Partnerships: Joining Forces for a Better World

Published: September 7, 2023

Globe with light connections from country to country

Whether they're caring for patients, working in underserved communities, solving computational problems, launching new businesses or teaching overseas, Adelphi's students are supported by those who came before them.

Through a network of generous alumni, we’re partnering with corporations, professional organizations, foundations, fellowships, nonprofit organizations, government and many others. We are joining hands with individuals and groups on our own campus, collaborating with others in nearby Hempstead, New York, and working with global entities across the world in Germany, Columbia, Bangladesh and India.

Together, we are making an extraordinary impact on our world.

Partnerships for Social Mobility and Access to Education

Thirteen people, male and female, of various ages and backgrounds, stand in front of a screen that reads National Mentoring Month Celebration: Adelphi University.

Mentors and mentees celebrating National Mentoring Month

The need to educate a new generation of young people who are equipped to handle financial challenges and contribute positively to the world has never been greater. The Jovia Financial Credit Union is stepping up to partner with the University to accomplish these shared goals, promoting financial literacy, educational equity and student mentorship.

Nine students, male and female, of Hispanic descent, stand in front of a screen with the words “Hispanic Community Partnership Program Closing Ceremony: Adelphi University” and a photo of the Adelphi University campus. To their left and right are brown and gold balloons.

High schoolers from Adelphi and Jovia’s Hispanic Community Partnership Program

In the Jovia Financial Literacy Program, students and members of the larger Adelphi community attend workshops on campus to learn how to manage one’s income, invest wisely, save for the future, and stay out of debt. The Jovia Mentoring program pairs each student with a volunteer faculty or staff mentor who provides guidance and support. Students also work with Jovia executives on consulting projects in which they learn to find solutions to organizational problems, while Jovia benefits from Adelphi’s academic resources and taps highly motivated college students for full-time career opportunities. Jovia also partners with Adelphi with the Hispanic Community Partnership Program, which gives Hispanic high school students insights on college life while they gain the know-how, skills, resources and confidence to pursue a college degree.

A white woman, smiling, with glasses, brown hair and a gold, loose top, stands in front of a podium. Behind her stand two white women wearing glasses, a Black woman with white hair and a white woman wearing a wide-brimmed black hat. They are all smiling.

The Women’s Giving Circle

Identifying problems at Adelphi—and raising funds to address them—is the mission of the Women’s Giving Circle, a partnership of powerhouse women philanthropists. Working together, these extraordinary alumnae, parents, faculty, staff and community members have awarded over $300,000 in grants and seed money, while they highlight and promote women’s roles as leaders, creators, philanthropists, developers and managers of creative projects by and for Adelphi.

A white woman with brown curly hair wearing a blazer, white blouse, blue scarf and brown pants sits in a room. There are doctoral students, male and female, sitting on either side of her. There is a shortage of mental health professionals in the United States, particularly those who come from and serve underrepresented communities. Patrick L. Ross, PhD, longtime professor and former associate dean at the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, has partnered with Derner alumni to change that. He established the Patrick L. Ross Fellowship Fund, an endowment that provides $5,000 scholarships to first-year Derner PhD candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. Alumni have responded by raising over $1 million to aid students—and to build a more multicultural workforce in the field of psychology.

Partnerships for Academic Excellence

A young Black man is sitting in an audience with people seated in front of and behind him. They wear Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health scrubs. Nationwide, nurses are facing increased stress on the job and many are leaving the profession. It’s more important than ever to fill the need for strong, resilient nurse leaders who understand how to cope with the stress of this profession. In Spring 2023, Adelphi’s College of Nursing and Public Health launched a partnership with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to help solve this national crisis. The mission of the AACN initiative: to help undergraduate nursing students prepare for, and overcome, the challenges of the nursing profession. (The pandemic was the latest stressor to face.) Just 10 nursing schools in the nation were selected for this extraordinary partnership, cementing Adelphi as an innovative leader in the healthcare field.

Two people on laptops, woman closest to camera, man furthest from camera. TV behind them.

Jennefer Maldonado ’20, MS ’22

The Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory needs employees who can meet the increasing demand for computational scientists to advance their research. So in 2019, Adelphi partnered with Brookhaven Lab to launch the first minor in scientific computing in New York state. Students gained valuable experience and skills, and BNL benefited in its work to elevate the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) training in the United States. Jennefer Maldonado ’20, MS ’22, one of the first to earn the minor, is now employed at BNL as a senior applications analyst.

A white man with white hair and glasses wearing a suit is talking to students in front of a building. On the building is the name: Robert B. Willumstad School of Business.

Robert B. Willumstad, LLD ’05 (Hon), with Willumstad Winning Edge scholars.

Students at our Robert B. Willumstad School of Business need the skills to step directly into a successful career. That’s why the School’s namesake and Board of Trustees chair emeritus Robert B. Willumstad partnered with Adelphi to create the Willumstad Winning Edge program. Scholars become tech credentialed, study career readiness, learn leadership and networking skills, and graduate ready to become the business leaders of tomorrow.

Group of about ten men and women posing with a large check.

2023 Business Plan Competition

Entrepreneurship is the future of business, says trustee Kevin Mahony ’83, first vice president of wealth management and financial adviser at UBS Financial Services. Mahony is working with Adelphi to sponsor and co-judge our Annual Business Plan Competition. At this annual Shark Tank-inspired contest, students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test as they compete for $11,000 in prizes to help fund their ideas. It’s experiential learning that prepares students to dream big, develop unique business ideas and pitch them—all great skills necessary to making the next big business idea a reality.

A photo from the book Lost Histories: Recovering the Lives of Japan’s Colonial Peoples, by Kirsten L. Ziomek, PhD.

“There are still more histories and stories to be told about World War II that have not yet been written,” said Kirsten L. Ziomek, PhD, associate professor of East Asian history and director of Asian studies. In a joint academic partnership between the Japan-United States Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Dr. Ziomek was awarded a $60,000 Fellowship for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan. Dr. Ziomek will conduct research for her book about the multitude of cultures and individuals involved in Japan’s Asia-Pacific wartime operations.

10 people of various ages and backgrounds are standing in front of an arched doorway in Morocco.

Bharat Bhisé, MBA ’78 with students on a trip to India

Bharat Bhisé, MBA ’78, CEO and founder of Bravia Capital, came from India to Adelphi to earn his degree and went on to a brilliant career in global business.

In 2022, he joined forces with Adelphi leadership to establish and fund the Bhisé Global Learning Experience. In January 2023, eight Levermore Global Scholars were selected to travel to India for a life-changing, all-expenses-paid study tour. “The Bhisé Global Learning Experience Fund will support an important goal that I share with Adelphi—to cultivate global citizenship and prepare thoughtful international leaders through powerful, firsthand learning experiences,” Bhisé said about the partnership.

Woman in navy blue dress with blonde hair stands in front of classroom. Behind her is a projected screen saying, “In order to be interesting, a talk needs to tell a story.”

Karolina Lempert, PhD, assistant professor of psychology

In another academic collaboration, Karolina Lempert, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist and assistant professor of psychology, was awarded a three-year, $377,484 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Aging. She will explore the role of memory in decision making.

About 15 men and women of various ages and backgrounds stand behind a table for a group photo. They’re looking at the camera and smiling.

Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Mohammad Yunus (center) during his visit to Adelphi, with Deborah Hunt, PhD’12 (third from left), dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health

In March 2023, Nobel PeaceLaureate Professor Muhammad Yunus came to Adelphi to share his deep belief that everyone can play a part in eradicating poverty. In addition, Yunus and Deborah Hunt, PhD ’12, dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health, announced a new global partnership—between Adelphi and the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Bangladesh, which Yunus founded. They plan to exchange faculty members and staff, share academic materials, offer faculty development and jointly participate in healthcare seminars. The partnership “signifies a new beginning for Adelphi University and the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing,” according to Dean Hunt. Yunus added, “This is how it is done—you take a tiny seed and see if it will grow into a big thing.”

Professor Mary Elizabeth deFreitas, PhD, left anf Associate Professor Matthew Curinga, EdD right

The lighting, noise levels and design of schools can affect the success of students. Partnering with New York City public schools, two professors in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences are using sensory ethnographic methods to research how changes in those spaces can improve academic performance. Professor Mary Elizabeth deFreitas, PhD, and Associate Professor Matthew Curinga, EdD, were awarded a$246,051 grant from the Spencer Foundation for this work.

Nursing students studying together, woman on the left looking at her note cards, man on right looking off to the side, woman in ponytail sitting across from him. At-risk children and young adults with behavioral health challenges need medical care as well as assistance from a social worker when they arrive in an emergency room or health clinic. But too often, nurses do not have a good understanding of social work issues, and social workers do not understand medical challenges. That is changing with Adelphi’s new IDEATE program, a life-changing partnership between our School of Social Work and our College of Nursing and Public Health. The Interdisciplinary Education and Training Experience (IDEATE) program, funded by a $1.92 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, enables 15 graduate students in social work and 15 in nursing to learn to work together to benefit children and youth in underserved communities. This partnership program earned a prestigious 2023 John L. Blackburn Award from the American Association of University Administrators, an award bestowed on just one university program a year.

Partnerships for High-Impact Learning

A young white woman with reddish-brown hair is taking notes in a notebook while she talks on the phone. Behind her is a whiteboard and a desktop computer.

Stephanie Paterno, MA ’16, Master of Social Work candidate

The New York State Office of Mental Health and Adelphi’s School of Social Work have entered into a partnership that helps our social work students learn mental health skills. As part of the Schools of Social Work Project for Evidence-Based Practice in Mental Health, Adelphi’s Master of Social Work students benefit by taking part in online and in-person fieldwork with organizations like the Visiting Nurse Services, the Family Service League and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. Students work with clients and collaborate directly with mental health professionals—allowing them to add vital new skills to their life-changing work. Many social work students have been hired by the very same agencies where they did their fieldwork—an added benefit to this important partnership.

Two students working on painting a mural Adelphi is harnessing the power of art to improve communities, and future mural artists at Adelphi are getting ready to make the world a more beautiful place. Muralist Cara Lynch ’12, who often partners with NYC Public Works to brighten city parks, roads and facilities, is bringing her expertise back home to teach students in her Mural Arts Workshop. Their latest collaboration: a boldly colored mural for the Multicultural Center in the Ruth S. Harley University Center.

Four students in lecture hall in the United Nations: A white woman with brown hair and glasses is in the foreground. To her right sit a Black woman, a white man and a white woman.

United Nations Youth Representative Nino Burjanadze (right)

Adelphi’s dedication to global awareness is highlighted by our long-standing partnership with the United Nations. Each year, Adelphi selects students for the National Model United Nations Collegiate Conference. This year, Sarah Delannoy ’23, a graduate student majoring in social work, and Nino Burjanadze, an undergraduate student majoring in political science, were selected to represent theUniversity as United Nations youth delegates. They’ll work with students from around the world to learn about global issues and give their input on how to effect change.

A bald white man in a blue shirt and a young white man with dark hair sit at a table in front of two laptops in front of a window while a white woman with long brown hair looks on. They smile while the man points to something on the laptop screen. Local nonprofits need interns, but often don’t have the funds to pay them. The Jaggar Community Fellows Program, launched by Adelphi trustee emerita Angela Jaggar ’62, MA ’65, PhD, and her husband, the late Scott Jaggar, is an extraordinarily successful partnership between generous alumni and our Center for Career and Professional Development. This internship program has been placing students in paid internships with nonprofit organizations for the past 14 years. Adelphi students gain experience in the nonprofit sector, while nonprofits can advance their mission for the greater good.

Two young white men in front of their laptops are turned away from the camera looking at their professor, a Hispanic man in a brown suit with a red tie, who is talking to them. Students in the MS in Business Analytics program at Adelphi are experiencing global collaboration in the real world, in real time. They are partnering with Corona Industries, a global firm based in Colombia, to solve business challenges in machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and data management. Corona leaders are classroom guests, giving students business problems and finding solutions together. The students get valuable experience working with an international company—and a boost on their résumés. In turn, Corona receives fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.

The city of Cologne.

Academic partnerships with European universities overseas are on the rise. Katie Laatikainen, PhD, professor in the Department of Political Science, was invited to be a visiting teaching/research professor at the Johtamiskorkeakoulu (School of Management) at the University of Tampere in Finland. Dr. Laatikainen spent one month teaching the intensive graduate course Multilateralism and Global Governance. As a result of that collaboration, Adelphi and the University of Tempere’s School of Management now share an exchange program.

Partnerships for an Inclusive and Connected Community

A white woman with long dark hair and glasses sits in an office at a desk. She is looking at a laptop screen to her left. A white female student with reddish-brown shoulder-length hair is typing on the laptop. She wears a red and black checked jacket, a shirt with a ruffle at the neck, dark-rimmed glasses and a houndstooth-print newsboy cap. The Bridges to Adelphi program has helped neurodivergent students navigate the college experience since 2007. Thanks to life-changing community partnerships, the program prepares these students for professional and personal success beyond college. Students participate in paid internships with companies such as Northwell Health and the Nassau Library System. They learn financial literacy thanks to TD Bank. Driving lessons are made possible through specialized training in a driver’s education program brought to campus from Gersh Academy, putting students on the road to independence. And the nation’s first sensory room on a university campus was created through a partnership with KultureCity, an organization focused on accessibility and equity for the neurodivergent community.

Often, the most powerful partnerships for Adelphi students are Adelphi alumni, who stay connected through advisory boards and affinity groups. Dedicated alumni from the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, College of Nursing and Public Health and Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology give the gift of their time and expertise by serving on the individual school or college’s dean’s advisory boards. The deans gain valuable insight to enhance the student experience, and students receive networking opportunities and one-to-one mentorship. Adelphi’s alumni affinity groups foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, where alumni and current students explore shared interests and connections.

Black woman with brown hair and gold earrings wearing a brown dress stands at a podium with the words Adelphi University. A young Black woman wearing a gray blazer is on her left, smiling and hugging a Black woman with braids, also smiling, wearing a brown jacket with a yellow collar and brown skirt.

Chotsani Williams West, MA ’07 (right), assistant vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, at a mentoring event

Adelphi is a national leader in the art of mentoring. The one-to-one partnerships that made this program so remarkable have already earned several national awards. Mentors offer support for students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, veterans or military students, and first-generation students—with 100 percent graduation rates for participants. Chotsani West, MA ’07, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, noted, “We launched the program in 2014 with 10 participants. By 2021, 225 participants had been through the program. We planted a seed, and it’s growing.”

Adelphi is proud to partner with the Association of American Colleges and Universities as a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center, one of the first among the 23 colleges selected for partnership. The Center engages and empowers the campus community to come together through a commitment to racial education and healing. In addition, the Center fosters closer collaboration with community organizations such as Sewanhaka School District, The INN (InterfaithNutrition Network) and P.E.A.C.E. Afterschool Program Inc. (Partnerships in Education to Avoid Criminal Justice System Entry).

Partnerships for a Stronger Future for Adelphi

Even on-campus internal partnerships are moving the needle at Adelphi.

Four students sitting together at desk with laptops. On left, man looking off to the side, woman with pink hair sitting across from him. On right, woman with curly hair looking at the man across from her, who has gold-framed glasses. Man on laptop in background. The Ruth S. Harley University Center serves as the newest hub on campus that improves the lives of our students. Adelphi leadership, collaborating with the Offices of Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, identified a need for a dedicated space that would be welcoming and inclusive for students of all cultures and all backgrounds. The result was Adelphi’s new Multicultural Center, a spot for students to share their social and cultural identities and collaborate with staff, faculty and alumni to provide the campus community with vibrant programs, activities and cultural celebrations.

Three young women sit on chairs in a sparsely furnished room. There is a brown wall covered in tiny pink lights.

Adelphi’s Mindfulness Center

“It’s easy for students to get swept up in always doing, doing, doing,” according to Michael Hoffner, coordinator of the Interfaith Center and Spiritual Services. “But life isn’t just about what’s next—it’s about what’s happening in the here and now.” That concern for students’ mental health and well-being led Adelphi to create our new Mindfulness Center—a shared meeting space for all religions and faiths on campus. Here, students find calm, peace and stress relief from their busy campus lives. “At Adelphi, there’s a deep commitment to not just academic success but an overall well-being in the body, mind and spirit,” Hoffner added.

Three white young women walk on a path in front of Adelphi’s Levermore Hall. There are purple flowers growing on the right. In the past, paying bills, registering for classes and checking on financial aid status required visiting separate departments around campus. Not anymore. As of Fall 2022, students and families can take care of business in a simpler and more streamlined fashion at our modern, new One-Stop Student Services Center, a partnership combining the registrar, financial aid, billing and payment departments into a beautiful new open space. Eliminating small, cramped offices and winding hallways is helping all our campus partners work together more smoothly for the benefit of our students and families. Thanks to the efforts of State Senator KevinThomas and former State Senator Anna Kaplan, Adelphi secured state funding to make the new Center a reality.

The Adelphi Fund: A Partnership Everyone Can Be Part Of

Gifts to the Adelphi Fund benefit everyone and everything at Adelphi. The fund is Adelphi’s lifeline—the University wouldn’t be what it is today without this ongoing support. It’s one simple way to help every student, every classroom, every academic program—every corner of our beautiful campus.

A man wearing virtual reality glasses holds his hand in front of him while a man and woman, with their backs to the camera, watch. They stand in front of an abstract painting Here are some examples of how the Adelphi Fund has been used to benefit our community:

Renovating the Human-Computer Interaction Lab in Blodgett Hall 109, which now provides space and equipment for computer science students to study novel user interfaces and computer users’ behaviors
Upgrading all classroom technology
Designing the Health and Wellness Center
Contributing to the implementation of our new One-Stop Student Services Center

The Adelphi Fund is Panther pride in action. Together, we partner to support our students and build a bright future for our University.