even if people qualify for SNAP, they may not be able to access benefits if funding runs short, Dr. Palley notes.

With more people losing SNAP benefits, the demand for food banks, private charities, and other community services will rise. Families may also need to divert money from rent to food, leading to housing instability, Dr. Palley says.

How Adelphi Prepares Students

������Ƶ’s social work programs teach students how to help clients access resources and, more importantly, how to engage in policy advocacy to support legislative changes that benefit their client population. “It’s important to have social workers who understand the experiences of clients, but also understand how to navigate and lead systems,” Dr. Palley says.

Students learn how to understand an issue, conduct research and interpret data, and create a convincing argument. “Those are the skills you would take into advocacy,” Dr. Palley says.

In addition to classroom learning, all students must participate in the School of Social Work’s annual social action initiative. Students can choose from various projects, including social media campaigns, expert interviews, website creation and legislative advocacy. Interested students can even travel to Albany and nearby counties to meet with legislators or testify on issues they care about at the county level.

“As a social worker, you’re closely tied to the populations you’re working with, so you can make a really good case and present people’s stories, because sometimes it’s too hard for people who are currently struggling to be able to testify and meet with legislators,” Dr. Palley says.

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For psychology doctoral students, the move means expanded opportunities for hands-on clinical experience in a bustling urban setting, closer to the diverse population they’ll serve throughout their careers. For patients, it means greater access to high-quality, affordable psychological services in a state-of-the-art facility.

Under the leadership of Monica Pal, PhD, director of both the Center for Psychological Services and of practicum training for the PhD in Clinical Psychology program, the new Manhattan Clinic location continues a decades-long mission to bridge rigorous clinical training with meaningful mental health care.

At the Manhattan Clinic, Derner’s doctoral students provide assessments, individual therapy and group therapy to Adelphi students and local community members—children, adolescents and adults. Treatment rooms offer state of the art technology for student training, including technology that allows videotaping of sessions (with patient consent) to enhance supervision.

“The space is just a couple of blocks from Grand Central station, so it is a central location we are very excited about both for our students and to serve the community,” said Dr. Pal.

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Defining What “Aging Well” Means

Invited participants were asked to think beyond longevity as simply the number of years a person lives or the physical strength of one’s body. The conversation focused on the quality of those years and whether people can remain healthy, independent, connected and supported as they age. The morning began with a brief audience reflection, where participants were asked to write one word that captured what “aging well” meant to them. Some of the participant responses included “independence,” “health,” “family,” “support,” “energy,” “happiness,” “quality” and “fulfillment.” The activity offered an early reminder that aging well means different things to different people, while also revealing common themes around health, connection and quality of life.

Keynote: Brain Health and the Whole Life Course

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Anderson, who spoke from his experience as an internationally recognized leader in stroke and brain health. His presentation focused on brain health, longevity and the importance of protecting brain health across the whole life course.

After the keynote session, the forum moved from evidence to implementation through an expert dialogue moderated by Chris Macey, director of advocacy and patient support at the . The panel brought together Socrates Kakoulides, MD, cardiologist and chief imaging officer at in Miami, Florida; Nicola Anderson, business leader at ; Jan van der Merwe, global project lead of the and co-founder of; and Alan Cooper, PhD ’95, clinical associate professor of management at Adelphi. Together, the speakers examined why, even when much is already known about prevention and brain health, large-scale implementation remains difficult. Their discussion highlighted that successful aging should not be addressed by medicine alone, but depends on how clinicians, institutions, policymakers, business leaders, communities and individuals work together.

A central part of the day was the Sense-Making Workshop, led by Dr. Proios and doctoral candidate Myrto Pyrrou. The workshop discussions pointed to several practical concerns that participants felt were shaping the experience of aging. In the health systems group, participants emphasized the need for better care pathways, continuity of care and more integrated services, especially in a healthcare system that can often feel disconnected. The prevention group raised issues such as access to healthy food, sedentary lifestyles and the need to make prevention more realistic in everyday life. The business and policy group focused on incentives, socioeconomic gaps, community knowledge and the challenge of building a stronger culture of prevention across sectors.

Leadership Workshop: Creating the Biggest Possibility

In the afternoon, the forum shifted from diagnosis to possibility through a leadership workshop titled “Creating the Biggest Possibility.” Participants were invited to think about the future they want to create, the leadership required to make it real and the milestones that could move this vision forward. Reflections from the session touched on stronger community ties, more accessible health and wellness services, reduced loneliness and a greater recognition of older adults’ knowledge and contribution.

Feedback collected from participants was all positive and attendees expressed appreciation for both the content of the day and the opportunity to take part in meaningful, cross-sector dialogue. Special thanks were extended to ������Ƶ staff members Stacey Barbato, director of operations; Barbara Clemens, administrative assistant; Kerry Scalere, administrative assistant; and Jessica Mannhaupt, coordinator of communications and outreach, as well as to the panelists, all participants and volunteers Liz Bethlio and Taylor Slicklein.

Looking Ahead

Successful aging is not only a health issue, but also a leadership challenge. Supporting longer, healthier and more connected lives will require collaboration across disciplines, institutions and generations. Each participant left with a certificate of completion for promoting brain health and longevity.

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Building on the milestone achievement of training more than one million coaches in youth development and mental health practices, the EEC cohort focuses on what comes next: strengthening the systems, structures and supports that make quality coaching accessible to all young people.

As part of the partnership, Adelphi will receive $250,000 to support the University’s mental health guidelines project led by Meredith Whitley, PhD, professor of health and sport sciences, a leading scholar in sport for development, which intentionally uses physical activity, play and structured sports as a vehicle to drive social change, peace building and community development.

“To combat the escalating youth mental health crisis, this project establishes a pathway to transform a fragmented, high-pressure sports ecosystem into a psychologically safe environment by equipping adult leaders with actionable, evidence-based guidance,” said Dr. Whitley. “We are deeply grateful for the continued support of , and we are thrilled to be an inaugural partner in the Million Coaches Challenge Empower Every Coach cohort. Joining this national cohort of 10 organizations allows us to collectively advance systems-level change in youth sports through policy, research, narrative change and organizational practice.”

In addition to Adelphi, the 2026 Empower Every Coach Learning Community includes the following partners and projects: The Ad Council, Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, FundPlay Foundation, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), The Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University, LiFEsports at The Ohio State University and the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Positive Coaching Alliance, United States Soccer Federation, and University of Washington Center for Leadership in Athletics (UW CLA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Facilitated by Aspen Institute’s Project Play, partners will collaborate over the next 18 months through quarterly convening, shared learning opportunities and collective problem-solving designed to accelerate systems-level impact across the youth sports ecosystem.

About Million Coaches Challenge

The is a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform youth sports by training coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by leading organizations across sports, research and youth development, MCC works to equip coaches with the tools to create positive, inclusive environments where young people can thrive on and off the field.

About Susan Crown Exchange

is a grant-making foundation with a mission to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world. SCE supports organizations that promote social and emotional learning and youth well-being, explore the relationship between technology and society, and build critical life skills through youth sports.

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“With 1,578 donors and 1,613 gifts, our community demonstrated the true impact of investing in the University we believe in,” said Thomas Kline, EdD, Adelphi’s vice president of University advancement and external relations. “This remarkable generosity is a powerful testament to the transformative potential of our Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact. We are filled with deep gratitude and hope for the future of Adelphi.”

The ������Ƶ Honors College received a $45,000 gift from alumni Carole ’64 and Neal ’63 Stuber, and the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business led the University’s eight schools and colleges, raising $67,335, with generous matching gifts from its Dean’s Advisory Board, Trustee Kevin Mahony ’83 and an anonymous donor. , always supported by Panther fans, raised $250,934, led by men’s golf.

Rooted in Adelphi’s founding year, “1,896 Minutes to Give” is a call to action for the University’s alumni, students, faculty, administrators and friends to support the meaningful causes that strengthen every aspect of the institution. Every current member of the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees participated, reflecting their ongoing commitment to Adelphi’s mission. And the University’s first-ever planned giving challenge inspired 13 people, including four anonymous donors, to make new or increased commitments totaling $1.2 million.

The funds raised will continue advancing Adelphi’s 130-year-old mission to transform student lives through exceptional hands-on learning, extraordinary student experiences, accessible scholarships and academic resources, and . Additionally, funding sustains meaningful community programs like Bridges to Adelphi and the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

Learn more about .

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“We partner with community groups that directly service community members as a way to provide opportunities for upward mobility for folks to get access and entry into careers that offer a livable wage,” says Sandra Castro, PhD, senior associate dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at ������Ƶ.

For the students in these programs, earning a certification is the first step toward a healthcare career and the financial stability that comes with it.

Preparing Hempstead Adults for In-Demand Healthcare Roles

Students practicing phlebotomy techniques through Adelphi’s partnership with Hempstead Schools Adult Education.

When ������Ƶ launched a partnership with and in late 2025, the response from the community was immediate. To identify and enroll students, the program turned to Hempstead Union Free School District’s Adult and Community Education Program, and demand quickly outpaced expectations. “We started with one cohort, and then about six weeks later, another cohort—and people are still calling to enroll,” says , director of adult and community education at Hempstead Union Free School District.

Roughly 36 students received a full scholarship and are expected to complete the certification course by June. “This scholarship is really impactful,” Gottlieb says. “Depending on the school, this program could cost $4,000 or more. For someone making minimum wage, that expense can be difficult to meet.”

Many of the enrolled students came through Hempstead’s adult education program, and the district also hosted the in-person classes. Students pursuing careers in vital healthcare and social service fields were eligible to apply for the fully funded scholarships.

“There is a pressing need for adults to obtain credentials efficiently, in ways that allow for rapid entry into sustainable careers,” Gottlieb notes. Many adult learners in the Hempstead Adult and Community Education Program are navigating day-to-day financial responsibilities while working demanding jobs, which makes participation in extended programs impractical. In response to these realities, courses have been intentionally structured differently from traditional models, allowing students to complete certification within a condensed time frame of approximately three to four months.

“The biggest benefit is that students are learning how to invest in themselves and think about their future, and it gives a sense of dignity and opportunity,” Gottlieb says.

Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Women on the Path to Healthcare Careers

Women re-entering the workforce are learning skills to make them workforce-ready via Adelphi’s partnership with New Hour for Women and Children LI.

This May, the first student cohort will graduate from Empowerment Through Employment: ������Ƶ and health careers program. Funded by a grant from , this program benefits formerly incarcerated women through New Hour For Women and Children LI’s network of community programs and support services. “Three out of four are moms, so we recognize that the need for higher education and licensure is really critical to creating a safe stable home and economic stability,” says Serena Martin ’05, founder and executive director of New Hour For Women and Children LI.

The program connects women to Adelphi’s professional certification courses to prepare New Hour For Women and Children LI members for in-demand healthcare careers such as clinical medical assistants, , , , and more. The grant also provided women with laptops and the software they need to complete their certification. “A lot of funders and higher education folks underestimate the cost for returning students who are living paycheck to paycheck,” Martin says.

The courses, which are fully online and asynchronous, were designed to accommodate students’ competing priorities. “Most women are already working, they’re already parenting,” Martin says. “Being able to do the course on their own time, at their own pace—after work or after they put the kids to bed—is really amazing.”

To ensure success after graduation, Adelphi provides support with résumé-building assistance, career counseling, interview preparation and job search assistance, individual counseling, and externship placement. Students also receive biweekly check-ins, in-person lunches with Adelphi staff and a dedicated case manager.

Members like Tiara [last name withheld] exemplify the drive and determination of women participating in the program. The clinical medical assistant program certificate she’s earned is just one credential on the path to becoming a certified medical assistant.

Funding currently covers two cohorts over two years. The next will start in June with another group of women. Interest in the program has been strong since the launch—there’s already a waitlist for the next cohort—and New Hour For Women and Children LI and Adelphi are actively seeking funding for additional cohorts in the future.

“Our women are so thirsty to work,” Martin says. “You will not find a more responsible worker than someone who understands what it’s like to have lost their freedom and is now looking to fight hard and get back on their feet.”

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