Bryan Grilli

by James Forkan

Journalism / English Major
Transferred from Siene College

Bryan Grilli, who arrived at Adelphi’s College of Arts and Sciences as a transfer student in Fall 2013, became editor-in-chief of The Delphian, the University’s student newspaper, in under two years.

While at Siena College in Albany, New York, he had been pursuing political science/pre-law until he took a course called Broadcast Journalism—that changed everything.

“I loved the writing and thought journalism would be a good fit for me. It even inspired me to join the newspaper there [Siena] and transfer to a university that offered journalism as a major.”

After briefly looking elsewhere, Grilli said, “I picked Adelphi for a few reasons. I had heard Adelphi had a reputable communications program. I also knew I wanted to transfer to a school with a more intimate campus and small class sizes.” Location was another key factor. “I liked how close Adelphi was to home [Franklin Square].”

Grilli has since become a double major—in communications, specializing in journalism, and in English, specializing in creative writing.

He joined The Delphian almost immediately after starting at Adelphi. “I knew it was something I wanted to do,” he said. He then rose through the ranks, from a staff writer (2013–2014) to news editor (2014–2015).

“I was incredibly proud to be named editor-in-chief and [proud of] some of what I’ve initiated in the position so far, like reorganizing the office and changing the newspaper’s layout,” he said.

In May 2015, Grilli received the Burt Hochberg Scholarship for Ethical Journalism for his outstanding work in journalism and for representing the ethical and professional ideals associated with this award. But when asked the high point of his Delphian career to date, he cited something else entirely.

“[It was] when I was told by Stephen Levine, the 2013–2014 editor-in-chief, that I was being considered for the role of news editor,” he answered. “Even though it was a lower position than the one I now hold, it came to me as a bit of a shock and gave me a huge boost of confidence. I didn’t think my writing stood out as much as it did.”

Grilli has participated in other activities, but not to the extent of his Delphian involvement. “I was in the Debate Society [in 2014] before it transitioned into an academic organization and I’ve been to a few meetings of the GAMES [Gamers and Artists Making Epic Software] Club.”

Looking ahead to his expected Spring 2017 graduation, Grilli admitted that he’s currently unsure of his career plans. “As long as I’m doing something that involves my two passions—writing and editing—I’ll be pretty much satisfied.”

One piece of advice Grilli would offer prospective transfers is, “Try and pick at least one organization that they think they could be interested in and join it. Meeting people with similar interests is a great way to make friends.” He observed, “The hardest part of being a transfer student is the social aspect of it. Being a commuter transfer student is even more difficult because there’s a temptation to just go to class and then leave.”