Spring 2021 LIU Magazine by Long Island University

SPRING 2021

THE ROOSEVELT LEGACY LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES THE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL

A MESSAGE FROM

DR. KIMBERLY R. CLINE,

PRESIDENT

Dear Friends, Long Island University continues to build momentum through the development of innovative, in-demand programs for exceptional students. This edition of LIU Magazine introduces The Roosevelt School, focused on educating the next generation of leaders in international relations, diplomacy, leadership and service. The Roosevelt School is inspired by the University’s deep connection to the Roosevelt family, and the legacies and virtue of President Theodore Roosevelt, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. We also highlight winners of the 73rd Annual George Polk Awards in Journalism, the celebration of LIU Pharmacy’s 135th anniversary, and our prestigious alumni making an impact from Wall Street to Broadway. Our many proud achievements on display are a testament to the dedication of our passionate LIU community. Our courageous students remain on the front lines of the pandemic recovery efforts, selflessly volunteering to administer vaccines at our on-campus vaccination center. Our Division I athletics program is thriving and expanding with inspiring performances of our student-athletes. Even greater progress lies ahead as our students continue to excel, and I thank you for your support of Long Island University. Sincerely,

Kimberly R. Cline President, Long Island University

A VIBRANT PLACE TO

live & learn

IN THIS ISSUE Spring 2021

DR. KIMBERLY R. CLINE President, Long Island University

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING LAUREN MELONE SILVERBERG Chief Communications Officer DANIELLE BUCCI Director of Strategic Marketing LISA MOZO Director of Content Strategy LAUREN PANKRATZ Senior Creative Director RYAN KELLEY Associate Director of Communications MICHELLE FERRELL Designer

FEATURES 04 10 12 14

The Roosevelt School: Home of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute, Society of Presidential Descendants, Global Service Institute and Steven S. Hornstein Center 73rd Annual George Polk Awards LIU Pharmacy Celebrates 135 Years Long Island University Selected for Nassau County Vaccination Site

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 16 17 18 19 20 21

Pioneering Diversity in the Advertising Industry Baseball Hall of Fame Dreams Paying It Forward From Wall Street Lifetime of Fighting for Equality Mentorship in Education Ready for Her Broadway Debut

DANIEL J. GARCIA Web Designer/Developer

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

EMPLOYER & ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

22 24

MICHAEL BERTHEL Chief of Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement

UNIVERSITY NEWS

MOREEN MITCHELL University Director of Employer and Alumni Engagement

Faculty Achievements Professor’s Groundbreaking Climate Study Goes Viral

Hornstein Center Polls Show Growing Confidence in Vaccines

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT 26 27

Performing Arts Program Earns Top 30 National Recognition Nursing Applications Surge to Meet Increased Demand

Stay connected! Visit LIUalumni.com or email liualumni@liu.edu to share News and Notes or update your alumni profile, address, and/or contact information.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

To read LIU Magazine online, visit: liu.edu/magazine

28 30

Cover: First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President Theodore Roosvelt

Student Success Stories Athletics

DEPARTMENTS 32 34 35 36

Newsroom On The Shelf Alumni Events Class Notes

The legacies of President Theodore Roosevelt, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (left to right) are the inspiration for LIU's Roosevelt School.

LIU ANNOUNCES THE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL STUDIES IN GLOBAL RELATIONS, DIPLOMACY, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

heritage of the Roosevelts,” said Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline. “The Roosevelt School will prepare students to achieve success in a global society by guiding them to become well-informed, critically-minded and engaged citizens.”

This historic connection continues as the University announced the formation of The Roosevelt School, with academic programs focused on international relations, leadership, service and policy making, enrolling students beginning Fall 2021.

The Roosevelt School offers an undergraduate degree in International Relations & Diplomacy, a 5-year BA and MBA in International Relations & Diplomacy/Masters of Business Administration, and a PhD in Information Studies. Coursework will be enhanced by internships at renowned institutions, including the United Nations, Red Cross and federal and state governmental agencies. To further student understanding of world politics, global environmental issues and international business planning, students have the option to study abroad at Long Island University's Global College centers.

he Roosevelt name is synonymous with American leadership at the highest level, and the family’s history is intertwined with Long Island University. Whether it was President Theodore Roosevelt working with breakfast cereal entrepreneur C.W. Post on labor relations policies, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. serving on the LIU Board of Trustees, or Marjorie Merriweather Post serving with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on several World War II relief committees, the Roosevelt family has been directly linked to LIU for more than a century.

The Roosevelt School is inspired by the legacies of the 26th President of the U.S., Theodore Roosevelt; the 32nd President of the U.S., Franklin Delano Roosevelt; and Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Their historic achievements in diplomacy, conservation and social justice form The Roosevelt School’s mission of guiding students into careers at multinational corporations, foundations, think-tanks, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies around the world. “Long Island University is proud to build upon the exceptional

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

Long Island University Professor and Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute Tweed Roosevelt, the great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, serves as chairman of The Roosevelt School. “On behalf of the entire Roosevelt family, we are proud that Long Island University will honor the legacy of our family through the formation of The Roosevelt School,” stated Tweed Roosevelt. “This exciting academic venture will prepare graduates to carry forth the highest standards of professionalism, diplomacy and

integrity represented by the extraordinary and unparalleled reputations of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.” The Roosevelt School serves as a home for the Theodore Roosevelt Institute, which is nationally recognized for its public seminars, educational programs and conferences about Roosevelt, his times and contemporaries. Some of its most successful programs include the “Tales of Theodore Roosevelt” virtual lecture series hosted by Tweed Roosevelt, and the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest that offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to win scholarships to Long Island University.

The Global Service Institute is part of The Roosevelt School, and provides innovative educational initiatives to inspire volunteerism and prepare students for personal and professional lives dedicated to service. The Institute offers the revolutionary Global Service app that connects volunteers with nonprofit organizations and community groups. Chaired by Rita Cosby, renowned Emmywinning TV host, veteran correspondent and best-selling author, the Global Service Institute’s Honorary Advisory Board consists of accomplished individuals from diverse fields—all of whom share a strong commitment to fostering service. The Roosevelt School hosts the Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling, and Analysis at Long Island University, which provides The Roosevelt School with independent polling, empirical

research and analysis on a wide range of public issues. The Hornstein Center informs the public and policy makers about critical issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Recent polls on issues such as the coronavirus vaccine, presidential election and Supreme Court nomination have earned national media coverage in the Associated Press, Dow Jones, and Business Insider. The School also presents the Society of Presidential Descendants, a group of Americans with direct lineage to the 46 United States presidents. Descendants work together to support educational programs that teach the importance of civic engagement and the qualities of

presidential leadership. (Read more on page 8) LIU Board of Trustees Chairman Eric Krasnoff added, “We are proud to offer such a vibrant curriculum, designed for today’s interdependent world, which will equip students with the ability to think and act globally. The Roosevelt School exemplifies Long Island University’s position as a nationally recognized research and teaching institution.”

T W E E D R O O S E V E LT Chair of The Roosevelt School

Tweed Roosevelt has dedicated much of his life to preserving the legacy of his great-grandfather, President Theodore Roosevelt, and the Roosevelt family. In his role as University Professor and Chairman, Tweed Roosevelt has hosted a popular virtual lecture series titled “Tales of Theodore Roosevelt” that offers unique insight into the former president’s life. He is also a founder and president of the Society of Presidential Descendants hosted by Long Island University. He holds an AB from Harvard College and an MBA from Columbia University.

earn more at: L liu.edu/roosevelt-school

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

THE ROOSEVELTS AND LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY: A HISTORICAL, ILLUSTRIOUS CONNECTION

ince the turn of the century, Long Island University and its flagship campuses in Brooklyn and Brookville, New York, have been inextricably linked with the Roosevelt families. From President Theodore Roosevelt, who resided in nearby Oyster Bay, to his son Theodore Roosevelt Jr.—and from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, to his wife and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and their son Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.—each has formed their own unique connection to the deep history of LIU. Much of this history is also tied to breakfast cereal entrepreneur C.W. Post and his daughter and Post cereal heiress, Marjorie Merriweather Post, who developed strong working relationships with the Roosevelts. Long Island University continues to work with members of the Roosevelt family to create programs that honor their legacy. With modern initiatives such as The Roosevelt School and the Theodore Roosevelt Institute, Long Island University strives to teach the importance of leadership, diplomacy, and service through the lens of the Roosevelt family for many decades more.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

C.W. Post

1901

From 1901 to 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt collaborated with breakfast cereal entrepreneur C.W. Post on the establishment of labor relations policies in the United States.

President Theodore Roosevelt

1905

While living at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, President Theodore Roosevelt was a member of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club and participated in steeplechasing and fox hunts on the land that today composes the Post campus in Brookville, New York.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

1926

In 1926, war hero and Chairman of the Board of the American Express Company, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was among a group of citizens to write Long Island University's charter, resulting in the first privately endowed university to serve the men and women of Long Island. The first classes were held at 66 Court Street in Brooklyn, New York.

Marjorie Merriweather Post

Eleanor Roosevelt

Joseph E. Davies

Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.

Frances Webb Roosevelt

Tweed Roosevelt

1932

1936

1946

1960s

2018

2021

Cereal heiress and philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post, whose estate is today the LIU Post campus, served with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on several World War II relief committees to fund soup kitchens and Red Cross services, for which Mrs. Roosevelt presented Mrs. Post with the Cross of Honor at the White House in 1932.

In 1936, Joseph E. Davies, who resided on what is now the LIU Post campus, served as FDR's U.S. Ambassador to Russia.

Decorated U.S. Navy veteran and Harvard graduate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr., third son of the late FDR, was elected to LIU's Board of Trustees in 1946.

Renowned portrait artist Frances Webb Roosevelt, wife of President Theodore Roosevelt’s grandson Quentin Roosevelt, taught in LIU Post’s Art Department during the 1960s.

In 2018, LIU launched the Theodore Roosevelt Institute led by TR's greatgrandson, Tweed Roosevelt.

In January 2021, The Roosevelt School was founded in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, with a focus on studies in Global Relations, Diplomacy, Leadership and Service.

Timeline researched and written by Dr. Rita Langdon, ’91 (BS) ’95 (MA) ’17 (MPhil) ’19 (PhD) Dean, School of Professional Studies & University Historian

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FEATURE STORY

LIU WELCOMES THE SOCIETY OF PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ong Island University celebrated Presidents’ Day this year with a special announcement that strengthens the University's role as a national leader in presidential studies. The University will now serve as the home for the Society of Presidential Descendants, a group of Americans with direct lineage to one or more of the 46 United States presidents, with the mission of supporting educational programs on the history of the nation’s presidents and the importance of civic engagement in American democracy. Long Island University Professor and Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute Tweed Roosevelt, the great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, serves as president of the Society and has dedicated much of his professional life to upholding the legacy and preserving the history of his great-grandfather’s presidency. The Society is also led by Massee McKinley, Lynda Johnson Robb and Clifton Truman Daniel, who serve as vice president and chief of staff, vice president and vice president, respectively. "The Society of the Presidential Descendants was founded to promote the historical legacy of the presidency and those individuals that have held the highest elected office in our great country," said Tweed Roosevelt. "Through family members with direct lineage to a U.S. President, the group seeks to bring further insight into the office of the presidency by offering educational events, programs, and seminars." The Society’s academic initiatives will include the development of presidential curricula for K–12 schools, sponsorship of a prestigious biennial book prize on presidential leadership, and conferences on presidential leadership with presidential descendants as speakers. According to Massee McKinley, the great-great nephew of the 25th U.S. President William McKinley, and the great-great grandson of the 24th U.S. President Grover Cleveland, "The Society of Presidential Descendants holds tremendous promise in promoting the legacy of the United States presidency, its 46 unique leaders and the way these leaders are portrayed in studying their leadership styles. It is my sincere hope that the Society becomes the authority in educating America about each president, their leadership styles and how civics can play a vital role in this educational endeavor. I am encouraged about the future of America and its potential for leadership."

SOCIETY OF PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS OFFICERS

Tweed Roosevelt, President

Massee McKinley, Vice President and Chief of Staff

Lynda Johnson Robb, Vice President

Clifton Truman Daniel, Vice President

Lynda Johnson Robb, the daughter of the 36th U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, commented, "In this time of polarization, I hope that this Society can encourage the study of our country's history and how its Presidents have influenced it. We look forward to having an impact on the dialogue of what unites us as a country." Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of the 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman and First Lady Bess Truman, concluded, "I hope that we can, in some small way, help the nation toward, if not unity, at least collegial and constructive disagreement. In the ranks of presidential descendants, historic friendship endures while political rancor fades away." Members of the Society of Presidential Descendants will participate in the Society's inaugural presidential gathering in Long Island, New York, held June 10–12, 2022, with events planned at Long Island University and Theodore Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill. The weekend will include a welcome dinner with fellow descendants, a public symposium with distinguished speakers, a private tour at Sagamore Hill, and a gala dinner where a prestigious honoree will be presented with the Society's medal. The Society will cultivate support for its educational initiatives by expanding its membership to collateral descendants, or relatives who are not direct ancestors of a president, and ambassadors who are official representatives that are not related to a president. The Society will also work closely with the Theodore Roosevelt Institute at Long Island University, a national leader in presidential studies. "Led by Tweed Roosevelt, the Theodore Roosevelt Institute at Long Island University, serves as a home for research, public seminars, educational programs and conferences about Roosevelt, his times and contemporaries," stated Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline. "We are proud to further build on the study of presidential leadership by working closely with the Society of Presidential Descendants."

earn more at: L societyofpresidentialdescendants.org

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FEATURE STORY

Annual New York Times photographer Tyler Hicks in Libya Photo credit: John Moore/Getty Images

ong Island University is proud to announce the winners of the 73rd Annual George Polk Awards in Journalism, recognizing excellence in reporting across all media. This prestigious honor focuses on the intrepid, bold, and influential work of the reporters themselves, placing a premium on investigative work that is original, resourceful, and thought-provoking. Founded by LIU in 1949, the George Polk Awards commemorate CBS Correspondent George Polk, who was murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war. In 2020, journalists played a critical role in documenting some of the most profound crises the world has ever faced, and the George Polk Award winners reflect that. With a record total of 592 entries, the awards were expanded to 18 categories with nearly half of the award winners being recognized for their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other award winners reported on the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the complexities of political elections, racial discrimination, and an investigation into a drug cartel. These reporters represent the best in print, online, television and radio news, and their work builds upon the legacy of the many winners before them. They join journalism icons such as Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Jennings, Norman Mailer, Diane Sawyer, Seymour Hersh and Glenn Greenwald, who are all Polk laureates.

VIRTUAL POLK AWARDS RECOGNITION A virtual commemorative video highlighting the winners of the 73rd Polk Awards will be available at the Polk website, liu.edu/polk. An exclusive webinar, titled “The Press & the Pandemic,” will air on April 8 at 6 p.m., moderated by award-winning science writer Laurie Garrett and will feature three of the current Polk winners: David Culver, Helen Branswell, and Ed Yong.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

AWA R D S F O R R E P O RT I N G I N 2020 FOREIGN REPORTING AWARD

JUSTICE REPORTING AWARD

ORAL HISTORY AWARD

Beijing-based reporter David Culver, producer Yong Xiong and photo journalist Natalie Thomas of CNN for giving much of the world its first onthe-scene look in Wuhan, China at the dangers posed by the coronavirus.

A team of The Washington Post reporters for “George Floyd’s America,” a sixpart series illustrating how uncanny a match Floyd’s life and death were for the national movement he came to symbolize.

Eli Saslow of The Washington Post for “Voices from the Pandemic,” 25 compelling personal narratives based on extensive interviews with individuals coping with emotions as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

SCIENCE REPORTING AWARD

LOCAL REPORTING AWARD

TELEVISION REPORTING AWARD

Ed Yong of The Atlantic for his clear and insightful analysis of factors behind the spread of COVID-19 and the failed efforts to bring it under control, and his correct prediction of its inordinately severe impact in the U.S.

The staff of the Minneapolis Star Tribune for coverage of the death of George Floyd and its aftermath, including articles that portrayed an ineffective police disciplinary process and reported on attempts to rethink the role of police.

Correspondent Roberto Ferdman and his VICE News Tonight crew for breakthrough coverage of the shooting death of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor in a “noknock” police raid in Louisville and the investigations that followed.

MEDICAL REPORTING AWARD

FINANCIAL REPORTING AWARD

POLITICAL REPORTING AWARD

Dan Diamond of Politico for multiple accounts of Trump Administration interference with the Centers for Disease Control and other sources of medical and scientific expertise that exposed efforts to reduce COVID-19 testing and ignore a “pandemic playbook."

Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig and Mike McIntire of The New York Times for accessing and analyzing a trove of Donald Trump’s income tax information, suggesting why he went to such lengths to hide it from public view.

Stephanie McCrummen of The Washington Post for deftly capturing Georgia’s shifting political winds in three perceptive profiles in the run-up to the election.

NATIONAL REPORTING AWARD BUSINESS REPORTING AWARD

PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Luke Mogelson of The New Yorker for three magazine articles that produced probing portraits of Black Lives Matter activists in Minneapolis, anti-lockdown militia members in Michigan and competing left and right militants on the streets of Portland.

Helen Branswell of the Boston-based science and medical news site STAT for relentless coverage of all aspects of the pandemic — tracking the spread of the virus in 161 articles over the course of the year.

Ryan Mac and Craig Silverman of BuzzFeed News for a series demonstrating how Facebook exposes the public to disinformation, fraud and violence by delaying the removal of extremist content and ignoring whistleblowers.

HEALTH REPORTING AWARD

STATE REPORTING AWARD

ProPublica for two series examining the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Black Americans and meatpacking workers, using data and anecdotal evidence to reveal high rates of infection in Black communities.

Ian Shapira of The Washington Post for laying bare overt racism at the statesupported Virginia Military Institute by persuading aggrieved Black cadets to open up about their experiences at the hands of whites.

Joe Garofoli, Matthias Gafni and Tal Kopan of the San Francisco Chronicle for disclosing the Pentagon’s punishment of Navy Captain Brett Crozier who sought to evacuate nearly 5,000 sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt to protect them from COVID-19.

EDUCATION REPORTING AWARD

MAGAZINE REPORTING AWARD

SPECIAL AWARD

Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone of the Colorado-based magazine High Country News for “Land Grab Universities,” the result of a two-year investigation exploring a federal initiative that seized 11 million acres from indigenous tribes to fund the establishment of 52 land grant colleges.

Katie Engelhart of the California Sunday Magazine for “What Happened in Room 10?”, focusing on one room in the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, the scene of the nation’s first deadly COVID-19 outbreak.

Regina Martinez of Proceso magazine and Forbidden Stories for “The Cartel Project,” which linked politicians to drug traffickers in the state of Veracruz and discovered that Martinez had been preparing to publish an explosive report before she was murdered in 2012.

MILITARY REPORTING AWARD

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FEATURE STORY

2. 3.

LIU PHARMACY CELEBRATES

135 YEARS L

IU Pharmacy (The Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences), the first school of pharmacy in New York City, offers a preeminent pharmacy education to more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students who have attained prominence in health professions. In its 135th year, LIU Pharmacy is the only Doctor of Pharmacy program in Brooklyn, one of the nation’s largest health care job markets. Originally established as the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy in 1886 by the Kings County Pharmaceutical Society, the school offered a “partial course of lectures” to the drug clerks of the city. A fundraising campaign launched in 1889 led to the establishment of the College as a recognized institution to grant pharmacy degrees, and the first formal course of study began on October 5, 1891.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

Among the members of the first class was William D. Anderson, PhG, who became the third dean of the College. During this era, students attended lectures in a two-room apartment on the second floor of a Victorian building, but growing enrollment forced the College to move to a larger space. By 1903, the College moved to its first specially built home on Nostrand Avenue; a three-story brick and stone building that had been constructed by the Society to be “thoroughly equipped for the best work in pharmaceutical education.” This building served as the foundation for the College for the next 26 years until it affiliated with the recently established Long Island University in 1929. At the time of its merger with LIU, the College of Pharmacy moved to its fourth and most permanent home on Lafayette Avenue. The five-story modified Collegiate Gothic laboratory and classroom building included two

250-seat lecture halls and a rooftop greenhouse for the growing of plants for demonstration and research. The College would spend the next 47 years educating pharmacists from this building, which remains the longest serving home for the College in its history. The College became a pioneer in the field on pharmacy in 1959 by establishing a radioisotope laboratory under the fifth Dean Arthur G. Zupko. It also developed a new master’s degree program in pharmacy administration in the same year, the first of its kind in the state. The College instituted numerous other undergraduate and graduate degree programs throughout the 1960s and 70s. In 1976, construction was completed on a new complex for the College, made possible by the philanthropy of Arnold and Marie Scwartz. The Brooklyn College of Pharmacy was

5. 4.

1. The Brooklyn College of Pharmacy’s first home at 399 Classon Ave. 2. The inaugural Brooklyn College of Pharmacy graduating class of 1892. 3. The first specially built facility for the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy at 271 Nostrand Ave. 4. The building at 600 Lafayette Ave. served as home of the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy for 47 years. 5. Construction of the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences building was completed in 1976.

formally renamed the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the College became fully integrated with LIU. Another new facility, the Zeckendorf Health Sciences Center, was completed in 1995 and provided students with expanded lecture facilities and specialized laboratories. May 2002 saw the students in the College’s first entrylevel PharmD class, who began their professional studies in 1998, receive their Doctor of Pharmacy degrees. The College continued to expand with three new research institutes. In 2015, the world-class Arthur G. Zupko’s Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics laboratory was founded. The next chapter of LIU Pharmacy’s history is being written under its 10th Dean Dr. Arash Dabestani, hired in November 2020. As the College moves forward, LIU looks back with pride at this distinguished heritage and eagerly continues to dedicate itself to excellence in the education of tomorrow’s pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists.

D R . A R A S H D A B E S TA N I Dr. Arash Dabestani is the 10th dean of LIU Pharmacy, joining the University after serving as senior director of pharmacy at NYU Langone Health and associate director of pharmacy at Stanford Health Care. With more than 25 years of clinical experience in hospitals around the country, Dr. Dabestani sees his new position as an opportunity to share his expertise and shape the future of pharmacy education. Dr. Dabestani attended Campbell University in North Carolina, where he earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree and began working in a hospital upon graduating. He quickly noticed that the profession was moving away from the traditional dispensing and mixing of drugs toward providing clinical services. This transition made him recognize the need for leaders to help move the industry in this new direction, so he pursued a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He went on to become the head of a Washington, D.C. area hospital’s pharmacy department after completing his graduate work. During his seven year tenure, he was recognized as Pharmacist of the Year by the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists in 2007 before ultimately leading the pharmacies at Stanford and then NYU, where another pharmacy revolution of automation technology and showing patient outcomes sparked his interest in academia. Dr. Dabestani is focused on expanding LIU Pharmacy organically through creating efficient processes with the best people at their positions, and being accountable for achieving high standards. Through the University’s partnership with Dassault Systemes, a global leader in digital engineering, Dr. Dabestani’s vision is to continue to revolutionize pharmacy education through artificial intelligence, data analytics and forward-thinking research. His proven experience in population health management and predicting the outcomes of particular medications will guide LIU Pharmacy toward an innovative future.

Learn more at: liu.edu/pharmacy

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FEATURE STORY

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY SELECTED FOR NASSAU COUNTY VACCINATION SITE STUDENTS AND FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND NURSING ADMINISTER VACCINES

From left: Dr. Denise Walsh, dean of LIU School of Health Professions and Nursing; Dr. Larry Eisenstein, the county health commissioner; Katie Vecino, an LIU nursing student; County Executive Laura Curran; and Kristen Bieber, an LIU nursing student; and sign language interpreter. (Photo courtesy: Office of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran)

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ong Island University formed an exclusive partnership with the Nassau County Department of Health to open a COVID-19 vaccination POD on campus, staffed by students and faculty from the School of Health Professions and Nursing. It is the county’s third vaccination POD and its only university partnership. The Department of Health manages the site and handles all vaccine appointment scheduling, and LIU nursing students and faculty administer the vaccine after participating in training sessions conducted by the Department of Health. LIU students gain unprecedented experience by participating in the mass vaccination efforts and helping to heal the Long Island community.

Dr. Denise Walsh, dean of the School of Health Professions and Nursing, joined Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Health Department Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein at a press conference to commemorate the opening of the site. “Everyone at LIU is very excited to be part of this project,” said Dean Walsh. “It’s an opportunity for our students, our faculty, and our staff to give back to the community in which we reside. It is also an exceptional learning experience for students, to learn about the humanitarian efforts that are going on globally.” The vaccine POD is located inside Bush-Brown Hall, where staff carefully created a one-way path for vaccine recipients to walk through the building while maintaining social distancing. Up to four people can receive a vaccine at one time, and the POD is expected to inoculate hundreds of local residents and members of the LIU community who qualify to receive the vaccine each week as Nassau County receives more doses.

County Executive Curran added, “This partnership will allow us, the county, to utilize not just the space, but the skill of the students, the teachers and the faculty to administer the doses. We want to make sure that we have the infrastructure in place to accommodate the eligibility as supply does open up, and having this POD here at LIU will help us with that.” The LIU vaccine POD delivered its first doses of the vaccine on February 12.

1. Seung Lee, professor of art and director of Fine Arts and Graduate Studies at LIU and Amanda Green (2.), an educator at Kellenberg Memorial High School, receive vaccinations. 3. LIU nursing students, Rachel Lodato and Jennifer Moscoso, pose with LIU Post Nursing Chairperson and Associate Professor Dr. Margaret Stroehlein. 4. Dr. Denise Walsh, dean of the School of Health Professions and Nursing, and Daniel Jacobsen, nursing professor and director of graduate nursing at the Post campus, pose with the first vials of the vaccine.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Pioneering Diversity in the Advertising Industry

efore launching a pioneering advertising career that would pave the way for African Americans in the industry, Byron E. Lewis, Sr. ’53, discovered Long Island University in a newspaper ad. Lewis, 89, the founder and Chairman Emeritus of UniWorld Group, Inc., (UWG) the nation's oldest, surviving Blackowned multicultural advertising agency celebrated the firm’s 51st anniversary in 2020. Lewis, who retired and sold his company in 2012, employed over a thousand employees, freelancers and vendors over his 42 years at the helm. Lewis was inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Advertiser's Hall of Fame in 2013. Starting from humble beginnings, Lewis worked as a busboy at Queens’ Gertz Department store to help his family and save funds for college. A chance encounter motivated Lewis to get back in school. He scoured the local newspaper and discovered an advertisement for LIU classes. "As soon as I saw that ad, I signed up and my life changed. They accommodated my hours so that I could work full time and attend classes,” said Lewis.

There’s no better investment than an LIU degree. You can take that to the bank." “LIU enabled me to discover a career by offering courses that helped shape one,” he said. Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He said that a speech course proved to be his best lesson. "Knowing how to tell your story is key to success in every business," he said. “The foundation I got at LIU made me the person who I am today.” As a student, he said he did not have a clear career path. He knew nothing about advertising. In fact, he said he doesn’t think there was a single Black professional working in the industry. After graduation, Lewis was drafted and served in the U.S. Army. He worked a series of odd jobs and at start-ups for about 10 years before he started his own company. Working in Black media—for Black newspapers such as the Citizen Call and

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

co-founding two Black magazines, The Urbanite and Tuesday Magazine—honed his skills, especially how to pitch the value of the African American consumer power to major advertisers. “The advertising industry did not believe that Black people could afford to purchase brand products,” Lewis said. “My story was about carving out a niche in an industry that was closed to me.” Success was not quick. As with every entrepreneur, it was always a struggle. "My work on the original Shaft, a Black-oriented film, gave me my 'Ah-Ha!' moment. It was my first film promotion. We proved our ability to compete with mainstream agencies," he said. Shaft won an Academy Award and reportedly saved MGM Studios from demise. Lewis worked on other films such as Glory, Malcolm X, and Boyz in the Hood. He founded the nation's premier Black film festival Acapulco Black Film Festival in the 1990s, now known as the American Black Film Festival. The full-service agency established divisions in entertainment, Hispanic marketing, and healthcare. Some of his corporate clients included AT&T, Avon Products, Burger King, Colgate Palmolive, Eastman Kodak, Ford Motor Co., Mars Candy and the United States Marine Corps. Lewis’ social justice portfolio was equally notable. Based on longstanding relationships with many of the nation's top Black Civil Rights, business, political, culture leaders and celebrities, Lewis developed media campaigns for many of them. He created strategy for the nation's first Black elected officials including Kenneth Gibson, the first Black mayor of Newark, and Rev. Jesse Jackson's Presidential campaign. He said he has known and worked with Rev. Al Sharpton since he was a teen. “LIU nurtured my creativity. The relationships forged and found here were life-affirming,” he said. Through the years, Lewis has mentored students, served on the LIU Board of Trustees and funded the Byron Lewis Small Business Institute. “A college education can do a lot of things. There’s no better investment than an LIU degree. You can take that to the bank,” he said.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

BAS E BA L L H A L L O F FAME DRE A M S

rt Beltrone '63 always had a dream to play professional baseball—a dream shared by nearly all of his friends growing up on Long Island during the 1950s. But even though his major-league dreams did not materialize, his love for the game took him all the way to Cooperstown for baseball’s highest honor.

“For me, growing up in Elmont dreaming about playing baseball professionally, and being able to catch behind home plate at both Yankee and Shea Stadiums was just a dream come true,” Beltrone said. “And that was it for me, I hung up my spikes after that.” Beltrone and his wife now live in Virginia, and the COVID-19 pandemic gave them the chance to sort through some of their old belongings. Beltrone uncovered a box filled with photographs and other artifacts from the Venezuela games and relished in the memories. He reached out to his former team members who gathered many more pieces to add to the collection, and they shipped it to Cooperstown. Weeks later, Beltrone received official word that the Hall of Fame will keep the collection and use it to develop educational programs.

Beltrone’s journey to the Baseball Hall of Fame began at LIU Post, where he played baseball and founded the campus radio station, WCWP. While he planned on graduating and pursuing a career as an English teacher, Beltrone took two elective courses in his senior year taught by Newsday editors. They knew he was a ball player and convinced him to take a job with the newspaper writing obituaries, answering phones, sharpening pencils, and “being a gopher,” he said. “But before they hired me, they said ‘You’re going to have to do one other thing. You’re going to have to play softball on our editorial softball team,’” said Beltrone. “So that’s how I got into journalism, because of baseball at Post.” Beltrone worked at Newsday for eight years before starting his own public relations firm with his wife, Lee, who is a photographer. In 1972, Newsday sports writer Joe Donnelly, who covered the New York Yankees for the paper, struck up a conversation in the Yankee Stadium press box with Venezuelan baseball writer Juan Vené. The friendly exchange led Vené to invite the Americans to play baseball against his own recreational team in Venezuela. Donnelly asked Beltrone and other members of the New York sports press corps to join him, and they left in early 1973 to play three games in Venezuela.

Top: Art Beltrone plays on the C.W. Post men's baseball team in 1962. Bottom: Beltrone plays baseball in Venezuela in 1973.

The biggest game was the last, in Caracas, with 7,000 fans in the stands and many more watching from home on a nationally televised broadcast. The Americans wore Yankees and Mets uniforms borrowed from the two teams, and they ceremoniously presented the Venezuelan team with a thank you letter from President Richard Nixon. The games were such a success that the Americans invited the Venezuelans to play three more games in New York later that year at West Point, Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium.

“We received some excellent artifacts and other materials to be added to our overall collection,” said National Baseball Hall of Fame President Tim Mead. “The presentation of baseball history through our museum and education program is a major portion of our mission. The inclusion of resources from such a memorable series over 50 years ago is a wonderful enhancement!” For Beltrone, he is proud that he has brought Long Island University to the Hall of Fame in his own small way, but he believes that the American-Venezuelan series sends an important message. “I think that’s what’s needed, to show that sports is something that can be shared no matter if you speak the same language or not, and it leads to wonderful friendships,” said Beltrone.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

PAYING IT FORWARD FROM WALL STREET

n Friday nights when most of his classmates were ringing in the weekend, Kris Sidial ’15, often found himself sitting in front of a Bloomberg terminal continuing to study the intricate details of the stock market long after his finance classes were over. Coming from a modest income Long Island household, Sidial was accustomed to working hard to help his mother provide for their family, and he was eager to find financial guidance. At LIU Post, Sidial found a mentor in Finance Professor Zhaohui Zhang, and the two would often spend hours together talking about stocks and markets during office hours and beyond. They even visited stores in a mall once to study a company and its stock. “He really helped embody that vision of what I wanted to do,” Sidial said of Professor Zhang. “He helped feed me in times where I needed to be fed certain things to learn.” Nearly six years later, Sidial has translated his passion for numbers into a highranking Wall Street position before the age of 30. As the co-chief investment officer of The Ambrus Group, he has been profiled by Business Insider and Bloomberg for his atypical path to the top of the industry, and he is inspired to give back to current students who have the same goal. Sidial welcomes almost every opportunity he gets to join a podcast, speak to a reporter, or share his knowledge on Twitter. Not only is it great marketing for his growing hedge fund founded in 2018, but he also feels an intrinsic responsibility to pay it forward because of people like Professor Zhang. “I’m very glad to know that some of our conversations back then have a lasting impact on him,” said Professor Zhang. “He spoke brilliantly as a guest speaker to two of my classes in Fall 2020. I’m very impressed by what he has already achieved since graduation and feel happy for him for playing the game he truly loves and excels.” Of course, Sidial’s work ethic would continue to be put to the test after graduating from LIU. He would ride the train into Manhattan and wait until the markets closed, then approach proprietary traders outside and introduce himself with his résumé and investment record in hand. While this bold strategy didn’t work out, he eventually got an opportunity as a clerk at a private investment office on Long Island before landing an equity trader internship at Chimera Securities. Over the next four years, he went on to hold positions at Xanthus Capital Management and BMO Capital Markets. Today, Sidial is focused on volatility arbitrage trading at The Ambrus Group, using advanced mathematics and statistics to identify stock derivatives that have favorable risk-to-reward payouts. He is also working toward a master’s degree in computer science and mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania to strengthen the coding skills that he learned on the fly in previous jobs. While his ambition is still obvious, Sidial prefers to live in the moment, and his only future goal is to continue growing his hedge fund. In his downtime, he will continue to engage with hopeful college students on social media, even offering to call them personally to give them advice. “This is just something I’ve known that I wanted to do for the longest point in time,” Sidial said. “There is no real other goal. And I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t try to at least pay it back in some way, shape or form.”

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Lifetime of Fighting for Equality

n 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a group of protesters on a 54-mile march form Selma, Alabama to the state capitol of Montgomery in what became one of the most iconic events of the civil rights movement. Sheldon "Shelly" Steinhauser '50, joined with thousands from all over the country who met the marchers on the outskirts of Montgomery, and proudly walked with them. He still thinks of the experience as one of the highlights of his life, though he has never stopped fighting for what is right. Steinhauser was recognized in November 2020 by the Anti-Defamation League with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of service to the organization, including 28 years as the director of the Mountain States Region. Today, he is seen as a paragon of human rights, and he credits Long Island University for playing a significant role in his passion for equality. “It was my testing ground, and I am just very grateful that LIU provided the leeway and the environment, having the chance to be together with so many people who I admired so much in terms of what they had done for this country,” said Steinhauser. “When you have that kind of a chance to start at such an early age, it shapes your life forever.” Raised in the Bronx, Steinhauser was a gifted student and enrolled at LIU when he was just 16. At the time, the vast majority of his male classmates had just returned from fighting in World War II. Steinhauser was immediately influenced by the way his classmates wanted to change the world for the better after their experiences in the war. His first dose of activism came when he attended an LIU student council meeting,

Sheldon Steinhauser (holding sign) at the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Marade on January 20, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. Photo courtesy: Amanda Schwengel/MSU Denver

where Steinhauser decided to volunteer as the University’s alternate delegate to the U.S. National Student Association. He later became president of the New York region and organized a citywide conference about fighting discrimination in fraternities, sororities and campus organizations. It was there he made his first contact with the Anti-Defamation League, which continued to follow his volunteer activities and offered him a job at age 20. For the first six years of his career, Steinhauser was an assistant in the Anti-Defamation League’s Columbus, Ohio office. When an opening developed in the League’s Denver, Colorado office, Steinhauser gladly accepted the opportunity to move west and has lived in the state ever since. He served as director of the Mountain States Region from 1957 to 1985, though he never retired from his professional career until 2015, and remains the Regional Board's only honorary life member. He also taught evening courses at Metropolitan State University of Denver for 46 years. When asked how he views the modern fight for social justice after dedicating his life to fighting bigotry, Steinhauser said

“We’re going to keep evolving and we’re going to have setbacks, but I see the many things that have happened for the good. We have people from many diverse communities that are going to set a tone for the country, and I think that sense of optimism really is what has driven me all through the years.” Steinhauser continues to stay involved as much as possible, even as he approaches his 91st birthday. He enjoys reaching out to people, and being reached out to, through his lifelong network of fellow advocates. But he is particularly interested in helping young people by mentoring and by connecting with opportunities like the Anti-Defamation League’s summer internships to share his experiences. “I was very fortunate that I learned early on how important it is to be interdependent with people, to not think that you’re going to be out there alone, and that you’re some kind of hero,” Steinhauser said. “The only heroes that I know are people like the AfricanAmericans that I met in Alabama in 1965, who were facing potentially even death and it didn’t stop them from doing what they were doing.”

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Appreciating Mentorship in Education

fter spending 35 years in public school education on Long Island, Kevin Dwyer ’66, understands the essential role that teachers play in shaping the career paths of young minds. In fact, he credits much of his own success in education to the professors and coaches who guided him at LIU. “The people at Post were really good at supporting and telling you what you needed to do, and where your strengths and weaknesses were,” said Dwyer. “And they gave you a good basic philosophy, so that you went in having a background in the pedagogical sciences and theory, and also the practical aspects of how to survive that first year of teaching.”

Kevin Dwyer

Dwyer knew he wanted to become a teacher in high school, when he was inspired by experiences he had with his own teachers. But paying for college would have been nearly impossible at the time—he was one of five children, and his father was injured and could no longer work, so his family had fallen on hard times. Fortunately, LIU’s first lacrosse coach at the Post campus, Albert Brisotti Sr., offered Dwyer a half scholarship to play on the lacrosse team, and he worked in the athletic room washing dirty socks and towels to help pay for the other half of his tuition. Coach Brisotti also helped him get a part-time job as a bus driver which he held throughout his college years. The support from his mentors remained a constant throughout Dwyer’s time at LIU. While Dwyer was student-teaching at Farmingdale High School, the principal observed him in the classroom just two weeks into the school year. The following week, his supervising teacher had an emergency appendectomy and missed the rest of the semester. Having already seen the potential in Dwyer, the principal asked him to continue teaching the class as a substitute teacher.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

When he graduated, Dwyer landed his first full-time teaching job at Half Hollow Hills School District with help from his most trusted professor at LIU, George Bryant, who knew a superintendent in the district and recommended him for the job. For the last few months of the school year from March to June, Dwyer replaced a sixth-grade teacher who left. The superintendent was impressed with Dwyer and offered him a full-time position the following year while encouraging him to consider becoming an administrator. Dwyer did just that, as he served the remainder of his 33-year career at Half Hollow Hills as a history teacher and assistant principal. “My career at Half Hollow Hills was based on my education that I got at Post quite frankly,” Dwyer said. He spoke highly of Professor Bryant, adding that “he helped guide my career, encouraged me when times were difficult—especially my financial times—and he told me to stick with it.”

The people at Post were really good at supporting you." Amid all the challenges that educators face today, especially those brought on by the pandemic, Dwyer encourages education students to seek out mentorship at LIU and appreciate the value of student teaching. “Student teaching is more critical sometimes than I think they realize,” said Dwyer. “It gives them the opportunity to see what’s out there and what to focus on, and the skills they would need to build. It gives them the chance to see their strengths and their weaknesses.”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

READY FOR HER

he moment an actress finds out that she will be playing the lead role in a Broadway musical is a cause for celebration, with a flood of emotions ranging from fear to excitement. For Morgan Siobhan Green ’16, she got the call just a few hours before show time, leaving her no time to “freak out” as she ran some moments with the cast, rehearsed lastminute lines, and hit the stage. But she was confident in her preparation, and ready for her moment. “I came to NYC like Annie: Three bags, two bucks (more than that but you get the gist) and one me,” said Siobhan Green. “In that particular moment, I felt like everything came together.” Siobhan Green made her Broadway debut in 2019 in Be More Chill as a swing actress, filling in for four different roles when the main actresses missed a performance. On that special day, Siobhan green filled in for the lead actress as only the second person to ever play the role, and the first Black woman to do so. As fate would have it, a few weeks later and unplanned, her parents happened to be in town and got to see her in the same role, a dream come true for any actor, Siobhan Green said. Raised in a mid-sized town in central Illinois, Siobhan Green developed an interest in performing at a young age thanks to her fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Smith. The class did Macbeth, word for word, a seemingly tall task for such young students. But Mr. Smith had the ability to make sure the kids understood and weren’t afraid to tackle the project. Siobhan Green said Mr. Smith’s impact on her life as a young student shaped her into the person she is today. Youth symphony and drama club became her core after school activities in middle and high school, and she went on to study theatre at Bradley University. Feeling like she wasn’t being challenged enough in the program, Siobhan Green joined the university’s championship-winning competitive speaking team in her junior year. She thrived in the drama, prose and poetry events, and she tied for top speaker in the nation and was recognized as a dual champion as a senior. After being accepted to LIU for graduate studies in theatre, Siobhan Green was still unsure if she wanted to be an actress until she took a chance.

“On top of being so far away from home, it was my first time getting to focus so closely on technique, writing and performing,” Siobhan Green said. “I feel like I’ve been someone who performs with their heart, but only performing with your heart is dangerous. LIU taught me the beautiful marriage between heart, soul, body and mind.” While she admits that grad school was difficult, Siobhan Green said she is grateful for the experience and everything she learned about herself. LIU taught her the importance of preparation and working as hard as you can when nobody else is in the room. Her hard work took her to a number of regional and off-Broadway shows before earning her Broadway debut just three years after graduating. When that opportunity came, and she was put on the spot with little warning, she was able to rely on her preparation to know that she would succeed.

LIU taught me the beautiful marriage between heart, soul, body and mind.”

Unfortunately, the past year has brought far fewer opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Siobhan Green said it was the break that she has needed. She has taken time to reflect, prioritize her mental health, write about her ideas that she wants to bring to life, and focus on her process heading into auditions. While she prepares for her next theatrical moment, her advice to current theatre students is deeply thoughtful. “Make your own art and messages,” said Siobhan Green. “You don’t have to wait for anyone to say ‘yes’ to you. The most important ‘yes’ is the one you give to yourself. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. Don’t compare. Your journey is so special that only you can take it. That will be the story that inspires others. Go be bold!”

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

F AC UL TY A C H I E V E M E NTS RESEARCHERS MAKE MAJOR CANCER DISCOVERY A new study co-authored by LIU Pharmacy faculty members Dr. Diren Beyoglu and Dr. Jeff Idle yielded groundbreaking discoveries in cancer epigenetics that could offer new therapeutic treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The findings published in the highly cited Cancers journal of oncology unveil additional ways altered cancer epigenetics can drive cancer cell proliferation, and provides important insights on AML etiology that can also be applied to other cancer types.

P H A R M A C Y FA C U LT Y R E C O G N I Z E D I N TO P 25 RESEARCH ARTICLES

THE LANCET PUBLISHES PROFESSOR’S PA R K I N S O N ’ S R E S E A R C H

Two faculty members at LIU Pharmacy authored research articles recognized in the Top 25 Articles of 2020 by the esteemed American Journal of HealthSystem Pharmacy. Dr. Jaclyn Cusumano, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, authored, “Towards precision medicine: Therapeutic drug monitoring-guided dosing of vancomycin and ß-lactam antibiotics to maximize effectiveness and minimize toxicity.” Dr. Arash Dabestani, dean of LIU Pharmacy, authored, “Medication utilization in patients in New York hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr. Gemma Moya-Galé, assistant professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders, co-authored a study published on EClincicalMedicine, part of The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and best-known general medical journals. The study’s findings provide the first randomized control trial evidence that intensive speech treatment targeting voice improves speech intelligibility in Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Moya-Galé’s current research paper has also been accepted for publication in Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interests Groups (Gerontology).

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

ESPORTS COACH CONTRIBUTES TO TEXTBOOK ON ESPORTS BUSINESS John McDermott, head esports coach at LIU, contributed to the recently published textbook, Esports Business Management, by David P. Hedlund, Gil Fried and R.C. Smith III, which provides an all-encompassing look into the world of esports business while teaching students and sports professionals about the rapidly expanding industry. McDermott is joined by esports executives, business experts and educators in offering a comprehensive approach to the operational side of esports, as well as an analysis of its cultural and social impact.

LO NGTIM E NASSAU COUNTY JUDGE ELECTED VILLAGE JUSTICE

MARKET LEADER F E AT U R E S E D U C AT I O N PROFESSOR

PROFESSOR’S OPIOID RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN NEUROSCIENCE JOURNAL

Scott Fairgrieve, adjunct professor of business, was elected to serve as village justice in Mineola, New York. Fairgrieve previously spent 20 years as a judge for the Nassau County District Court and 11 years as an acting county court judge. He invites students to his chambers each year and serves as an advisor to the University’s Pre-Law Society.

MarketScale featured the expert insight of Dr. Helaine Marshall, director of Language Education Programs and professor of education, in an article entitled “How to Prevent Zoom Fatigue for Students Enrolled in Online Learning Classes.” Dr. Marshall also recently coauthored an article on the topic of virtual education for the journal Teaching English as a Second Language.

Dr. Grace Rossi, professor of psychology, co-authored a paper that was published in the journal of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology. “Interactive Mechanisms of Supraspinal Sites of Opioid Analgesic Action,” builds on classic initial studies, including contributions from the renowned neuroscience researcher Dr. Gavril Pasternak, and follows through with studies up to the present.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY RE NO WNED ARCH E O LOGIST PUBLISHES NEW BOOK Associate Professor Yusuf Juwayeyi published his latest book, Archaeology and Oral Tradition in Malawi: Origins and Early History of the Chewa. Dr. Juwayeyi formerly served as Malawi’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations and vice president of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee of the World Decade for Cultural Development. He was awarded the prestigious Knight in the Order of Academique Excellence by the French government.

DISTINGUISHED ART PROFESSOR AWARDS WORK ON SOCIAL ISSUES Seung Lee, professor of art and director of Fine Arts and Graduate Studies, served as juror of awards for The Art Guild of Port Washington. The competition, titled “JUSTICE,” included works that represented Black Lives Matter, women’s rights, LBGTQ, prison reform, immigration and more. Lee was named “Best International Korean Artist” by the Korean Art Association and has received awards from the New York State Governor, Nassau County Supervisor, Suffolk County Supervisor and New Jersey City Mayor.

ESTEEMED MUSIC PROFESSOR NAMED TOP SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR DownBeat Magazine, one of the oldest and most respected jazz publications in the country, recently selected Samuel Newsome, associate professor of music, as one of the top players of the year in the soprano saxophone category in the 2020 DownBeat Critics Polls. Newsome, a renowned saxophonist and composer, was also named a nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the 2020 Jazz Journalist Association, and he received the 2020 Instant Award in Improved Music.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

PR OF E S S O R ’S G R OUND BR EAKING CLIM A T E S T UDY G OES VIR AL

team of scientists led by Dr. Alexander More, associate professor in the Department of Public Health and director of the Honors College, identified a once-in-a-century anomaly that likely contributed to the severity of the influenza pandemic after World War I. Results of the study published in GeoHealth in September 2020 — in the midst of a modern pandemic — sparked widespread interest as dozens of media outlets such as CNN, The Washington Post, The Harvard Gazette, Yahoo, CBS, Newsweek, Forbes, FOX News, MSN, Gizmodo, and Science Daily covered the groundbreaking research. The article has reached the top 5% of all research tracked by Altmetrics, the leading company that tracks the impact of all scientific work in media and the public. It also is the highest rated and most viral article covered by media in GeoHealth’s history. Dr. More and his team found that an extremely unusual influx of air from the North Atlantic Ocean affected weather on the European continent from 1914 to 1919. The persistent rain and cold caused by this influx of ocean air hung over major battlefields during the war, but also affected the migratory patterns of mallard ducks, the main animal host for H1N1 flu virus strains. The bad weather likely caused mallard ducks to stay in Western Europe in 1917 and 1918, rather than migrating northeast to Russia as they normally do, according to the study. As they remained close to military and civilian populations, the birds may have transferred a particularly virulent strain of H1N1 influenza — which became known as the Spanish Flu — to humans through bodies of water. “I’m not saying that this was ‘the’ cause of the pandemic, but it was certainly a potentiator, an added exacerbating factor to an already explosive situation,” More said. The dreadful weather on the Western Front of the war is well documented by historians. Poor conditions notably played a role in the battles of Verdun and the Somme, during which more than one million soldiers were killed or wounded. Historical accounts illustrate how muddy fields slowed the movement of troops during the day, newly dug trenches and tunnels filled with rainwater, and cold nighttime temperatures caused thousands to endure frostbite.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

In the new study, More and his colleagues used data from an ice core taken from the Alps to reconstruct the environmental conditions over Europe during the war. They then compared the historical records of deaths during the war years to the environmental conditions. They found that peaks in mortality occurred during or soon after periods of heavy rain and cold temperatures. “Atmospheric circulation changed and there was much more rain, much colder weather all over Europe for six years,” More said. “In this particular case, it was a once in a 100-year anomaly.” The scientists also theorized that the war itself worsened the weather: dust and explosives generated in battle probably cooled the local atmosphere and prompted precipitation. Other studies have hypothesized that unsanitary conditions during the war and the use of chemical weapons mutated the influenza virus to its most severe form.

The Red Cross with victims of the Spanish Flu in 1918.

Dr. More’s research proved to be of particular interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the scientists noted how climate change and extreme weather could contribute to future pandemics. “These atmospheric reorganizations happen and they affect people,” More said. “They affect how we move, how much water is available, what animals are around. Animals bring their own diseases with them in their movements, and their migrations are due to the environment and how it changes, or how we change it.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS

H O RN S T E I N C E N TE R POLLS SH OW G R OW IN G C O NFIDENCE IN VACCINES

ith its mission to inform the public and policy makers about critical issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world, the Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling and Analysis at Long Island University conducted thought-provoking national polls focused on the coronavirus pandemic and the presidential election in 2020. Results of the national polls were regularly featured by hundreds of media outlets across the country, including Newsday on the regional level and the Associated Press, Consumer Affairs, AARP and Business Insider on the national level. One of the most significant results from the polls which generated widespread interest was the change in the number of Americans who were willing to receive the coronavirus vaccine over time. According to a pair of Hornstein Center polls conducted just three months apart, the number of Americans who said they were willing to be vaccinated as soon as an FDA-approved vaccination was available rose from 38% to over 71%, signifying a dramatic shift in public opinion.

gave us a clearer picture of how one’s beliefs will shape the way they will behave in 2021, and showed us that their beliefs are more of a driving factor than their age, gender, household income, or region.” The most recent poll regarding the coronavirus conducted in January 2021 revealed even more about the American public, as 54% of respondents said they did not believe the worst of the pandemic was over yet. In turn, the number of Americans who were eager to get vaccinated as soon as possible continued to rise to 74%. Despite the troubles of the past year, further poll results also showed that Americans have plenty of hope for a future that is safe and more united. Polls conducted before the 2020 presidential election accurately predicted the result, as 47% of respondents said they would vote for President Joe Biden and 36% of respondents said they would vote for

former President Donald Trump. After the election, Americans proved that there is room for common ground between parties, as the majority of Democrats and Republicans both said that they were in favor of President Biden’s first executive orders related to the pandemic. In fact, poll results showed that support for President Biden grew after the events at the United States Capitol building on January 6, as 47% of respondents said they believed he would bring the country together before the riots, and 53% of respondents said he would bring the country together after the riots. As America focuses on healing in 2021, Hornstein Center polls will continue to provide in depth analysis and empirical research that offers a deeper understanding of the concerns that are influencing public opinion and policy.

The same polls also revealed that Americans age 60 and over made up the highest percentage of respondents who said they wanted to get vaccinated immediately. Another intriguing result from the polls was that differing political views proved to be the most significant factor in Americans’ beliefs about the vaccine. “It was interesting that differing political views affect Americans’ planned behaviors after taking the vaccine regardless of age,” said Dr. Andy Person, chief of strategy and director of the Hornstein Center. “This survey question

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

PE R F O R M IN G A R TS PR OG R AM EAR NS TO P 3 0 N A T IO NAL R ECOG NITION JOINS CARNEGIE MELLON, MICHIGAN AND OTHER TOP PROGRAMS

ith its mix of rigorous conservatory training, instruction from esteemed visiting artists and location in the heart of the major industry hub of New York City, the School of Performing Arts at Long Island University has gained national recognition from leading publications. LIU is ranked among the top-30 musical theatre programs in America according to the popular annual list from OnStage Blog, joining the likes of Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Arizona, the University of Michigan, Penn State University and Syracuse University. OnStage notes that musical theatre students gain “outstanding direction and leads” through the offices of Cooperative Education and Career Services. The blog highlights the Division for Student Success and its career counselors who meet one-on-one with students to help identify the best career options in theatre arts that are best suited to graduates of the musical theatre concentration. The University earned even greater acknowledgement in the profile series of the “best performing arts programs in the U.S. and beyond” in Backstage, the top resource for aspiring artists and talent-seekers in the performing arts. Backstage featured an interview with Dr. Jennifer Holmes, dean of the College of Arts, Communication and Design, in which she describes the unique details of the University’s theatre programs while providing a guide for prospective students who want to audition for admission. Dr. Holmes explains why LIU stands out from other top performing arts programs in the country and offers sound advice to high school students who want to pursue a degree in the theatre arts.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

Students rehearse for the Post Theatre Company's production of ROE.

“While all training programs have sequences, they are not always in dialogue about how all the pedagogy interfaces with each sequence,” Dr. Holmes told Backstage. “Our faculty is very deliberate in structuring the learning from course to course and making sure skills introduced in one course are further developed in the next. This is what allows our students to flourish and grow into really strong and dynamic performers.” Graduates of LIU’s Musical Theatre BFA, Acting BFA, and acting for theatre, film & television degree in partnership with the New Group — a renowned theater company in NYC — have gone on to appear on Broadway in “Dear Evan Hansen,” “King Kong,” and “Be More Chill,” as well as in Shakespeare festivals and productions around the country.

Brandon Prater (they/them), a senior BFA Musical Socially-distanced rehearsal Theatre major.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Nursing Applications Surge to Meet Increased Demand

s a national leader in educating health care professionals, the School of Health Professions and Nursing at Long Island University is renowned for placing high-achieving students in hospitals and care facilities around the country. Through emphasis on technology, simulated health care environments, and clinical rotations, along with expertise and mentorship from the departments of Biomedical Science, Health Sciences, Health Information Management, Medical Imaging, Social Work and Nutrition, students in the Department of Nursing are prepared to take on a plethora of patient care challenges as vital players on teams of specialized healthcare professionals. While applications for the Long Island University nursing program have always been strong, applications for the Fall 2021 semester have increased significantly to meet the growing demand. Applications for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing have increased by nearly 13%, which outpaces the nationwide increase of 6% in applications according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. There are many reasons for this increased interest in becoming a nurse. According to the United States Department of Labor, the demand for nurses was already projected to grow by 19% before 2022, faster than the average for all occupations, before the pandemic began. But after the pandemic, the world has seen the courage and commitment of health professionals on full display, as they are rightly being hailed as heroes. “There is career security in these professions as the demand for health care workers continues to grow, but many of our incoming students are inspired by personal health care experiences combined with the heroism they are seeing from front line workers during the

Many of our incoming students are inspired by personal health care experiences combined with the heroism they are seeing from front line workers during the pandemic."

LIU nursing students Emily Cahill and Jennifer Egan obtain real-world nursing experience aiding in the COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

pandemic,” said Dr. Randy Burd, senior vice president for academic affairs.

students for a fulfilling and successful career.

In concert with the University’s mission to create hands-on learning opportunities, nursing students gained unprecedented experience in the clinical environment over the past year. Classes continued to be safely held in person, and not a single clinical rotation was missed as students courageously joined the pandemic relief efforts in hospitals from Lenox Hill in Manhattan all the way to Riverhead on Long Island.

“This influx of applications is welcomed at nursing schools as the median age of nurses has increased and the role has grown in complexity and technical skill,” said Dean Walsh. “At LIU, we are educating future nurses with the newest scientific technology: 3D medical imaging and dissection tables, Skills Labs, and the most up-to-date Simulation Lab. Ultimately, it is the caring aspect — the art of nursing — that is passed along to every nursing student and threaded in every course.”

Dr. Denise Walsh, dean of the School of Health Professions and Nursing, said that while the role of nurses has become more challenging in the modern age of medicine, the University is using cuttingedge research and technology to prepare

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES

JUSTINA SALIB

ORION NOKES

Class of 2022 LIU Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Class of 2022 LIU Post Business Administration

Justina knew going into pharmacy that she ultimately would want to practice in oncology and work with the underserved community. Moving from a small town in rural Pennsylvania to Brooklyn exposed her to a wide range of opportunities to do so. Her most recent experience was creating a COVID-19 ‘Myths and Facts’ presentation for an adult college class. Her advisors and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-Student Societies of Health-System Pharmacists E-board have inspired her to continue to strive for excellence for LIU’s chapter.

ERAL PENN

SARA CROUCH

Class of 2021 LIU Brooklyn Sports Management

Class of 2021 LIU Global Global Studies

Eral Penn is a graduating senior on the LIU men’s basketball team. After an elbow injury sidelined Penn for the 2019-20 season, he came back stronger than ever in 2020-21. Penn was named first team All-NEC, leading the Northeast Conference with 10.4 rebounds per game and 12 doubledoubles, while also supplying 15.9 points per game for the Sharks. Penn’s post-season accolades didn’t stop with the NEC, as he also earned National Association of Basketball Coaches District 15 second-team honors. Penn will be returning to LIU in the fall to start his graduate degree in exercise science and continue his success on the court.

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Orion is a Dean's Scholar and finance major at the LIU Post campus. He has been on the executive board in his fraternity of Phi Sigma Kappa, led as project manager of the International Consulting Online Network, worked on the executive board of Shark Nation, continued as a returning Resident Assistant, and worked and battled the Bering Sea as a deckhand in Alaska. Orion is looking forward to starting his career in the financial industry and strives for personal development.

As a part of LIU's Global Studies program, Sara has studied in over 10 countries over the last 4 years, including Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, China, and Australia. Sara's research has primarily focused on conflict transformation, social justice efforts and restorative justice practices. For her senior case study this fall, Sara conducted hands-on research with a restorative justice organization in Pennsylvania to perceive the particular methods, perceptions and challenges of a thirty-year old restorative justice agency within one mid-size Pennsylvania city. After graduation she plans to pursue a master's degree in peace and conflict studies and a career in international peacebuilding.

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES

EJ EXPOSITO

JOYCE HO

Class of 2023 LIU Post Business Administration

Class of 2023 LIU Brooklyn Nursing

EJ Exposito is an infielder on the LIU baseball team and has started the 2021 season on a tear. In the Sharks’ first game, Exposito went 4-5 at the plate with two home runs, one double and three runs scored. Exposito’s offensive outburst included a grand slam in the eighth inning to put an exclamation point on the 12-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson University. For his efforts in the opening game, Exposito was named the Northeast Conference Baseball Player of the Week.

Joyce is currently a sophomore nursing major and an aspiring pediatric practitioner. She is a founding member and the current President of Circle K International. Joyce loves to volunteer and help her community as much as possible, her goal is to be involved both on and off campus to help make a change to the community around her. Joyce continues to help others as a Resident Assistant and mentor for multiple clubs and organizations on campus.

JULIA PORTER

MARK MARANAN

Class of 2021 LIU Post Accountancy

Class of 2023 LIU Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Julia has set the example by holding several leadership positions at LIU, including Alpha Xi Delta's president, and creating relationships with her professors. She is currently working on her thesis titled "Retail Apocalypse: The Impact of Industry Changes and the SARS-COV-2 Pandemic on the Future of Retail." In it, she examines the causes of the decline of traditional retail, how the decline progressed over the 2010s, the accelerated decline resulting from the pandemic, and what the future of retail might look like. This past summer, Julia interned with KPMG, where she will start working full-time in the fall of 2021.

Justina into pharmacy that shewho ultimately Mark is aknew first going generation Filipino-American is would want to practice in oncology and workand with the deeply involved in the activities of his church underserved Moving from of a small town his university.community. He is the class president the Arnold in Marie rural Pennsylvania to Brooklyn exposed to a & Schwartz College of Pharmacy andher Health wide range of opportunities to do so. Her most recent Sciences Class of 2023, the treasurer for the Student experience was creating COVID-19 and LIU Pharmacists Society and athe State of ‘Myths New York’s Facts’ presentation for an adult college class. Her chapter, and a member of the American Pharmacists advisors and the American Society of Health-System Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists and Pharmacists-Student Societies Health-System the American College of Clinicalof Pharmacy. After PharmacistsMark E-board inspired her to continue graduation, planshave to pursue a residency and to strive for excellence for LIU’s chapter. secure a career in clinical pharmacy.

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L O

ATHLETICS

W O M E N ’ S L A C R O S S E S TA R T S S T R O N G The women’s lacrosse team, ranked fourth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll, got off to a fast start by winning its first two games of the season in convincing fashion. Senior Paige Sherlock and freshman Catherine Robles were named the NEC's Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week for their outstanding performances. Sherlock scored four goals in the season opener against Central Connecticut State, while Robles collected three ground balls and forced a turnover.

NHL PROSPECT NAMED TO PRESTIGIOUS A W A R D W AT C H L I S T LIU men's hockey senior goalkeeper Garrett Metcalf was named to the 2021 Mike Richter Award Watch List, the award given annually to the best goalkeeper in NCAA Division I hockey. Metcalf, who was drafted by the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks in 2015, joins a list of 35 goalkeepers from around the country competing for the award, and is the only athlete from an independent school to make the list. He also became the first men’s hockey player in program history to sign a professional contract after the Sharks’ inaugural season.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY DEFENDS CONFERENCE TITLE In its two years of existence, the LIU women’s hockey team has been crowned as back-to-back New England Women’s Hockey Alliance champions. The Sharks finished atop the conference once again by defeating Sacred Heart University in a three-game series for the Commissioner’s Cup in March. Team Captain Matilda Af Bjur led the Sharks in the championship game with three goals and an assist while winning 15 of 22 faceoffs.

B A S K E T B A L L S TA R N A M E D T O H O M E T O W N H A L L O F FA M E The Lee County (Florida) Athletic Conference inducted DeAngelique Waithe ’18, into its 2021 Hall of Fame class. Waithe was a four-year letter winner for East Lee County High School where she led her team to a district runner-up. She was All-Area in 2014, capping off her 1,000-point career being named a finalist for Miss Basketball in Florida. At LIU, Waithe averaged 12.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in her senior season and went on to play professionally in Europe.

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L O

ATHLETICS

NEW SPORTS MAKE IMPRESSIVE DEBUTS The LIU gymnastics team competed in its inaugural meet on February 13 and competed respectably with the likes of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina throughout the abbreviated season. The Sharks’ biggest highlight came in their final home meet, when freshman Mara Titarsolej finished first among all gymnasts in the uneven parallel bars, breaking her own personal and program record. The men’s swimming team also launched its inaugural season on February 13 in a non-scoring meet at Bryant University. The

Sharks had several top finishes, including victories from freshman Daniel Chocano Fernandez in the 500- and 1000-meter freestyle events, earning recognition as the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week. The men’s hockey team’s inaugural season began with a thrilling overtime win against Holy Cross in the first game in program history, resulting in national media attention. The Sharks went on to score signature wins against RIT and Army during the abbreviated season.

C R O S S C O U N T R Y S TA R S E A R N ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

BRANDY THOMAS JOINS LIU HISTORY BOOKS

Cross-country junior Ralitsa Mihaylova and sophomore Lexi Smith finished fifth and sixth in the women’s Northeast Conference Championship meet, both earning first-team All-NEC honors. Sophomore Bryan Villafuerte led the men’s team with a 14th place finish at the conference championship meet, earning second-team All-NEC honors.

Junior standout Brandy Thomas became the 20th women’s basketball player in LIU history to score 1,000 points in her career. She was previously named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year in 2019, and was recognized as an AllConference player in the 2020-21 season for the second consecutive year.

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O Gov. N Andrew G I S L A N D U N I Cuomo announced that LIU would receive

NEWSROOM $12 million in state funding to help open the region’s only veterinary medicine college. (Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Democratic Committee)

L I U M A R K S 15 Y E A R S A S A PRINCETON REVIEW “ B E S T B U S I N E S S S C H O O L”

M U LT I M E D I A D E S I G N PROGRAM RANKED T O P - 2 5 N AT I O N A L LY

LIU NAMED TO PRESTIGIOUS HONOR ROLL LIST

LIU is one of the nation’s most outstanding business schools, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company chose LIU for its “Best Business Schools for 2021” list, marking the 15th year the University has received this recognition. The Princeton Review highlighted LIU’s MBA program for its flexible schedule for working professionals, the opportunity to specialize in areas like finance or international business, competitive internships at prestigious companies, and expert professors with decades of practical experience.

The Bachelor’s Degree Center recognized Long Island University for having one of the nation’s best multimedia design programs for 2021.The Bachelor of Fine Art in Digital Art and Design is ranked #22 in the country for its emphasis on hands-on learning through an internship course requirement, and for exposing students to a wide range of software and media to prepare them for all aspects of the industry.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society named Long Island University to its Transfer Honor Roll list, recognizing the best colleges in the nation that have developed transfer pathways that lead to excellence and success among community college transfer students. Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders.

STUDENTS NAMED SEMI-FINALISTS FOR PRESTIGIOUS FULBRIGHT AWARDS A pair of exceptional LIU students have been recognized for their international studies as semi-finalists for the 2021-22 Fulbright US Student Program Awards. Emma Rosen, an LIU Global student, is a semi-finalist for a Fulbright English Teaching Award in Hungary. Yakov Sklar, an information studies PhD student in the Palmer School is a semi-finalist for a Fulbright Research Award in the Ukraine.

NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST AWARDS G R A N T F O R T E L E H E A LT H T R A I N I N G New York Community Trust awarded Brooklyn Hospital Center and Long Island University each with $150,000 grants as part its $6.1 million package that funds dozens of nonprofits to address the current and emerging effects of the pandemic. The grant will help LIU train healthcare workers to use telehealth as a way of providing primary and mental health care to low-income Brooklyn residents.

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NEWSROOM NSF FUNDS E VO LUTIO NARY BIO LO GY RESEARCH The National Science Foundation awarded a $1.2 million grant to Dr. Kent Hatch, Associate Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences, to fund his continued research on the biodiversity of microbiomes. The project will focus on three ecological and evolutionary structural processes: assembly, diversification and coevolution.

COLLEGE OF VE TERINARY MEDICINE SEES RECORD NUMBER OF A P P L I C AT I O N S As the College of Veterinary Medicine nears the completion of its inaugural year, national interest in the program is surging. The College received a record number of applications for the Fall 2021 semester, with total applications increasing by more than 60%. The result is a highly selective and competitive incoming fall class that exceeds the College’s rigorous academic standards.

B R O O K LY N N U R S E R E C E I V E S “ N O B E L P R I Z E ” OF NYC PUBLIC SERVICE NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County announced that Chief Nursing Officer Opal Sinclair-Chung, RN, ’83, ’92, ‘12, will be one of this year’s recipients for the Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award. Chung, who is a member of the Nursing Honor Society of Long Island University, is recognized for her contributions toward improving nursing-related services during her nearly 11 years of service to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, and for her critical role in the hospital’s COVID-19 response. The Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award is considered the Nobel Prize of city government and is the leading independent honor for New York City employees each year.

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ON THE SHELF You Exist Too Much: A Novel By Zaina Arafat

The debut novel, You Exist Too Much, by Zaina Arafat, an LGBTQ Arab/Muslim-American writer and visiting assistant professor for the Department of Communications & Film, was recognized as the most anticipated book of 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her stories and essays have also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Vice, BuzzFeed, NPR, and other major national and international publications.

The Butchers' Reincarnation: Visions of the Nuclear Age

Happiness Power: How to Unleash Your Power and Lead a More Joyful Life

The Mayor of Jackson Heights: Growing Up Jewish in New York in the 1950s

By Robert Gill Jr.

By Cary Silverstein

Edmund McCormick ’70, also known by his pen name, Robert Gill Jr., recently published his second book titled Happiness Power: How to Unleash Your Power and Live a More Joyful Life. The book explores why happiness among Americans has been declining for 20 years and how you can reverse that trend by living a life that’s true to your values and your innermost needs.

The second book published by Cary Silverstein ’71, is a childhood memoir of growing up in the 1950s in Queens, New York. Silverstein tells stories of his youth, his family, and why growing up in Jackson Heights had such a profound impact on his life and the lives of others, including many famous comedians, actors, physicians, scientists, and business leaders who called it home.

Miss Centipede: A Bug's Tale of Tolerance

The Ninth Session By Deborah Serani

By C.P. Wilson

By Oscar Hahn (Author), G. J. Racz (Translator)

Dr. Gregary Racz, professor of English, philosophy and languages, worked alongside renowned Chilean poet Óscar Hahn to translate his most recent volume, The Butchers’ Reincarnation. Hahn has won multiple distinguished awards, including the National Prize for Literature and the Pablo Neruda Ibero-American Poetry Award. The Butchers’ Reincarnation is the first full-length book of Hahn poems to appear in Spanish-English bilingual format in over a decade.

C.P. Wilson ’86, who earned a master’s degree in TESOL and served many years as an educator, is now teaching children through literature with the release of her debut children’s book Miss Centipede: A Bug’s Tale of Tolerance. The book explores social tolerance and acceptance for all ethnic groups by following Miss Centipede as she navigates the challenges of being a new teacher at a city school with overcrowded and diverse classrooms.

Award-winning author and psychologist Dr. Deborah Serani, a community supervisor in the doctoral program at LIU, pens a gripping psychological thriller with her debut novel, The Ninth Session. Featuring LIU as a setting, the story explores a unique mix of psychotherapy and Sign Language and Coda Culture as a therapist takes on a menacing new patient. The book has won numerous awards, including the 2020 Suspense Book of the Year Award at the New York City Big Book Awards.

Have you recently written a book? Let us know about it and we’ll gladly include it “On the Shelf!” We’re proud to promote work by our talented University alumni and faculty. Contact: liu.edu/alumni/submit 34

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ALUMNI EVENTS LIU offers many opportunities to stay engaged with the community and continue your educational and professional growth long after graduation. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for upcoming events.

VIRTUAL EVENTS

ONLINE DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE

We are producing virtual events that are fun, informational, and relevant. Keep an eye out for the following events coming up:

We've teamed up with NTSI to bring you online defensive driving courses. Receive a discount on car insurance and reduction in points once completed. Discount and reduction vary from state-to-state. Currently only available for alumni residents of New York and New Jersey.

•V irtual master classes led by LIU professors •H utton House Lectures Online • Alumni led enrichment seminars •F itness classes, virtual entertainment, and more!

For more information and to register for events, please visit: liu.edu/alumni/events Feel free to email us at LIUalumni@liu.edu if you have any suggestions.

New York Course: lms.ntsi.com/registration/LIU-NYOLDDC New Jersey Course: lms.ntsi.com/registration/LIU-NJOLDDC

Check our website at liu.edu/alumni for the most up-to-date alumni information, news, and events.

Get your Annual Alumni Membership today! community.liu.edu/liualumnimembership For $10 a year, alumni will receive: • Alumni ID card • Alumni email address with Microsoft Office 365 • Access to LIU’s job portal Handshake

Tell us your story! Share your personal milestones and professional accomplishments with the LIU community! Visit liu.edu/alumni/submit to send your story.

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CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES TELL US YOUR STORY! SHARE YOUR PERSONAL MILESTONES AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE LIU COMMUNITY Visit liu.edu/alumni/submit to send your story.

1960 s MARTIN GOLDSMITH ’64, is an attorney in Ohio, Georgia and Florida. He has an AV rating with the American Bar Association, which is their highest rating. Goldsmith is the author of the Florida House Counsel Rule that permits attorneys not admitted in Florida to work in-house for corporate entities without being required to take and pass that state bar examination.

MICHAEL N. VITTORIO ’77, was elected to the Peoples Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors of Peoples’ banking subsidiary, Peoples Bank. Vittorio is the former president and CEO of The First of Long Island Corporation and its banking subsidiary, The First National Bank of Long Island. He also served on the boards of directors of both entities until his retirement. DEBORAH BURNS ’77, former chief innovation officer and brand leader for Elle, discussed her award-winning debut memoir Saturday’s Child as part of an exclusive Q&A event with LIU alumni. The book tells the story of her unconventional mother and their relationship. Burns currently serves a media industry consultant, helping brands, executives and professional women reinvent themselves.

Herb Turetzky

HERB TURETZKY ’68, ’73, was the subject of a profile published in Sports Illustrated. He has served as the scorekeeper for the Brooklyn Nets for the past 54 years. Turetzky’s tenure with the franchise began when he was a student at LIU Brooklyn in 1967, and the team was then known as the New Jersey Americans. He has become a staple in the organization and befriended NBA legends like Julius Irving and Vince Carter, while curating his own personal Nets museum in his home. JUDITH HEUMANN ’69, was the subject of a profile published by BBC to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Heumann’s activism paved the way for the law to be passed. The article highlights the events in Heumann’s personal life that led up to the historic sit-in that she staged in 1977 to fight for civil rights for people with disabilities. The 24-day protest at the Health, Education and Welfare Building in San Francisco is still the longest sit-in of a federal building in American history.

1970 s DR. MATTHEW DIOMEDE ’75, will see his second book, For Father and Many Other Things published in May, by Finishing Line Press of Georgetown, Kentucky. His previous book, 36

Pietro DiDonato, The Master Builder was published by Bucknell University Press. Dr. Diomede’s poetry book manuscript was recommended by John Ashbery as an Award-Finalist in the Virginia Commonwealth University Contemporary Series. He has published over 100 poems, prose, and fiction and has received several writing awards.

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1980 s DARRELL L. PETERSON ’81, was named chief financial officer for the Texas-based consulting firm Galenfeha, Inc. Peterson also serves as the chief financial officer of Nexgen Surveying, LLC. He has an extensive career in initiating and reorganizing private and public companies serving in capacities ranging from chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and as a consultant. Peterson began his impressive finance career with the then Big 8 firm Peat Marwick, now KPMG. NANCY MCINTYRE ’85, was named as one of 50 Renowned Women in Robotics. McIntyre was an educator for 23 years before joining the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation. She plays an instrumental role in managing the organization’s on-going curriculum development, spearheading international robotics initiatives, and organizing the REC Foundation STEM Hall of Fame. STEPHEN J. FOLAN ’81, owner of The Folan Agency Ltd., an independent insurance firm located for 60 years in Port Washington, New York, joined The Whitmore Agency of Garden City and became an Acrisure, LLC partner. Acrisure is a top five national insurance broker that delivers insurance and risk

management services and solutions through a global network of agency partners. DR. KIM H. RODRIGUEZ ’86, was appointed as the The Glen Cove City School District’s new superintendent for human resources. Dr. Rodriguez brings over 30 years of experience in public education, and she was recently awarded the Career Achievement Award from the New York School Counselors Association. Her impressive resume also includes service as an assistant professor of education at LIU for more than six years.

dedicated to helping clients mitigate risk, drive transformational growth, and achieve peace of mind. In 2011, Long Island Business News recognized Sanjurjo for her achievements with a “40 under 40” award and named her as a “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business.”

Arlette Roxburgh

Dr. John A. Coccaro

DR. JOHN A. COCCARO ’87, was recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a distinguished leader in the field of medicine for his professional excellence, leadership and commitment as owner, anesthesiologist and interventional pain management physician at Precision Pain Management. Dr. Coccaro built a well-respected reputation through his cutting-edge treatments for acute and chronic pain, taking pride in dramatically reducing the use of opioids. He founded Precision Pain Management in Toms River, New Jersey six years ago and leads a team of highly trained medical professionals.

1990 s ROBERT F. LAROCCA ’90, was promoted to chief strategic relations officer at SterlingRisk Insurance, one of the nation’s top independently owned insurance brokerages. Larocca began his career at SterlingRisk in 1999 and will still retain his title as executive vice president. Prior to joining SterlingRisk, Larocca held the position of Long Island branch manager for American International Group (AIG) after serving as assistant vice president at Johnson & Higgins. VALERIE ANDERSON CAMPBELL ’91, received the Long Island Top 50 Women Award in 2020 and the Diversity in Business Award in 2019 from Long Island Business News. In 2019, she was named one of the “Top Influential Long Island Women” by Long Island Weekly. She also received the Visionary Entrepreneurship Award from Long Island Girl Talk in 2019 and a Citation for Exemplary Service to the Community and State from Senator John E. Brooks in 2018. MARIA SANJURJO ’95, is a partner at Sheehan & Company, a Long Island-based certified public accounting firm. Sanjurjo is a certified public accountant with over 20 years’ experience,

ARLETTE ROXBURGH ’96, was the subject of a profile in The National Hockey League blog The Color of Hockey. Roxburgh has served as the official national anthem singer for the New Jersey Devils for the past 20 years. She was first discovered by former Devils President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello when Roxburgh was singing in a Manhattan bar to help pay her way through college. Since then, Roxburgh has become a fan favorite in the stadium and a valued member of the New Jersey organization. DR. JOHN PETRONE ’99, was recently elected by his colleagues to serve a two-year term as a faculty senator, representing the Department of Educational Studies, College of Education and Technology at Eastern New Mexico University. Dr. Petrone has been an Assistant Professor of Educational Administration at Eastern New Mexico University since 2018, after spending over 15 years as a high school social science teacher and then principal. DR. EDWARD MARTINEZ ’97, currently serves as the national NASPA community college division director. Dr. Martinez is an advocate for student access, and his research interests focus on the narratives of students and professionals in the community college sector. Since 2015, he has served as a Board of Trustee member for Five Towns College. KECIA PALMER-COUSINS ’97, joined the board of directors at Feeding Westchester, Westchester County’s largest nonprofit hunger-relief organization. Palmer-Cousins is a wellness entrepreneur, manufacturing engineer, and project management consultant who co-owns multiple companies including AeroBa-Soul, Inc., which provides technical assistance and one-on-one coaching to Minority Women Business Enterprises. She also serves in leadership positions in the Peekskill NAACP, City of Peekskill Youth Bureau, and Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce. STACI PARRISH ’96, is managing director of tax and accounting at Fiske & Company, one of South Florida’s oldest public accounting firms. Parrish brings more than 30 years of experience in advising clients on a variety of taxation matters.

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CLASS NOTES

Prior to joining Fiske & Company, Parrish worked for a number of national accounting firms, and she is an active member of several professional and volunteer organizations in her community. NEIL J. MOORE ’97, is the CEO of Queens Hospital in Jamaica, Queens, part of New York City Health + Hospitals. Moore’s most recent position has been principal of LIEN Healthcare Solutions, and he previously served as president and CEO, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Dimensions Healthcare System. Moore is also dedicated to community service by sitting on numerous boards and advisory committees, speaking at national conferences, and mentoring numerous aspiring health care workers. WILLIAM T. ROLACK SR. ’96, was appointed vice president of diversity and inclusion at Workforce Logiq, a global provider of workforce intelligence, technology, and services to large corporations. Rolack recently served as national president for the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources. His 24 years of experience include leadership positions at Adecco Group and Major League Baseball.

Giovanni Savarese

GIOVANNI SAVARESE ’98, discussed his journey to the U.S. in an episode of the Major League Soccer podcast “The Call Up.” Savarese is the current Portland Timbers head coach and a former soccer star at LIU. He scored 50 goals during his career at the University and earned All-American honors in his senior season. Savarese went on to play professionally for 18 years, won three championships as the head coach of the New York Cosmos, and led the Portland Timbers to the MLS championship game during his first season as head coach in 2018. LISA SIMEON ’97, was appointed chief operations officer at Abt Associates, a global consulting and research firm. Simeon previously served as chief human resources officer. Prior to that, she was the vice president of HR operations and programs at Engility-SAIC, a publicly traded, $2B professional services company with 7,000 employees. Her global experience includes projects and assignments in China, India and Sweden.

2000 s NISSIM COHEN ’00, is a partner at Mazars, a leading accounting, tax, and consulting firm. Cohen serves in the firm’s New

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Jersey manufacturing and distribution practice. He will focus on providing value-adding tax services to clients of all sizes, ranging from large multinational corporations to privately-held businesses, including business owners. Prior to joining Mazars, Cohen was a managing director in the business tax services group for the Big 4 firm, Deloitte. NACH DAVÉ ’00, was named vice president of development strategy at Premier Research, a top global clinical research organization. Davé previously led clinical and regulatory affairs at Maxx Orthopedics, a developer of orthopedic medical devices, and has held roles in clinical operations, business development, strategic consulting and medical affairs at companies such as Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Aventis Pharmaceuticals and Mitsubishi Pharma America. Davé is a graduate of LIU’s master’s degree program in drug regulatory affairs, the first such program in North America. ARI BERNSTEIN ’01, a noted physician, entrepreneur and investor, serves as executive producer of an upcoming documentary feature on the life story of legendary basketball personality, Dick Vitale. Bernstein joined the Emmy Awardwinning DNA Films crew to begin principal filming for the project in November. He is a board-certified internal medicine physician and is known for being an investor and advisor for telehealth services Fruit Street and CovidMD, which provide crucial services to patients during the pandemic. ISABEL RIVERA-SMITH ’01, was promoted to Brigadier General for the New York Army National Guard. Her decorated Army career began in 1985 when General Smith enlisted on active duty, and she went on to earn prestigious awards throughout her career such as the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. KLECKNER J. CHARLES ’01, is the director of The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services’ division of Intellectual Disability Services. Charles brings decades of experience in advocating for individuals of varying abilities, having previously served as chief operating officer for The Arc Putnam New York; assistant executive director for Program Development Services in Brooklyn; and assistant executive director for Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families in Brooklyn. Charles said he is most proud of the time he spent working as direct care staff at an intermediate care facility supporting individuals diagnosed with severe autism. DR. FRANCESCO IANNI ’04, was named superintendent for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District. An Italian immigrant who moved to the United States at age 22, Ianni has led a prestigious career in education since earning his professional diploma in education administration from LIU. He has previously served as a math teacher at Locust Valley High School; as a principal in the Levittown School District; and as an assistant

principal, deputy superintendent, and superintendent in the Bellmore-Merrick School District. MARIE DONNELLY ’05, is assistant superintendent for business at the Hewlett-Woodmere School District. Donnelly will be involved in capital planning, budgeting, financial management and business operations in the district. She previously served as the assistant superintendent of business and operations for Seaford Public Schools, the school business official for the Island Park School District, and the district treasurer at East Meadow School District. ALEXIS KRAMER ’08, is deputy team leader on the health and benefits team at Bloomberg Industry Group, focusing on pharmaceuticals coverage. She previously was a senior content editor focusing on legal and regulatory issues, particularly dealing with the government’s coronavirus response. Kramer also spent five years as a senior legal editor at Bloomberg Industry covering issues in the tech and telecom sectors. ERROL TOULON ’09, serves as Sheriff of Suffolk County. Toulon received recognition from ABC Eyewitness News in its weekly “First Responder Friday” segment committed to honoring the dedicated service of first responders. His law enforcement resume includes 22 years of service in the Corrections Department and an advanced certificate in Homeland Security Management from LIU before being elected sheriff of Suffolk County in 2017. Toulon is also a two-time cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996 and pancreatic cancer in 2003. PAUL SCHMICK ‘09, ’12, is a media contributor, professor and vice president of security technology at Alliance Security. In a recent interview with Thrive Global, a leading health and wellness company, Schmick discussed the importance of mental and physical wellness in the professional world realized after surviving a battle with colon cancer. He was inspired to pursue a career in security, and his education in homeland security at LIU, as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. MICHELLE CHESNER ’08, serves as the Norman E. Alexander Librarian for Jewish Studies in the global studies division of the Columbia University Libraries. Chesner was featured by Fine Books & Collections. She is responsible for Columbia’s rare Judaica collection which is located in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Chesner, a graduate of the MSLIS program, told the magazine that her passion for rare books is derived from being able to share with others a completely unique entry into the past.

2010 s JASMIN DAVIS ’10, was appointed City Chamberlain for the City of Poughkeepsie. Davis, a Poughkeepsie native, previously served as the assistant marketing director for the Poughkeepsie Galleria, and she currently serves on the city’s Waterfront Advisory Committee. She is a Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce “Forty Under 40” Award Recipient as well as a Leadership Dutchess Graduate.

CHELSEA CLARK ’16, was named to the Long Island Business News “30 Under 30” list for 2020. Clark specializes in the configuration and management of the bank’s human resources information system, UltiPro, to ensure data validity and integrity. She is also responsible for data and trend analytics. MORGAN SIOBHAN GREEN ’16, performed in War of the Worlds, the first in a series of all-star benefit broadcasts from Keen Company. Based on Howard Koch’s legendary adaptation of the iconic H.G. Wells novel, the original production was once called “the greatest single radio script ever written.” Green made her Broadway debut in Be More Chill in 2019. ALEX LYNN ’17, known by her stage name Alex The Astronaut, was named to Out Magazine’s 26th annual "Out100" list, the annual portfolio celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community who are making a groundbreaking impact across the world. The Australian singer-songwriter, who also played soccer at LIU Post, released her critically acclaimed debut album The Theory of Absolutely Nothing in 2020 and received praise from The New York Times, NPR Music, The Guardian, Refinery29 and more.

Naiya Patel

NAIYA PATEL ’17, is the co-editor of Economics of COVID-19: Digital Health, Education and Psychology. The book explores the impact of the virus—particularly in India—on critical areas like economics, public health, education, digital strategies, psychology and telemedicine by providing insights through valuable research and opinions of authors worldwide. Patel is currently a secondyear doctoral student at the University of Louisville. ALICKI CALOYERAS ’18, is working on a special collections project for the Brooklyn Historical Society. The project involves conducting collections initiatives and archiving images and stories of residents living in the challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. MICHAEL RAMSEY ’18, is a neuroscience researcher at Columbia University’s Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. News12 profiled Ramsey, who played soccer at LIU and triple majored in Biology, Physics and Psychology. As a senior, he won the National Honor Society’s prestigious Jim Kirby Prize in Physics, Geology and Astronomy for his presentation on black holes.

LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2021

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LIU Magazine 700 Northern Boulevard Brookville, NY 11548

Honoring Peter Tilles & Family

Monday, July 12, 2021 THE CREEK CLUB LOCUST VALLEY, NY

Benefiting Arts Education at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming live events this summer!

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With special tribute to the memory of Frank Castagna