R U T H S . A M M O N C O L L E G E
O F E D U C A T I O N A N D H E A L T H S C I E N C E S 2 0 2 4
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PROGRESS
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
In 2024, the Ruth S. Ammon College has made remarkable progress in advancing our seven strategic initiatives, reflecting our unwavering commitment to innovation, excellence, and transformative education This year has been a milestone for us as we ’ ve worked to enhance our academic offerings, foster meaningful partnerships, and drive student success. In this issue, we are proud to highlight the significant achievements across each of these initiatives, showcasing how they are not only shaping the future of our college but also positioning our students, faculty, and community for continued growth and success Together, we are creating a lasting impact and paving the way for a brighter, more dynamic future.
Xiao-lei Wang, PhD Dean, Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences
Enhancing Staff Support to Improve Efficiency
The college upgraded Jean-Marie Ignatiadis's administrative role to Senior Director of Student Success and Administrative Affairs in 2024. This new position allows Jean-Marie to play a pivotal role in supporting and advancing staff development within the college
The Impact of Department Restructuring in the School of Education
To better support faculty and students, the School of Education underwent restructuring two years ago, splitting into two departments: the Department of Expression, Leadership, and Inclusion, led by Chair Diana Schwinge, and the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, led by Chair Carl Mirra
This restructuring has enhanced the effectiveness of program innovation. Currently, the two departments have completed the re-registration of many of their programs and are in the process of updating their curricula by incorporating new elements such as AI
JeanMarie Ignatiadis
Senior Director of Student Success and Administrative Affairs
Carl Mirra, PhD
Associate Professor, Chair Department of Teaching, Learning, and Technology
Diana L. Schwinge
Associate Professor, Chair
Department of Expression, Leadership, and Inclusion
CAEP Accreditation
Under the leadership of Dr Emily Kang, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the teacher preparation programs are actively preparing for the next Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation review in 2026 Faculty have convened to analyze program data and use it to inform targeted improvements, ensuring the continuous enhancement of program quality and alignment with accreditation standards
CSD Accreditation
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) received accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in July 2024.
Our influence is bigger than the sum of its parts by working collaboratively with our faculty, staff, governance, and community partnerships to maintain accreditation.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs RSA CEHS
In 2024, RSA CEHS participated in a virtual CAEP accreditation retreat, inviting school districts to join us.
Hariklia Proios Professor, Chair The School of Health Sciences
Emily Kang
Strategic Initiative
No. 2
Strive for curriculum innovation to respond to and influence professional trends.
Developing Innovative Programs
We launched a new Hybrid Ph.D. program in Learning Sciences and a Master’s program in Nutrition and Dietetics. These cutting-edge programs are designed to cultivate future leaders in education and health sciences, offering unique opportunities for advanced study and professional growth.
Our research-oriented Learning Sciences doctoral program offers more than just a degree it’s an intellectual community and learning laboratory Classroom and out-ofclass experiences mix experimentation, play, fantasy and design so that together we can imagine new ways of thinking and learning At Adelphi, students will forge strong collaborative relationships with classmates, mentors, community leaders and our many industry partners. Students will undertake exciting research projects as you explore the embodied, place-based and equityoriented dimensions of why, how and when learning happens Students will work in close collaboration with our internationally recognized faculty through an apprenticeship model in the vibrant environment of New York City
The MS in Nutrition and Dietetics Program is a two-year comprehensive program that includes didactic courses and Supervised Experiential Learning through fieldwork courses. The program includes asynchronous, fully-online courses and inperson fieldwork Fieldwork can be completed in the location that the student lives in and we can enroll students from anywhere in the United States Upon successful completion of the program students can sit for the RD certification exam. We have been building Affiliation Agreements with preceptors and Supervised Experiential Learning sites across Long Island, the NYC metro area. We are very excited about our partnerships with Mineola School District, Grandell Rehab and Nursing Center, AHRC NYC, Atria Senior Living, Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, and Northwell South Oaks, who have all committed to precepting students this Winter Intersession and Spring Semester. We have started to accept students into the Fall 2025 cohort and we have a total of twenty spots for the second cohort.
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Suraj Uttamchandani, PhD
Assistant Professor and Learning Sciences Program Director
The School of Education
Adelphi's Nutrition and Dietetics program focuses on clinical, community, and research-based skills, ensuring that future RDs gain the clinical expertise and communitycentered knowledge needed to effectively serve diverse populations.
Adelphi’s Learning Sciences program will help you understand, critique and construct educational experiences in our contemporary communities. Using cutting-edge theories and careful, rigorous studies, our program will help students design modern, effective and equitable learning environments.
Rachel Taniey PhD, RD, CDN
Assistant Professor and Graduate Nutritian Program Director
The School of Health Sciences
Strategic Initiative No. 3
Strengthen local, national and international community partnerships.
In 2024, the RSA CEHS expanded its partnerships at local, regional, national, and international levels.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
American University in Dubai
Fudan University
Nanjing Normal University
Stellenbosch University in South Africa
UiT (The Arctic University of Norway)
University Of Technology's clinic in Kingston
Uzhhorod National University in Ukraine
Wuhan Sport University
Zhongbei College
Brookside Multicare Center
Brookville Center for Children’s Services
Challenge Prepatory Charter School
Chartwells Higher Education
Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc
East Woods School
Fairview Rehab & Nursing Home
Freeport UFSD
Garden City UFSD
Grandell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Henry Viscardi School
Leeway School
Massapequa School District
Mineola School District
Patchogue-Medford School District
Syosset Central School District
The Prescod Institute for Sport, Teamwork and Education
Westbury UFSD
These partnerships have provided our faculty and students with opportunities for research, teaching, learning, field experiences, and internships.
Strategic Initiative
No. 4
An Overview of Faculty Grant Samples
Meredith A. Whitley
Professor
Meredith Whitley was awarded a $100,000 grant by Movember to develop mental health guidelines for US community sport These evidence-based guidelines will help to ensure that community sport organizations are well equipped to protect and promote the mental health and well-being of their members and leaders
The School of Health Sciences
Emily Kang
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
The School of Education
Emily Kang (Principal Investigator), along with team members Matt Curinga, Tracy Hogan, and Stephen Rubin, have been awarded the SUNY Teacher Workforce Investment Grant The project, titled R2E2ADI (Recruiting and Retaining Educators for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), in collaboration with the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), aims to bolster our newest teaching professionals through the Trans B licensure pathway This initiative will facilitate certification in the following areas: 1) math education (grades 7-12), 2) science education (biology, physics, chemistry, or Earth Science, grades 7-12), 3) computer science education (grades K-12), or 4) Students With Disabilities/SWD (grades 7-12) Over the course of four years, a total of $1,244,035 will be allocated to this endeavor.
Elizabeth de Freitas and Nathalie Sinclair are the principal investigators of the international federal grant titled The Colonial Legacy of European Mathematics in the Americas: A Critical Curriculum Studies Project, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The grant, totaling $75,000, will support the project from 2024 to 2026 Collaborators on the project include Carlos Hugo Zayas and Armando Solares Rojas
Elizabeth de Freitas
Professor
The School of Education
FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP
Adeniji-Neill, D., & Mungai, A. (2024, November 11–13). It takes a village: Transforming urban failing schools in our mediated world Paper presented at the 17th International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation, Seville, Spain
Chey, W. S. (2024). Developing adaptive planning skills by preservice physical education teachers Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 43(2), 238-245
de Freitas, E (2024) Fragile books and machine readers: Trans/in/dividual reading tactics in a complex technical milieu International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 37(6), 1655-1665.
Mercier, K (2024) A longitudinal look at student attitude, perceived competence, and fitness test performance of elementary students International Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 3(2), 1-18
Mirra, C (n d ) Democratization, civic society, and the new Ukrainian school during the acute phase of war Paper presented at the British Association for Slavonic and European Studies, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.
Shore, S (2024, February) Hidden curriculum [Presentation] Alia Autism Centers, Bahrain Dr Shore was also interviewed on Bahrain Now TV discussing his presentations
Wang, X.-L. (2024). Rethinking the relevance of “Useless Knowledge”: A medical framework for university international travel courses Paper presented virtually at the International Conference on Education and Social Sciences, April 23, Kyoto, Japan
Wang, X -L (2024) Beyond replicating linguistic elements: Novel concept combinations in multilingual children Paper presented virtually at the International Conference on Linguistics and Child Language Acquisition, April 23, 2024, Tokyo, Japan
Support student success and cultivate alumni relationship
A Holistic Approach to Student & Alumni Success
At the Ruth S Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences, we provide transformative internship experiences that prepare students to become globally minded professionals Our international programs are a hallmark of this mission, enabling students to make a meaningful impact worldwide Highlights include supporting orphans in Kenya, addressing speech and hearing disabilities with Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica, exploring Italy's cultural and educational heritage, participating in community projects in Norway, and gaining hands-on agricultural experience on Long Island farms These opportunities extend learning beyond the classroom, fostering leadership, problem-solving, and cross-cultural communication skills
“The internship was definitely really good for me in terms of getting hands-on experience with teaching. It was a good networking experience too. Easily one of the best decisions I made was to apply for the internship through Adelphi. I become a fulltime teacher starting in September!
Our commitment to student success is evident in our students' remarkable achievements. Many have presented their research alongside faculty at prestigious national and international conferences, demonstrating the strength of their academic contributions Honors such as the Physical Education Majors of the Year awards from SHAPE America underscore their dedication and the college's emphasis on excellence. Additionally, our robust internship and field placement programs contribute to a high employment placement rate, equipping students with the skills, experience, and professional networks necessary for successful careers.
Miguel
Velasquez ‘23, MA ‘24
Scholar Teacher Education (STEP) Accelerated 5-Year Program
STUDENT & ALUMNI INTERNATIONAL
I T A L Y
J A M A I C A
N O R W A Y
K E N Y A
U
R A I N E
G R E E C E
Adelphi AHPERD Involvement
In November 2024, several faculty, 27 current students, and dozens of alumni took part in the 86th annual New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYS AHPERD) Annual Conference.
This year's NYS AHPERD conference was a tremendous success. It was great to see so many current PE majors in attendance with several students presenting at the conference. It was also wonderful to see so many alumni proudly representing Adelphi. This year's state conference shows that the current Adelphi Physical Education majors are on the correct path to becoming the next leaders in our field.
Kevin Mercier Professor, Chair The School of Health Sciences
SOE Alumni Relations Commitee
In Spring 2024, we hosted a Growth Mindset Event, hosting an administrator from the Mineola School District. This workshop was attended by alumni and provided free CTLE credit to participants
Resume Writing/ Mock Interview Workshop
This workshop was geared towards STEP students and was in collaboration with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, SOE alumni, local district partners, and SOE faculty
Increase the college’s visibility. Strategic Initiative
PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL
Critical Debates in Humanities Science and Global Justice
Critical Debates in Humanities Science and Global Justice is a peer reviewed international academic journal for high school students Dr Rita Verma is the Editor in Chief and founder of the journal Her colleagues from around the world serve as editorial and advisory board members The journal invites emerging young scholars in high school from around the globe to submit original scholarly work and/or well-balanced critical opinion perspectives for this peer reviewed journal on critical debates that face society Humanities allow us to understand the human experience and science is the pursuit of knowledge of the natural and social world following systematic scientific methodology. Student work may be connected to either area or both Global justice is the pursuit of theory and action to better understand the world, transcend borders and acknowledge our responsibilities towards it
This journal aims to build a dialogue around critical viewpoints, lenses and debates about pressing issues that face the world We encourage submissions that use diverse lenses to analyze pressing world problems such as math and science to understand public policy debates and the humanities and arts to understand justice and human rights Currently the journal has showcased exemplary work from students from across the country and the world Students have conducted pertinent research on topics as vast as political empowerment, gender rights, AI and ethical justice, environmental issues, scientific research on disease as well as race, trauma and inequality across diverse viewpoints Currently the journal is competitive and has been listed as a top 10 journal for high schoolers to publish their scholarly work
AI VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Pre-K to 12 Education and the Future Workforce
The aim of this conference was to explore the state of the art AI in pre-K to 12 educational settings Researchers, administrators, and teachers shared their insights and their practices, ultimately leading to the creation of a white paper that will guide future AI practices in pre-K to 12 education.
Rita Verma, PhD Professor School of Education Editor-In-Chief
Critical Debates in Humanities, Science and Global Justice International Journal
Initiative
Increase the college’s revenue.
Alice Brown Early Learning Center
At the Alice Brown Early Learning Center, we strive to form sincere, meaningful relationships with children and their families. We create an atmosphere of mutual trust and acceptance with a deep awareness of children's personalities, their understanding of the world and their interest.
Tamara Pelosi, EdD Director of Early Learning Center The School of Education
Children benefit from varied multisensory experiences and materials, and are given the opportunity to engage in activities that form a positive self-image Through these experiences, children learn independence, turn taking and appropriate interaction with their peers. Family involvement, including daily communication and collaboration between families and teachers, is an integral part of this program
Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders
Anne Marie Skvarla Director Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders
The Audiology clinic in the Hy Weinberg Center under the direction of Dr Deborah Senzer, offers comprehensive diagnostic audiological services to the community, serving pediatric to geriatric populations In addition to the diagnostic offerings, the clinic maintains a professional hearing aid dispensary, providing amplification and assistive listening devices at a fraction of the retail price The clinic serves as a training facility for both doctoral audiology students, as well as undergraduate and graduate speechlanguage-pathology students The Audiology clinic also runs a community outreach program on Fridays, providing hearing screenings for pre-school children as well as adults, which contributes to patient referrals
Deborah Senzer AuD CCC-A Audiology Clinical Coordinator Communication Sciences and Disorders
This special publication of the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences is presented by the Dean's Office and was designed by Jessica Mannhaupt (2024).
