Hofstra University

At the Frank G. Zarb School of Business, students enrolled in the Advertising Management course are learning firsthand how strategic communication can create positive change by designing marketing campaigns for Hofstra's Pride Pantry, an on-campus resource that helps students facing food insecurity. The project challenges students to apply classroom concepts in a practical way, creating campaigns that both raise awareness of the Pride Pantry and help reduce the stigma often associated with seeking assistance.

Bryanna Sykes, a dance and English major at Hofstra, was recently awarded the highly competitive Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Spark, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The CLS Spark program provides American undergraduate students with immersive online language instruction in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Russian, led by native speakers at international host institutions.

When Hofstra senior Richie Castronova boarded a plane to London last spring, he had no idea he would soon be competing for a $1 million prize on national television. Castronova '26, a TV and business major in the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, starred on FOX's new game show 99 to Beat alongside his sister. While participating in the Hofstra LA semester program, Castronova advanced through multiple rounds of interviews and screenings before officially being cast in May 2025. Filmed in London over the summer, 99 to Beat premiered this fall on FOX.

Hofstra School of Health Sciences students from the Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Exercise Physiology programs volunteered their time and expertise at the Special Olympics New York FUNfitness event last month, working side by side with clinical staff from Northwell Health. Under the direction of Anna Len, assistant professor of physical therapy, student teams conducted flexibility, strength, balance, and mobility screenings for athletes; provided individualized wellness and at-home exercise recommendations; and offered education and encouragement throughout the day.

The Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies (SONPA) honored the Undergraduate Nursing Class of 2027 during its pinning ceremony on September 29 in the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center Theater. The event marked a symbolic rite of passage as students transition from classroom study to clinical practice.

Two Hofstra civil engineering students from the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science spent their summer in Eswatini, a small country in Southern Africa, where they helped build a pedestrian bridge, alongside students from other universities, as part of the international nonprofit Engineers in Action (EIA). The project, supported through the DeMatteis OverSEAS program, provided students with hands-on experience addressing infrastructure challenges in a resource-limited setting while engaging with the local community.

Doctoral students in the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies (SONPA) celebrated a pivotal moment at the annual White Coat Ceremony on August 27 at Hofstra University's John Cranford Adams Playhouse.

This summer, Physician Assistant (PA) students from the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies (SONPA) embarked on a service-learning trip to Guatemala with Global Medical Brigades, gaining invaluable experience while making a lasting impact in underserved communities.

The DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science celebrated innovation and student achievement at the Advanced Summer Program in Research (ASPiRe) Symposium, held August 26 at the Science & Innovation Center. This year's event featured 30 students presenting their summer research in fields spanning bioengineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence (AI), among others, many in collaboration with faculty mentors and some with researchers from the Feinstein Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine.

Hofstra students joined Dr. Antonios Marsellos, associate professor in the Department of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability, at the 32nd Annual Conference on Geology of Long Island and Metropolitan New York (LIG) this spring at Stony Brook University. Marsellos, an expert in environmental hazards, has participated in the LIG for seven years and has coauthored more than 50 publications with Hofstra students over the past nine years.

The South Shore Audubon Society (SSAS) awarded the Jay Koolpix Environmental Scholarship to Hofstra alumnus Benjamin Izaguirre Cortez '22, an environmental scientist who completed his undergraduate studies in sustainability and is now pursuing a master's at the University in the same field.

A group of six Hofstra University students were inducted into the Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international honor society for geography students.

Hofstra University is proud to release the spring 2025 Provost's List, which recognizes students who earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Hofstra University congratulates the students named to the spring 2025 Dean's List for their outstanding academic achievement. Students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 during the semester to make the Dean's List.

Leah Boisvert '26, Lilly Knappe '27, and Sophia Marciano '26, students in Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, participated in the AmPav Worldwide Student Program at the 78th Annual Cannes International Film Festival, May 13-24. The American Pavilion (AmPav) is the hospitality and communications hub for the thousands of Americans attending Cannes, one of the world's largest and most glamorous film festivals.

The U.S. Department of State has awarded Hofstra University student MeiLi Haan '26 the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Haan, a double major in sustainability and music business, is applying the award to a program that will allow her to study both disciplines at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland this fall.

Dylan Budhu and Craig Mannino, both Class of 2026 and students in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (HCLAS) and Rabinowitz Honors College, have been named the recipients of the 2025 Firestone Fellowship, an annual award that provides students with opportunities to conduct summer research in their academic discipline, under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Hofstra University inducted 68 students into its chapter of Phi Beta Kappa this spring. Phi Beta Kappa is considered an emblem of high achievement and strong potential. The society celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Its campus chapters invite for induction the most outstanding arts and sciences students at America's leading colleges and universities.

Two mechanical engineering students from the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science recreated a historic artifact for the Hofstra University Museum of Art's EVERY Body, EVERY Mind exhibition. Krishan Rathee '27 of Williston Park, NY, and Gianluca Tredici '26 of Tomkins Cove, NY, developed a replica of a late 19th-early 20th-century Chi Wara headdress. Their work offers visitors of all ages and abilities the rare opportunity to engage with art through touch. The exhibition, which runs through July 11, explores the 35-year impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act and highlights inclusive approaches to museum education. The tactile replica allows guests, including those with visual impairments, to interact more meaningfully with a culturally significant object.

Four students from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business put their entrepreneurial skills to the test at the 2025 New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), competing against students from schools such as Farmingdale State College, Molloy University, and SUNY Old Westbury in the regional round. Representing Hofstra were international business student Aydan Smith from Locust Grove, GA (OurBloom), Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences economics student Prisha Srivastava from San Ramon, CA (CogniView), finance student Jack Fernandez from South Ozone Park, NY (Vacant), and entrepreneurship student Dhrruv Dhamani from Jaipur, India (One More Time).

Established in 1997 by Hofstra's Axinn Library faculty, this award recognizes and rewards excellence in research and writing by graduating seniors.

Thirteen nursing students from the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies spent their 2025 spring break offering compassionate care to refugees in Greece, as part of a powerful service-learning trip designed to expand their cultural awareness and clinical skills.

Hofstra University students put their technical and teamwork skills to the test at the recent Pensar Hofstra Hackathon, a 24-hour innovation sprint hosted by Hofstra C.O.D.E. (Computing Opportunities, Development, and Exploration) and sponsored by Pensar AI - a cybersecurity startup founded by Hofstra alumni Kyle Bhiro '21 (Frank G. Zarb School of Business) and Kerem Proulx '21 (Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science). Held in Hofstra's Science & Innovation Center, the hackathon drew 40 participants over six teams, and awarded over $14,000 in cash and products, including a top prize of $7,800. Second and third place teams received $4,800 and $4,500, respectively.

During National Student Employment Week, Hofstra University is celebrating the impact and experiences of student workers across campus and in the surrounding community. Through the student employment program - whether through Federal Work-Study or other opportunities - students are receiving more than just a paycheck. They're building transferable skills, gaining practical experience, forming meaningful professional relationships, and in many cases, engaging with the wider community.

Cloudy skies did not stop more than 230 Hofstra students from going out into the community early Saturday morning to garden at neighboring homes. The University's Annual Pride and Plant event connects students with local homeowners, who need help with yard work and planting.

Mia Lee '26 is heading to the 2025 Rifle and Pistol National Junior Olympics in Alabama, April 13-18, where she has secured a first-round invitation to compete in the women's 10-meter air rifle championship. After competing in Junior Olympics for the past seven years, this is her final year of eligibility. The Hofstra biochemistry major and ROTC cadet from Boston, MA, fell in love with the precision and focus that her sport requires. Her interest was sparked when she was just 8 years old and began accompanying her father to the rifle range.

Lawrence Herbert School of Communication students won top honors in five categories at the 50th national Gracie Awards for exemplary news programming. The prestigious honor, awarded annually by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), recognizes work by, for, or about women in television, radio, and online media on the national, local, and student levels. Hofstra students have taken home multiple Gracie Awards for the last 11 years.

Hofstra University presented its annual Service Week, March 18-20, 2025. The program offers Hofstra University students opportunities to participate in community service programs over spring break. For the first time, Service Week included an inaugural program to meet and work with residents of the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Southampton, Long Island. Organized by Anita Ellis, director of the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach, and Karen Torrence, director of the Shinnecock Senior Citizen Nutrition Program, students were matched with senior tribal members and helped around their homes with planting and weeding.

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is proud to announce that Adrian Chen, a third-year medical student, has been selected as a 2025-26 Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellow. The prestigious Sarnoff Fellowship, founded in 1979 by Dr. Stanley J. Sarnoff, provides a fully funded opportunity for select medical students to conduct cutting-edge research under the mentorship of the nation's foremost cardiovascular scientists. Chen is the second student from the Zucker School of Medicine to receive this elite honor and 1 of just 19 students nationally to be selected for the 2025-26 program.

Naya Mahabir '25, a Hofstra biology major from New Hyde Park, New York, received a TriBeta Research Grant for her work on microbes that may promote plant growth in adverse environments.