Student Success | 51��

Fueling the Healthcare Workforce: 51�� Nursing Reports Strong Q3 NCLEX Performance

ckatz — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 20:13:08 +0000

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation will see nearly 180,800 openings for registered nurses annually through 2035, driven by retirements and an aging population. Meeting this demand head-on, the 51�� College of Nursing and Public Health is reporting strong third-quarter licensure exam pass rates, led by the outstanding performance of its accelerated nursing program students.

“We are thrilled by the steady quarter-over-quarter growth in our 2026 results,” said Deborah Hunt, PhD ’12, dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health. “Equipping our students to pass this exam on their first attempt is a top priority. Through a dedicated NCLEX success team—grounded in evidence-based research, active learning and innovative technology—our faculty are laser-focused on developing the critical thinking, clinical judgment and real-world competencies every future nurse needs to succeed.”

Key Q3 NCLEX Performance Highlights

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From Classroom to Care: 51�� Expands Pathways Into Healthcare Careers

ckatz — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:09:22 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that healthcare support occupations will grow 13.3 percent between 2025 and 2035, nearly four times the 3.5 percent projected for employment overall.

To help meet that demand, the College of Professional and Continuing Studies (CPCS) is expanding its Allied Health Certificate programs on Long Island and in Manhattan, pairing scholarships and hands-on training with direct connections to employers.

Scholarships for Emerging Dental Assistants

With a $25,000 community grant from the New York Community Trust, CPCS will provide scholarships and comprehensive support to 11 students ages 18 to 29 pursuing the Dental Assistant professional certificate at the Hempstead Adult Education site. 7 percent between 2025 and 2035, also well above the 3.5 percent projected for all occupations, with about 53,000 openings a year nationwide.

The initiative is designed to help students build the skills, credentials and career connections needed to enter Long Island’s growing healthcare workforce.

Scholarship recipients, along with students in related allied health programs, will have access to certification exam preparation, academic advising and individualized student support. Participants will also take part in five professional development workshops covering career planning, résumé development, professional communication, and AI and digital workplace skills, which are increasingly expected in modern healthcare settings.

As students near completion of their programs, CPCS will help them move from the classroom into the workforce. Externships will provide hands-on experience, while interview preparation, employer connections and job-matching services are intended to bridge the gap between learning and a first job.

“Thanks to the generous support of the New York Community Trust, we’re able to open doors for young people who are ready to build a career in healthcare,” said Sandra Castro, PhD, senior associate dean in the College of Professional and Continuing Studies. “The demand for professionals in these fields keeps growing throughout our communities. For many of our participants, this is the first step toward an undergraduate degree and a future with even more opportunity.”

New Manhattan Center Broadens the Offerings

CPCS is also expanding its allied health portfolio at its new Manhattan Center, where it is launching hybrid programs in Clinical Medical Assisting and EKG Technician and Phlebotomy Technician training. Designed with working adults and other nontraditional students in mind, the programs pair flexible online asynchronous coursework with hands-on laboratory experiences and office hours at the center’s state-of-the-art facility.

Together, the initiatives reflect CPCS’s effort to create flexible routes into healthcare careers while pairing students with the education, support and real-world experience they need to succeed.

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Can an Eel Climb a Ladder? Inside an 51�� Student’s Research to Save the American Eel

ckatz — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:38:58 +0000

Their research examines how American eels—an IUCN-endangered species migrating between the Sargasso Sea and freshwater rivers—navigate dams and fish passages. Currently, only 13 percent of fish passages at U.S. hydropower structures are specifically designed for eel usage.¹

We’ve all heard of the Bermuda Triangle—that part of the Atlantic best known for sensationalized myths about aliens, wormholes and the lost city of Atlantis. But zoom out a little, and you’ll learn that this patch of ocean is just one part of the Sargasso Sea, which holds mysteries of its own.

The Sargasso Sea is a 2-million-square-mile region of the North Atlantic Ocean bounded by four circulating ocean currents, creating calm, warm and highly saline waters covered by dense mats of free-floating brown macroalgae known as Sargassum, which lend this patch of sea its name. This microalgae forms a floating tropical rainforest that provides food and refuge for ocean life from fish to sea turtles—and serves as the exclusive breeding ground for the enigma that is the American eel.

“American eels have a cool life history,” said Andrea Ward, PhD, vice provost for research and libraries. “They reproduce in the Sargasso Sea and then migrate thousands of miles into rivers all along the east coast of the U.S. and Canada, where they can stay in fresh water for many years until they return to the Sargasso Sea to reproduce and die.” Because it takes place in this deep sea location, no one has ever directly witnessed the eel mating process, and as yet, eels have not been bred in captivity.

Young eels drift thousands of miles on ocean currents as transparent, leaf-shaped larvae before transforming into tiny “glass eels” and making their way to the freshwater rivers, streams and estuaries of eastern North America, where they spend the majority of their lives—sometimes decades—growing slowly into yellow eels and eventually the darker adult “silver eels.” Capable of breathing through their skin and even wriggling overland through wet grass to reach new waterways, American eels are remarkably adaptable, yet their populations have declined sharply in recent decades.

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51�� Awarded $2.9M to Launch 51�� Ascend—a Bold Initiative to Improve Advising and Boost Graduation Rates and AI Literacy

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:56:25 +0000

This five-year initiative will transform the University’s student advising system, launch an innovative AI-readiness certificate and actively work to eliminate the historical achievement gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell students.

support eligible institutions of higher education in expanding their capacity to serve low-income students by strengthening their academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability. To qualify, an institution must have at least 50 percent of its degree students receiving need-based assistance or a substantial number of enrolled students receiving Pell Grants, in addition to low educational and general expenditures. 51�� has demonstrated a deep commitment to the enrollment and upward mobility of low-income and first-generation students, evidenced through its undergraduate population—33 percent of undergrad students are Pell recipients, and of the undergraduate students who provided their parents’ highest degree, 45 percent identified as first-generation college students.

51�� Ascend will largely support low-income students and help them become more successful in college and in their future careers. “51�� is well known for the social mobility of its graduates,” said Andrea Ward, PhD, vice provost for research and libraries, who led the development of this grant. “Through this program, 51�� will continue to show its commitment to working with students to not only succeed in the classroom but also once they graduate.”

The program focuses on three areas:

Transforming the advising system for first-year students, providing a more holistic experience that incorporates faculty and staff training on how to effectively support and engage with today’s students, helping them to transition more easily to college, move into their desired major and continue through graduation.
Reworking and augmenting 51��’s First-Year Seminar program, an existing requirement for nearly all first-year students that serves as a yearlong orientation program. Students will undergo evaluations to develop skills and learn the critical academic, behavioral and financial competencies necessary for postsecondary persistence and self-sufficiency. Mentorship is built into the plan; upper-class students will serve as mentors to first-year students, and alumni will be invited to speak to students about internships and career opportunities during a Career Day at 51��’s Manhattan Center.
AI-ready workforce development, helping to build AI literacy and develop AI skills necessary for students’ academic disciplines and careers. AI training will also be provided to faculty from both a teaching and a research perspective, teaching them the value that AI brings to an educational experience. As part of this effort, a new AI Cross-Disciplinary Certificate program will also be developed by 51��’s Innovation Center.

Through these strategic efforts, 51�� aims to elevate first-year persistence, accelerate on-time graduation, expand long-term degree completion and advance educational equity by eliminating the historical achievement gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell students.

51�� Ascend is a collaborative effort led by Louise Geddes, PhD, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and co-led by Salvatore Petrilli ’05, EdD, senior associate dean for academic operations and general education, Lee Stemkoski, PhD, professor of computer science and mathematics and director of the Innovation Center, and Debra Kyriacou, executive director of the Office of Academic Services and Retention. It is expected that the program will result in higher retention rates for first-year students and improvements in the four-year graduation rate, in addition to decreasing the gaps between students receiving Pell awards and those not receiving Pell awards.

“This grant offers us the opportunity to enact a holistic advising practice to suit each student’s journey at 51��,” said Interim Dean Geddes. “It can help students, many of whom might be the first in their family to attend college, in finding their feet at the institution. Our goal is to support all students as they learn how to find their passion, hone their skills and develop their future careers.”

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What the New SNAP Changes Mean for Social Workers and the People They Serve

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:40:42 +0000

Roughly 37 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed themselves and their families. But new federal changes have expanded SNAP work requirements and are shifting more costs to states starting this fall. Some New Yorkers are already losing benefits.

Social workers play a key role in helping people understand these changes to eligibility—and supporting them from a whole-person approach. “Social workers are trained to help people navigate systems and to deal with mental health crises,” says Elizabeth Palley, JD, PhD, professor of social work and director of the PhD in Social Work program.

Here’s a closer look at what’s changing, who will feel it most and how 51�� prepares students to help.

What’s Changing With SNAP

There are a few key SNAP changes taking effect on October 1, 2026, the start of the federal fiscal year 2027. These include:

States and counties absorb more administrative cost burden. The federal share of SNAP administrative costs drops from 50 percent to 25 percent, increasing the local share to 75 percent. For New York, this equals an increase in state costs by roughly $36 million per year, and county costs by $168 million a year.
Benefits increase slightly. Given the higher costs of living, the are rising. For example, a family of four will go from a maximum monthly benefit of $994 to $1,023.
The new three-year work-requirement window starts. People who are subject to SNAP work requirements must work for at least 80 hours a month. If they don’t, they can receive SNAP for only three months in a three-year window. The three-year window resets on October 1, 2026.

Some changes went into effect earlier in 2026. In particular, work requirements now apply to adults ages 55 to 64 (previously adults ages 18 to 54 without dependents) and to parents whose youngest child is 14 years or older.

Who Will Feel the Impact Most

The expanded work requirements have made it more difficult for people to qualify for SNAP. The New York governor’s office estimates that 300,000 households will lose some or all of their SNAP benefits, with an average loss of $220 a month.

Meeting the updated work requirements can be especially challenging for older adults and parents with teenagers. “We don’t want teens to be without parents around,” Dr. Palley says. “Often, the kinds of jobs you can get have night and early morning hours when your kid is around, so that can have impacts on parenting.”

Dr. Palley also notes that many adults in their 50s and 60s who have recently been pushed out of the workforce already struggle to find new jobs, and the jobs they can find are often physically demanding, minimum-wage work.

Losing SNAP benefits will be especially hard on children. “Certainly for children, hunger affects your physical and mental health, as well as your ability to concentrate, so school performance will likely suffer,” Dr. Palley says.

And shifting more of the administrative cost burden on states and counties will put the most strain on poorer counties that can’t absorb the cost shift. So, even if people qualify for SNAP, they may not be able to access benefits if funding runs short, Dr. Palley notes.

With more people losing SNAP benefits, the demand for food banks, private charities, and other community services will rise. Families may also need to divert money from rent to food, leading to housing instability, Dr. Palley says.

How 51�� Prepares Students

51��’s social work programs teach students how to help clients access resources and, more importantly, how to engage in policy advocacy to support legislative changes that benefit their client population. “It’s important to have social workers who understand the experiences of clients, but also understand how to navigate and lead systems,” Dr. Palley says.

Students learn how to understand an issue, conduct research and interpret data, and create a convincing argument. “Those are the skills you would take into advocacy,” Dr. Palley says.

In addition to classroom learning, all students must participate in the School of Social Work’s annual social action initiative. Students can choose from various projects, including social media campaigns, expert interviews, website creation and legislative advocacy. Interested students can even travel to Albany and nearby counties to meet with legislators or testify on issues they care about at the county level.

“As a social worker, you’re closely tied to the populations you’re working with, so you can make a really good case and present people’s stories, because sometimes it’s too hard for people who are currently struggling to be able to testify and meet with legislators,” Dr. Palley says.

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51��’s Momentum Campaign Closes at $103 Million, Surpassing Its Goal One Year Early

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:59:39 +0000

51�� has concluded The Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact with more than $103 million raised, surpassing its $100 million goal a year ahead of schedule. The campaign closed August 31, 2026, bringing together alumni, friends, trustees, faculty, staff, students and families to invest in the University’s future.

“Together, our community didn’t just meet an ambitious goal—we shattered expectations, raising an extraordinary $103 million to transform the lives of our students,” said Thomas A. Kline, EdD, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations.

The campaign’s reach reflects the breadth of that support: 25,000 donors made 74,000 gifts, creating more than 250 new funds. More than $54 million was raised for scholarships, $21 million for academic priorities, and $9 million for life-changing student experiences. The balance of funds supported capital projects, 51��’s diverse community, and the 51�� Fund. Additionally, more than $20 million was raised in new pledges through its planned giving program.

“The sheer scale of our community’s generosity is remarkable,” Kline said. “But beyond the numbers, the Momentum Campaign has ignited a deep sense of pride, reconnected us with our alumni, and instilled a lasting philanthropic spirit across the entire 51�� family.”

51�� launched the public phase of the comprehensive campaign in the Fall of 2024. Two years later—and one year ahead of schedule—51�� celebrated the campaign’s successful conclusion at its 26th Annual Gala—A Celebration of Firsts, which also welcomed Michael Balboni ’81, JD, as 51��’s first alumnus president and raised $1.6 million to support scholarships for first-generation students.

“51�� students will hustle, figure it out and lead,” said President Michael Balboni ’81, JD. “To everyone who contributed so generously to The Momentum Campaign, I cannot thank you enough. The impact you have made is life-changing.”

Kline credited the campaign’s success to contributors across the 51�� community, thanking donors, volunteers, trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and friends. He also recognized the Campaign and Campus Steering Committees and the Advancement team for their work and enduring commitment.

With the campaign complete, its impact will continue through scholarships, academic programs and opportunities made possible by the community’s generosity.

“Momentum, by definition, is meant to continue,” Kline said. “The opportunities we made possible will keep opening doors for years to come.”

Watch and explore stories of generosity that impact 51��’s students.

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51�� Gala Raises $1.6 Million to Support Student Success; Closes $100M Campaign

yigarcia — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:50:43 +0000

51��’s 26th Annual Gala, A Celebration of Firsts, raised $1.6 million to support 51��’s students and their success. Held September 19 at the Garden City Hotel with more than 250 attendees, the evening celebrated first-generation students, welcomed Michael Balboni ’81, JD, as 51��’s first alumnus president, and recognized the supporters creating new opportunities across the University.

The evening kicked off in spectacular fashion, celebrating the record-breaking success of the University’s Momentum Campaign: Extraordinary Impact. The monumental initiative didn’t just meet its ambitious $100 million goal—it shattered it a full year early, raising $103 million by its August 31 close. To capture the magnitude of this milestone, a underscored the historic effort behind the campaign and the transformative opportunities this support will unlock for our students.

“Tonight perfectly paired the success of the Momentum Campaign’s close with the immediate impact of the gala,” said Thomas A. Kline, EdD, vice president of advancement and external relations. “We are deeply grateful to every donor, friend, sponsor, and guest who helped make this evening—and its $1.6 million result—possible, ensuring that 51�� students will always have the support they need to pursue their goals.”

One of the evening’s notable moments came when double alumna Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, committed $500,000 to establish the Judith Ammerman First Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund. A dedicated educator who taught for nearly 30 years at , Ammerman also previously made a $1.5 million planned gift to 51��. Offering advice to the first-generation students that her new scholarship will support, Ammerman said, “Being the first in the family has some responsibilities! Get yourself off to a good start, crack open those books, write those papers and do a great job! Remember you have an obligation to set a good example for the rest of your family.”

Also contributing to the evening’s success and 51��’s future, Leonard C. Achan ’99, MA, RN, ANP, the chair of 51��’s Board of Trustees, committed $250,000 to develop and support specialized programming for first-generation students.

“As a first-generation college student myself, I know how much it matters to have people who see your potential and invest in it,” said Achan, the son of Guyanese immigrants of Indian descent, who commuted from Queens and worked as a Manhattan doorman at night while studying nursing at 51��. “The stories we heard at the gala are a reminder that support for one student can reach far beyond one degree, opening endless possibilities for families and communities for generations to come.”

Junior nursing student and Honors College member Liana Esau shared what it means to be the first in her family to attend college. A recipient of the Thomas F. and Christine B. Motamed ’71 Scholarship, Esau spoke about carrying her family’s hopes forward and the role donor support has played in her 51�� experience. Esau said, “Standing here in a room filled with people who so strongly believe in the power of education makes me think about the wise words of my 93-year-old great-grandmother who said, ‘They can take everything away from you—but not your education.’ Knowing she lived to see me accomplish something she never had the opportunity to is something I hold dearly in my heart.”

Stepping into his new role at the helm of 51��, President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, spoke of his bold vision to redefine higher education as a deeply human partnership built on the University’s greatest foundation: its people.

“I’m grateful for what we have accomplished and excited about what our community will do together next,” said Balboni. “In a world debating the future of higher education, we will never lose our human core. 51�� students hustle, they lead, and they inspire—and when we support them like family, there is no limit to the impact they will make.”

51�� students opened the gala with a dance performance choreographed by Assistant Professor Daniel Padierna. Later in the program, directed by Assistant Professor Robert Jordan, students, faculty and staff performed “For Good” from the musical Wicked and “Seasons of Love” from RENT, written by late 51�� alumnus Jonathan Larson ’82. Guests also viewed moving testimonials from 51��’s .

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Alumna Judith Ammerman Commits $500,000 for 51��’s First-Generation Students

yigarcia — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:13:51 +0000

At 51��’s 26th Annual Gala in September 2026, Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, committed $500,000 to establish an endowed scholarship for first-generation students. She joined President Michael Balboni ’81, JD, and Thomas A. Kline, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations, to sign her gift agreement prior to the event.

Ammerman’s commitment provided a fitting start to the evening’s theme: A Celebration of Firsts. The Judith Ammerman First-Generation Endowed Scholarship Fund will support eligible undergraduate students who are the first in their families to attend college.

“There was no more perfect way to begin our ‘Celebration of Firsts’ than by honoring Judy’s extraordinary generosity,” Kline said. “Her profound commitment to our first-generation students perfectly captures the spirit of 51��, ensuring that the doors of opportunity remain wide open for those ready to pave a new path for their families.”

Ammerman is a lifelong champion of learning, having taught mathematics at for nearly 30 years after several years teaching in Roosevelt, New York. Now retired and living in Florida, she made a special trip to Long Island for the celebration.

Her gift reflects a lifelong belief that education can change a student’s future and create opportunities for generations to follow. In advice to the students her scholarship will support, Ammerman said, “Being the first in the family has some responsibilities! Get yourself off to a good start, crack open those books, write those papers and do a great job! Remember you have an obligation to set a good example for the rest of your family.”

A message from Judith Ammerman, MA ’64, MS ’73, displayed at 51��’s 2026 Gala encourages first-generation students to embrace their education and the example they set for their families.

The new scholarship builds on her earlier $1.5 million planned gift to 51��. Announced in 2023, that separate estate commitment is intended to establish three endowed funds supporting undergraduate scholarships, faculty development, and University facilities and projects.

“Judy’s steadfast belief in our students is truly inspiring,” said Thomas A. Kline, vice president of University Advancement and External Relations. “Between her generous planned gift and this new endowed scholarship, her philanthropic impact will create a powerful ripple effect—removing barriers for our first-generation students and empowering them to achieve their boldest goals.”

Nearly half of 51��’s students are first-generation, including junior nursing student Liana Esau, who spoke at the gala about the pride and responsibility that distinction brings.

“As a first-generation student, I know I carry the hopes and dreams of those who came before me, and create new possibilities for those who will come after me,” Esau said.

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Because of a Scholarship: Gifts That Transform Lives

ckatz — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:02:49 +0000

In a single moment, relief replaces doubt. Scholarships deliver an unforgettable message from the alumni who walked these halls before them:

We see your struggle, we believe in your potential and we are here to help you stay.

Bennis Sujak ’21, MA ’24

Healing the Healers: Support for Mental Health Professionals

For Bennis Sujak ’21, MA ’24, the path to becoming a mental health counselor was intensely personal. “The topic of mental health is highly stigmatized in my culture, and I grew up sheltered from discussions surrounding it,” shared Sujak, the son of Muslim immigrants from Yugoslavia. “Struggling with my traumas and mental health, I always felt an intense desire to better understand myself and human nature as a whole.”

Lindsey Kupferman, MA ’02, PhD ’06

The financial burden of graduate school loomed large, threatening to derail his calling—until the Kupferman Family Endowed Scholarship stepped in. The funding didn’t just alleviate Sujak’s stress; it validated his entire journey. The scholarship’s founder, Lindsey Kupferman, MA ’02, PhD ’06, knows that lifting this burden “makes life a little bit easier for one student.” For her, funding this scholarship is a meaningful way to continue her family’s legacy of helping at-risk youth by supporting the very students who will one day heal them.

A Way for Dancers to Move Forward

Committing to a life in the arts is a beautiful but terrifying leap of faith. For dance major Sophia Nibbe ’25, the financial strain of pursuing her passion was daunting. Then, she received the Tina Bolton Endowed Scholarship. The support, she said with immense gratitude, was “beyond anything I could have ever hoped for,” allowing her to fully dedicate herself to her art without the crushing anxiety of how to pay for it.

The scholarship’s founders, Jeffrey Bolton ’61 and his wife, Tina, a former Broadway dancer, created the fund because they understand that struggle firsthand. “I know how difficult it is to commit yourself to a career in dance and support yourself,” Tina shared, offering Nibbe the exact encouragement she needed to keep moving forward.

Sophia Nibbe ’25, center, with arm raised

A Lifeline for the Next Generation of Teachers

Senior Itzel Guzman Juarez knows the exact feeling of that financial weight lifting. Pursuing her degree in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences came with overwhelming pressure, but a scholarship changed everything. “This scholarship made me realize that even when you think your efforts are invisible, there is always someone noticing your hard work,” she said, describing the life-changing relief she felt.

Grateful scholarship recipient Miguel Velasquez ‘23, MA ‘24, now a high school teacher, with donor Diane Abbey ‘59

The person noticing her was Diane Abbey ’59. Abbey intimately understands the terror of an interrupted education; she faced sudden financial hardship as a junior and was saved only when 51��’s late dean of women, Ruth S. Harley, quietly arranged financial aid. “I owe her a career, a life,” Abbey reflected. Today, Abbey pays that exact miracle forward to students like Guzman Juarez and Miguel Velasquez ’23, MA ’24. Thanks to her generosity, Velasquez was able to stay at 51�� and is now an educator himself. “The impact I make on students is shaped by her spirit of giving,” Velasquez noted, proudly sharing that he has since started an organization providing school supplies to children in Central America.

Scholarships do more than help students earn a degree. They empower future leaders, inspire lifelong generosity and create a legacy of opportunity that transforms lives for generations to come.

For Athletes, a Way to Reach the Ultimate Goal: Graduation

Kris Amplo ’00

Balancing the rigorous demands of the classroom and the field is a monumental task for student-athletes—one made incredibly stressful without financial backing. Recognizing this, Kris Amplo ’00, a former 51�� lacrosse standout, created the Amplo Family Foundation Men’s Lacrosse Endowed Excellence Fund and the Joseph LaRosa Scholarship. His gifts give current players the ultimate assist: the chance to reach graduation without crippling debt, ensuring they can absorb the life-changing lessons of teamwork and resilience he once learned from his own coaches and professors.

Scholarships helped first-generation student Kyle Lewis ’26, 51��’s 2026 Male Athlete of the Year.

The Power of Paying It Forward

Vincent Tizzio ’89

At its core, receiving a scholarship is about so much more than tuition dollars. It is a profound declaration that a student matters. Vincent Tizzio ’89, who founded the Salvatore Primeggia Endowed Scholarship, captures this perfectly: A scholarship “tells a student that someone sees their potential and believes in them before they’ve fully found their footing,” he explained. For the students standing on the edge of having to leave 51��, a donor’s generosity is everything. It replaces their agonizing “what-ifs” with profound gratitude, transforming their fear into a lifetime of confidence, achievement, and a deep, enduring desire to one day do the same for someone else.

Sal Primeggia, PhD ’64, shaped thousands of lives in 51�� classrooms. Today, that legacy lives on through the endowed scholarship in his name.

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What Can You Do With a Biology Degree?

tshah — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:32:26 +0000

For science lovers, a degree in biology is the perfect fit. At 51��, biology students benefit from a robust curriculum that equips them for success in a variety of fields.

“Rapid expansion in biotechnology, health technology, corporate sustainability and data analytics has driven high demand for employees with backgrounds that an education in biology delivers far beyond traditional academic or clinical roles,” said Matthias Foellmer, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Biology.

51��’s curriculum ensures a broad education in several core areas of biology, including genetics, evolution, ecology, physiology, developmental biology, molecular biology and cell biology. Students enrolled in the undergraduate and graduate program also get hands-on research opportunities, receiving training in qualitative analysis using advanced state-of-the-art methods and applying the scientific method.

“We prepare our students for today’s careers in the biological and medical professions, but also offer several transferable skills which makes our students suitable candidates for employment opportunities in a wide variety of fields,” Dr. Foellmer said.

These three alumni prove just how versatile a biology degree can be.

Put a Science Mind to Work in the Courtroom

When Hira Javed ’16, MS ’18, JD, enrolled at 51�� for the BS in Biology program, she was set on becoming a pediatric neurologist. But while volunteering at a hospital during grad school—also at 51��—she met a nurse practitioner who had switched to advocating for patients’ rights. “She started fighting on the legal side for her patients, and I thought that sounded awesome,” Javed says. That chance encounter led her to explore a legal career—and ultimately swap the MCAT for the LSAT.

An 51�� professor helped her identify her legal specialty, pointing her toward patent law, something she’d never considered before. “They said to me, ‘If you want to go to law school and you still really love science, have you considered patent law?’” she recalls. “That was definitely a pivotal moment in my career.”

After earning her law degree, Javed joined a Washington, D.C., law firm, where she practiced patent litigation and privacy law. Her biology background proved more useful than expected. “Studying biology helped me become very detail oriented, and to use the analytical side of my brain,” she says. All of those hours she spent sifting through dense scientific papers at 51�� translated directly to legal work, too, teaching her to zero in on the key pieces of data methodically rather than getting lost in the details.

In April 2026, Javed took her career a step further, accepting a clerkship with a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Florida. “When you take a step back and realize you’re helping move justice forward, it’s a really powerful feeling,” she says.

Help Migraine Patients Reclaim Their Lives

Monika Mikolajczak ’17, MD, still thinks of the fruit flies she cared for as a biology undergrad at 51��. Practically every morning for nearly two years, she came into the lab to prepare fly food and count the flies for a mitochondrial research project—work that eventually contributed to a published paper. “I wouldn’t have had that opportunity if I’d gone to a school with much larger classrooms,” Dr. Mikolajczak noted. “It’s not easy to get into a lab and do research—there’s a lot of funding that goes into it, and not everyone wants students involved with their research.”

That experience in the lab also honed the critical-thinking skills she relies on as a headache medicine fellow at Mount Sinai. “My biology education taught me to think through evidence and avoid jumping to conclusions,” she said.

Her path to that fellowship wasn’t a straight one. While becoming a physician was always a calling, she pursued other early ambitions, including physical therapy and, before that, shark research. But it was during her four-year neurology residency at Northwell Health that she found her calling. During rounds with a mentor in her second year, she watched a nerve block bring near-immediate relief to a migraine patient in the emergency room. “Anyone with migraines knows how terrible the emergency room can be—there’s a lot of light and noise, it’s not a fun place to be. So if you end up in the emergency room with a migraine, you’re desperate at that point,” Dr. Mikolajczak said. “Just helping him regain his function and be able to leave the emergency room feeling better was so rewarding.”

Turn a Study Abroad Trip Into a Dream Career

When Candice Marcos ’12, MS ’14, MA ’16, started her undergraduate biology degree at 51��, she had her sights set on medical school. Looking for ways to stand out as an applicant, she signed up for a three-week study abroad trip to Australia focused on environmental science. What she found there changed everything. Snorkeling and conducting field research in the water, she came home with a new direction. “After that, I decided I wanted to be in the field of marine biology,” she says.

Now, Marcos is head of education at Shark Reef Aquarium in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she uses her biology degree every day. In particular, her experience researching marine animals while a grad student at 51�� helped her understand these creatures, knowledge she regularly shares with visitors to the aquarium. Her six-year stint as a science teacher in Nevada also equipped her with the skills to develop education programs that resonate with visitors, as well as provide professional development for her staff members.

“My career combines my two worlds—biology and education,” Marcos says. “I teach important animal conservation concepts while getting up close to the animals.”

She stresses that her dream job wouldn’t have happened without a willingness to say yes—even to opportunities that seemed unrelated. Case in point: a part-time dental assistant role she almost left off her résumé turned out to be one of the things that set her apart from other candidates for her current role. “Don’t be afraid to take the side quest because you’re still gaining skills,” she says. “It’s better to try something and know for a fact that it’s not for you, than to not try it and always wonder ‘What if?’”

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