News at Adelphi

Psychology professor Robert (Bob) Mendelsohn, PhD, has written two books that provide insights into the lasting value of Sigmund Freud, MD’s contributions to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.

They study memory, cultural disparities and parenting, respectively. What they share is their enthusiasm for joining the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology.

Faculty members in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology launch New Graduate Programs at a Glance (known as GOAL), to help students from underrepresented groups successfully navigate grad school applications.

Thanks to this esteemed educator, director and mentor, this series coming in Spring 2025 will explore the latest topics, practices and career options in clinical psychology.

The College Rise program is a new mentoring initiative helping local high school students from underrepresented communities prepare for college. Created by Senior Adjunct Professor Joseph Celentano, MBA ’04, it was inspired by his own experience as one of the first in his family to attend college.

Technology leader Deborah Zawisza ’80 enjoyed being back on campus and bringing real-world expertise into the classroom.

When a student comes to Adelphi University to study computer science, the curriculum is not one-size-fits-all.

If you ask Edmund J.Y. Pajarillo, PhD, professor in the Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health (CNPH), what makes him passionate about research, he will tell you it’s something that has always been within him.

One might say that with more than 15 years of research experience—and her inquiries while studying at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor before that—Katherine Fiori, PhD, professor and associate dean in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, is something of an expert at turning an idea into scholarship.

Workforce development grants help employees from underrepresented groups pursue their Master of Social Work while continuing to work full time and serve their clients.

On March 9—during Women’s History Month—Adelphi hosted its seventh annual Women’s Leadership Conference, titled: “The Era of Embracing Change: Dare To Be Extraordinary.”

From helping clients cope with the effects of the pandemic to creating more climate-resilient communities to learning to heal through the arts, the School’s continuing ed workshops give mental health professionals the opportunity to gain valuable skills and earn credits. Renee Rawcliffe, director of continuing education and professional development, discusses the School’s approach and impact on the behavioral health community.

On March 1, future entrepreneurs from the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business got valuable real-world experience in what it would take to launch their own businesses when they competed in the University’s annual Shark Tank-style Business Plan Competition.

An Adelphi professor changed the course of this brilliant NASA researcher’s life—by connecting her with internships, helping her secure an opportunity with the National Science Foundation and serving as an extraordinarily caring mentor.

For higher education, student retention has become mission critical.

Multitalented junior Angelina Saccone performed with the New York State Symphony Orchestra Musicians at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, thanks to adjunct professor and Adelphi Symphony Orchestra director Stefano Miceli.

For Maureen Gannon MS ‘88, PhD, Adelphi University was both a logical and life-altering stop on her path to earning her doctorate in cell biology and anatomy.

Michael Moore, PhD, studies how people's thoughts can lead to depression and anxiety. His hope is that Adelphi will train more people from underrepresented groups to help those in need.

The 2023 Women's Leadership Conference, Themed “Defining Leadership for Our Lives, Our Careers and Our Communities," Broke Attendance Records While Aiming to Break Glass Ceilings and Preconceived Ideas

The special issue, guest edited by Sean Bentley, PhD, associate professor of physics, captures the engineering behind the historic telescope—and has received an award for excellence in design.

Women have long had to navigate being shamed for discussing their sexual desires. Derner's new assistant professor wants to help women openly express, acknowledge and understand their feelings.

When Shana Caro, PhD, joined the Adelphi faculty in Fall 2022 as an assistant professor of biology, she had a pressing priority. “I wanted to locate a place where I could do fieldwork that was close to campus so that I could easily bring students from campus to help with my research.”

Polina Minchuk Macklin '12 is sharing her technical theater expertise with Adelphi students and alumni.

To study theater at Adelphi University is to find accomplished working professors, friends-for-life classmates, the proximity of New York City and a legacy of successful, supportive alumni. Adelphi trains “people of the theater,” said Maggie Lally ’82, associate dean of faculty programs and associate professor of theater. “The professional experience of our faculty and their…

Adelphi has just posted its highest one-year retention numbers in 10 years, with more than 85 percent of first-year students who enrolled in Fall 2021 returning to school this fall for their sophomore year. It is the third year in a row in which retention numbers have grown.

When Bharat Bhisé, MBA ’78, CEO and founder of Bravia Capital, established a distinctive new program for the Levermore Global Scholars program at Adelphi University, he said one of his objectives was to help students learn to be critical thinkers.

Christy Mulligan, PsyD, assistant professor of school psychology, researches how to help young people with selective mutism and those who have sexually harmed others, specifically targeting the inequalities within our juvenile justice system.

When Jonathan Jackson, PhD, started his role as director of the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology Center for Psychological Services, he thought it was one of those positions he might grow into—and 36 years later, he thinks he might have done just that.

Karolina Lempert, PhD, joined the faculty of the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology as an assistant professor of psychology this fall, after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Psychology and Penn Memory Center.

In August, Monica Pal, PhD '13, became director of Adelphi's Center for Psychological Services and director of Practicum Training—stepping into the shoes of her former professor, Jonathan Jackson, PhD, who retired after 36 years in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology.