Hofstra University

Madison Garraffo '24, a senior music education major at Hofstra, has been honored with the Collegiate Professional Achievement Award from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Additionally, Hofstra's undergraduate chapter of NAfME was selected as the recipient of the organization's Chapter of Excellence Award, in the category of service.

Hofstra University inducted 36 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.

A group of 12 Hofstra University students were inducted into the Mu Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the international honor society for geography students.

Over 30 graduate students in the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies' Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program celebrated a milestone in their nursing journey as they commemorated the transition from classwork to clinical practice at a recent White Coat Ceremony.

Over a dozen students graduating in May 2024 attended the Umoja Scholars LLC Graduation Celebration on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Students from Black Leaders Advocating for Change (BLAC) were also honored at the event for their academic achievements. Hofstra President Susan Poser and Provost Charlie Riordan were among the many Hofstra administrator attendees.

Seventeen teams of seniors from the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science presented their capstone projects to a panel of judges at the Senior Project Showcase, closing out their final semester. The competition included projects ranging from earpiece design enhancement to a mobile app for textbook exchange to a rock, paper, scissors robot. Nineteen industry judges scored projects on a rubric, which included problem relevance, solution methodology, originality, and quality of presentation. Projects were grouped into two categories, computer science and engineering.

Fourteen cheer and dance students from Hofstra got to celebrate "decision day" live on NBC's Today Show. In a special segment on May 1, Hauppauge High School senior Jenny Dove revealed to her family, friends, and the national audience that she chose Hofstra University as her future alma mater. To celebrate, the Hofstra cheer squad exploded onto the NBC plaza to welcome Jenny to the Hofstra Pride.

Seven Hofstra students participated in the Model European Union (EU), sponsored by State University of New York's (SUNY) Institute for European Studies. Founded in 1988 by SUNY, the Model EU simulates policymaking at the ministerial and head of government levels within the European Union. The event, held at SUNY Buffalo State University, April 12-14, allowed the students to learn about and develop skills in diplomacy and governance. Fifteen universities participated in the event, including universities from Canada, across New York State, and as far as Tennessee.

In October 2023, 34 students from the inaugural class of undergraduate nurses from the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies began their clinical journey. As they wrap up their experience and prepare for their final year of undergraduate studies while making Hofstra history, they shared their reflections.

Hofstra's School of Health Professions and Human Services conducted a poverty simulation event in which students were assigned roles and scenarios - gender, age, family roles, employment, and housing status - and were required to manage their finances and make ends meet for a fictional four-week period. Nearly 70 students particpated from graduate programs including Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Health Administration, and Health Informatics.

Hofstra University student organizations, student leaders, and professional staff partners were honored with 2024 Student Leadership Awards for their efforts to positively impact the campus community. The awards were held on April 25 at the Multipurpose Room in the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center.

Students in Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication have been accepted into the AmPav Worldwide Student Program at the 77th Annual Cannes International Film Festival, May 12-26, 2024.

The Hofstra-Digital Remedy Venture Challenge Series is an annual entrepreneurship competition administered by the Hofstra University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship with total prizes valued at $75,500. It is made possible through the donation of Hofstra alumnus Mike Seiman, chairman and CEO of Digital Remedy, a member of Hofstra's Board of Trustees, and chair of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Board. The Hofstra-Digital Remedy Venture Challenge Series is an annual entrepreneurship competition formed to inspire students to launch their own startups by leading them through the business model canvas and customer discovery process and assisting them with public speaking and presentation skills.

For the past academic year, students in Hofstra's Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science have been exploring the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) both in and out of the classroom with Break Through Tech, an organization dedicated to achieving gender equality in technology. A graduation ceremony was recently held at the New York Botanical Garden.

In a fizzy triumph of innovation and entrepreneurship, SirrPops Drop Pop, the brainchild of international business major Patrick Dagher and finance major Gregory Franzetti, clinched the top spot at the Hofstra University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship's (IIE) annual Digital Remedy Venture Challenge. The Hofstra-Digital Remedy Venture Challenge Series is an annual entrepreneurship competition formed to inspire students to launch their own startups by leading them through the business model canvas and customer discovery process and assisting them with public speaking and presentation skills.

Students from the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science took home first and third place finishes at the 2024 LICTF capture the flag competition. The annual event, hosted by the Long Island chapter of the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), features a series of challenges designed to test skills and knowledge of cybersecurity, including cryptology.

Three Hofstra students Jwere part of a coalition of 60 students from around the country to participate in the Rachel Carson Council's (RCC) annual advocacy day in Washington, D.C., held in March to advocate for critical environmental legislation.

The Alliance for Women in Media announced the 2024 winners of its 49th annual Gracie Awards, and seven students at Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication were among the honorees.

Yaw Bonsu '24 and Michelle Rabinovich '25, became the first Hofstra students to cover Super Bowl week for WRHU 88.7 FM, the campus's four-time Marconi Award-winning radio station. Bonsu and Rabinovich had the opportunity to interview NFL players and coaches, community leaders, and journalists who cover the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Students at Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication spent part of their January break in Hollywood, networking with alumni and other media and entertainment executives as part of the 10th annual "Hofstra in LA" program.

Students from the Hofstra School of Health Professions and Human Services (HPHS) traveled to Albany for Occupational Therapy (OT) Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The Hofstra students joined hundreds of practitioners, students, and supporters, and worked directly with key legislators on topics that affect occupational therapy practice in New York.

Hofstra University's Cheer Team took home first place honors at the at the 2024 Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals in Orlando, FL.

Hofstra University's Dance Team took home first place honors at the at the 2024 Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals in Orlando, FL.

While Anthony (A.J.) Mihailidis was growing up, he shared his father's love of music, listening to the Eagles, The Cars and the Allman Brothers Band. The senior from Fresh Meadows, NY, then slowly began forming his own musical taste and taking an interest in emerging artists. Now a major in Hofstra's Music Business program, Mihailidis is responsible for helping the university's Unispan Records sign New York City-based rapper CIV.

Five students with outstanding academic records and demonstrated interest in American politics have been selected to participate in the Inside Washington seminar hosted by The Washington Center this January 2024. The selective program gives students the opportunity to learn from political insiders, scholars and journalists about what happens behind the scenes in the nation's capital.

Baldwin resident Yaw Bonsu '24, a journalism major with a concentration in sports media at Hofstra's Lawrence Herbert School of Communications, was recently awarded the national Radio Television Digital News Association Foundation (RTDNA) Presidents Scholarship at the organization's national conference in Minneapolis. The $2,500 award, endowed in memory of past RTDNA presidents, recognizes two broadcast journalism students for excellence in reporting.

Yaw Bonsu '24, a journalism major with a concentration in sports media at Hofstra's Lawrence Herbert School of Communications, was awarded the national Radio Television Digital News Association Foundation (RTDNA) Presidents Scholarship at the organization's national conference in Minneapolis last month. The $2,500 award, endowed in memory of past RTDNA presidents, recognizes two broadcast journalism students for excellence in reporting.

Thirty-four students from the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, representing the first undergraduate nursing class at Hofstra, received their "Keeping Healthcare Human" pins, symbolizing their transition from classroom to clinical studies. The ceremony, attended by family, friends, and Hofstra faculty, featured a keynote address from Hofstra alum Amy J. Smith, DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, NY-SAFE, assistant professor of nursing and director of the FNP and SANE programs. The nursing students, representing the Class of 2025, are in their third year, and will now begin their clinical rotations at Northwell Health facilities.

Hofstra University sociology major Sinjita Bhattacharya '23 has won the University of Washington School of Law's prestigious William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming a disability rights attorney.

Fifteen first-year engineering and computer science students at Hofstra University are spending part of their summer exploring their fields and learning more about career opportunities as part of a program designed to help women succeed in STEM.