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From My Desk - President Christine M. Riordan (logo)
May 2020
Dear Adelphi Family,
 
This month, in a virtual open forum with our faculty and staff, I heard it again and again—four of the most beautiful words: “How can I help?”
 
So many of our community members have reached out with this inspiring question, and are choosing to make a profound difference here at Adelphi, in our communities and on the front lines. I am overwhelmed by the compassion and commitment to serving others that I have witnessed among our students, alumni, faculty and staff.
 
While I cannot write about them all, I see amazing social media stories, notice them supporting each other, and I read all the emails I receive. We have wonderful stories for this month, and I also want to call out three of our social work students.
 
Elisa Brown, MSW (Master of Social Work) ’20, works directly with COVID-19 patients and their families at a skilled nursing facility in Brooklyn, New York. She provides daily interventions and support in this high-risk community. Miriam Payne, MSW ’20, tirelessly works in the COVID-19 unit of a New York City hospital, serving more than 100 individuals and families weekly. And Tiffany Hayatt is an MSW student and active duty military member who ensures that adequate COVID-19 resources are provided to our service people. She serves the country, by serving those who protect the country. She is considered an essential worker.
 
And now, here are some more stories of how we are helping during the pandemic:


I know you are all asking, “How can I help?” as we work through this difficult time together. Please reach out to me with your ideas and stories. And, most importantly, stay safe.
All the best,
Christine M. Riordan, PhD
President
We thank Adelphi nursing undergraduate Vita Beato, currently working on the front lines across multiple units at a major Long Island hospital.
Home movies
Growing up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Najee Hunt was not allowed to play outside without his mother or grandmother beside him. Today, he is a Newman Civic Fellow, an inspirational leader, a future clinical child psychologist— and a proud 2020 Adelphi graduate.
Online graduate programs go the distance. Students from as far away as Kansas are turning to Adelphi’s online master’s degree programs to advance—or change—their career.
A history professor moves online, mindfully. Cristina Zaccarini, PhD, associate professor, explains how she has adapted to online teaching—and how mindfulness practices have helped her do that.
Supporting our healthcare heroes. Adelphi is joining the battle against COVID-19, supplying masks, gloves and hazmat suits to New York state hospitals and providing volunteers to frontline efforts.
Dancing in two dimensions. How is it possible to take dance classes online? Orion Duckstein, associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance, explains how he and his colleagues are making it happen.
Planning for a pandemic. In an op-ed reprinted from University Business , Adelphi President Christine M. Riordan explained how the University was well-prepared to meet the crisis.
Research: Digging Deep Into the Past
Renowned archaeologist and professor of anthropology Anagnostis Agelarakis, PhD, who takes students on digs in Crete in the summer, made a discovery that is challenging long-held beliefs about the role of women in ancient Greece. Learn how he identified a 3,000-year-old skeleton as the remains of the era’s only known female master ceramicist in “ Hidden From History ,” a feature article in our Fall 2019 Academic and Creative Research Magazine .
President’s Report: Reaching Our Goals
As we face the challenges posed by the coronavirus outbreak, it is important to keep in mind that Adelphi remains strong and committed to our extended community and our mission. Working together, we have achieved many great things. My just-released President’s Report presents just some of those accomplishments. I invite you to read it —and to take pride in our shared successes.
Alumni Making a Difference
This month, I continue highlighting some of our graduates on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.  Daniel McWeeney ’07, DNP , is a clinical assistant professor in our College of Nursing and Public Health. He and Brian Hamel ’15  are doing heroic work in the emergency department at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, New York. I want to thank them—and all Panther family members who are essential workers—for their service, dedication and compassion.
Dr. Riordan is an internationally known expert and frequent speaker on leadership, diversity and inclusion, and career success. She has published nearly 70 academic and business press articles and is authoring  Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work —a book on helping employees adapt to the changing workplace. Dr. Riordan’s TEDx talk, “Dare to Be Extraordinary,” has received more than 20,000 views. She has been interviewed by and written articles for media such as the Financial Times , the Harvard Business Review , Forbes and HuffPost . Her work has been cited more than 5,400 times by other authors, and she has appeared in the press more than 130 times. For more information on her research, christineriordan.com .