In 1938, Adelphi, then open only to women students, became one of the first American colleges to establish a university dance program, founded and run by internationally renowned modern dance pioneer Ruth St. Denis. At that time, dance was typically grouped alongside physical education. Today, Adelphi’s conservatory-level dance program prepares students to become professional dancers and dance educators. Recent dance MFA grad Frida Molina ’23 is now performing with some of pop’s biggest stars—including Bad Bunny.

Modern dance was the focus of the department in its early days.

First Scientific Computer Minor

No university in New York state had a scientific computing minor until Fall 2019. That is when Adelphi’s program, developed with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, addressed a shortcoming that had long plagued science undergrads: an inability to write code for highlevel research. Adelphi’s scientific computing program gives students majoring in sciences the computer and data analysis skills needed for an advanced degree in their discipline or for work in a research setting.

An Adelphi student monitors a screen at Long Island’s Brookhaven National Laboratory.

First Private Coeducational University on Long Island

Adelphi University holds the distinction of becoming the first private coeducational university on Long Island, breaking ground in Garden City in 1928. The first building raised was beautiful Blodgett Hall, still proudly standing almost 100 years later.

Designed by the renowned architectural firm McKim, Mead and White, Blodgett Hall today is home to five academic departments.

First University-Based School of Psychology

Professor Gordon F. Derner, PhD, who founded the school in 1972.

Psychology majors at Adelphi build on the ingenuity and compassion of the late Gordon F. Derner, PhD. The longtime professor founded the nation’s first university-based professional school of psychology in 1972 as well as Adelphi’s clinical training program in 1951. For more than 55 years, the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology has earned international recognition for its innovations in psychology and related disciplines. “I believe that the artificial schism between mainstream psychology and psychoanalytic theory has been detrimental to both,” observed Professor Robert Mendelsohn, PhD. “I appreciate that the Derner School is one place where the integration of psychoanalysis into mainstream psychology occurs every day.”

One of the First College Radio Stations in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

On the air in 1982.

Adelphi’s groundbreaking student-run station, WBAU, is one of the only college radio stations cited by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The station was one of the first to give significant airtime to hip-hop. In the early 1980s, program director Bill Stephney gave a platform to Adelphi classmate and popular Long Island DJ Carlton Douglas Ridenhour ’84, ’13 (Hon.), on his Mr. Bill Show. The world knows Ridenhour by his professional name, Chuck D.

First in Nursing Leadership

Adelphi made history by establishing the first Central Collegiate School of Nursing in New York state. In response to an urgent need for nurses during World War II, this became one of the largest collegiate units of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. Thirty-nine years later, Adelphi became the first on Long Island to offer a doctoral program for nurses. It remains one of the few in the state. Adelphi’s nursing program is now among the highest ranked in the country; the undergraduate program jumped an unprecedented 32 points in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Adelphi had one of the largest collegiate units of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps.

First in Women’s Lacrosse Championships

Adelphi’s women’s lacrosse team was the first (and currently only) in NCAA Division II history to win three straight national championships (2009 to 2011). If that wasn’t dynastic enough, after a two-year break, the team won four more in six years.

The 2009 National Champions celebrate.

First in Student Success for Learning Differences

Professor Emeritus Fred Barbaro, EdD, founder of the Learning Resource Program.

The Learning Resource Program, the first of its kind at a university, was founded in 1979 by the late Professor Emeritus Fred Barbaro, EdD, who taught in the Adelphi University School of Social Work. It allows students with “invisible disabilities” such as ADHD and dyslexia to thrive in college. Around 100 students annually are enrolled in this life-changing program. They have weekly sessions with a learning specialist, receive assistance with career planning, and participate in group and individual sessions with a clinical social worker.

Nearly 40 years later, Adelphi unveiled the first sensory room at a college or university for students on the autism spectrum as part of its nationally recognized Bridges to Adelphi program. A color-changing hurricane tube assists with emotional regulation, weighted balls and blankets offer sensory stimulation and low lighting offers a calm respite from the stress of college life.

The next firsts for Adelphi await. Regardless of whether it’s in academics, entertainment, athletics or student access, one thing is certain: Adelphi’s impact will travel far beyond Garden City.

Adelphi was the first college or university with sensory room for students on the spectrum.

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Adelphi’s Learning Resource Program is a structured support program for the unique implementation of learning specialist services, executive function coaching and mental health counseling that meets the needs of students with learning or attention challenges.

“Adelphi believes in the potential of each student—no matter how they learn or what their challenges may be—and strives to be a partner in their success,” said Christopher Storm, PhD, provost and senior executive vice president of academic affairs. “Our programs to support neurodiverse students offer a pathway to grow and learn in a caring environment that enhances the college experience and develops important life skills. We’re proud to continue building our offerings that help students achieve their goals.”

Bridges From Adelphi: Connecting Neurodivergent Students With Employers

To extend support to its growing alumni network and soon-to-be graduates, the University created a new branch of the Bridges program in 2025: Bridges From Adelphi. This initiative builds on the University’s long-standing mission of transforming students’ lives by guiding graduates beyond Commencement through career advocacy and inclusive employer partnerships.

The Bridges From Adelphi initiative was launched with a generous $250,000 pledge from Adelphi Trustee Gregory Carey and Bridges Advisory Board Chair Katy Cochrane Carey, parents of Bridges graduate Declan Carey ’23. Their commitment builds on their establishment of The Katy and Greg Carey P ’23 Bridges to Adelphi Excellence Fund in 2024, which supports financial assistance, academic and vocational resources, and enriching social experiences.

Bridges graduates have successfully secured employment across various industries, including healthcare, financial services, technology, nonprofits, marketing, and sports and entertainment.

In a recent article in the , Bridges to Adelphi advisory board member Justin Nelson shared that his son graduated from the program and advocated to address the employment gap. “Most employers do not understand how to hire or interact with neurodivergent candidates,” Nelson said. “You have to get proper training.”

He added that “If you can lay out the rules and know how to work and communicate with that group of people, you probably have some of your best employees.”

To Nelson’s point, the Bridges From Adelphi program will provide much-needed support and advocacy for neurodivergent students heading into the workforce.

Welcoming a New Executive Director

As part of the broader evolution of Adelphi’s neurodiverse student services, the University welcomed Deseree Wiltshire ’04, MA ’05, EdD, as executive director of Bridges to Adelphi and the Learning Resource Program on August 10, 2026. Dr. Wiltshire holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Adelphi and previously served as an adjunct instructor of psychology.

In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership for Bridges and the Learning Resource Program, with a focus on strengthening student recruitment and retention, advancing neuro-inclusive practices across campus, and expanding pathways to career and postgraduation success for neurodivergent students.

“Stepping into this role to support Adelphi’s neurodiverse students is both a privilege and a passion,” said Dr. Wiltshire. “This work has always been a labor of love for me, driven by an unwavering belief in what every single student can achieve when given the right tools.”

Building the Future: Neuro-inclusive Living-Learning Community and Grant-Funded Spaces

Adelphi’s new Neuro-inclusive Living-Learning Community (Neuro-inclusive LLC) provides a dedicated residential space designed to foster connection, belonging, and opportunities for academic, personal and professional growth. As the community develops, Bridges to Adelphi is working to create intentional programming that may include themed dinners, social activities and workshops focused on areas such as executive functioning, social skills and self-advocacy.

This summer, Bridges to Adelphi received $75,000 from the Home Depot Foundation to support the creation of a new, modern Neuro-inclusive Sensory and Wellness Lounge within the Neuro-inclusive LLC in Eddy Hall. The new space will provide a dedicated environment where students can regulate sensory experiences, reduce stress, engage in academic work and build community within a supportive residential setting. The space is also intended to be available to the broader campus community, promoting accessibility, inclusion and student well-being.

To learn more, visit Adelphi’s Bridges to Adelphi and Learning Resources Program pages.

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That transformation became the foundation of his career. After graduation, Culkin spoke at the opening of Adelphi’s sensory room about autism, self-acceptance and the importance of Bridges. There he met Julian Maha, MD, founder of KultureCity, a nonprofit dedicated to accessibility and inclusion for people with invisible disabilities. Culkin joined the organization while working in clinical cancer research, eventually leaving the laboratory to make disability inclusion his full-time work in 2024.

As KultureCity’s partnerships manager, Culkin develops educational programs, leads community-learning webinars and visits certified locations to help organizations serve neurodiverse guests effectively. He builds partnerships with schools, hospitals, first responders, arenas, cultural institutions and other community organizations. He has also helped make major public events—including the Super Bowl, World Series, the Governors Ball Music Festival and the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration—more accessible for people with invisible disabilities.

Culkin serves on the board of RVC Blue Speaks, which provides scholarships for neurodiverse students, including Bridges students, and competes in marathons and triathlons to raise funds for KultureCity.

Adelphi honors Culkin for turning self-acceptance into advocacy and building a more accessible world where neurodivergent people can participate fully and confidently.

Member of Adelphi University’s

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Today, Stephen Shore, EdD, is a clinical associate professor in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences and has added a new honor to a long and successful career in neurodivergence advocacy: a 2026 Emmy Award.

The longtime educator, author and international speaker received the award for his work as technical advisor on the PBS KIDS breakout animated series, Carl the Collector. The show, about a raccoon on the autism spectrum and his friends, won the 2026 award for Outstanding Public Service Initiative at the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in New York.

The show has drawn accolades for presenting autism as a different—not disordered—way of being.

Adelphi is already a national leader in educating students on the spectrum. Bridges to Adelphi, a program for neurodivergent students, won the for Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice and Related from the National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) in 2022 and 2023.

The inscription on Dr. Shore’s Emmy Award reads “2026 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards/Outstanding Public Service Initiative/Carl the Collector/PBS Kids/Stephen Shore, Series Advisor”

An Emmy for Getting Autism Right

Dr. Shore’s role as technical adviser meant he reviewed every story, script and stage of animation to ensure that Carl the Collector portrays autism accurately while showcasing the strengths of these individuals in a way that resonates with children, parents and educators.

“My job was to comment on how Carl and the other characters might react or communicate in any situation,” he said.

The result is a show that critics have praised for its commitment to authentic representation of neurodivergence because the series is crafted by a team that includes neurodiverse writers, animators and advisers.

Dr. Shore was a key part of the team because he brings not only academic expertise but also lived experience to Carl the Collector: He is on the spectrum himself. Able to take apart intricate watches and reassemble them at a young age, his parents recognized unique talents amid his challenges.

That personal history shapes his insistence that autism be framed as a “different rather than disordered way of being,” and it propels his career as a nationally known expert and author on neurodivergence; he has written extensively, presented in 59 countries, and uses both the classroom and the screen to model what authentic representation and true inclusion can look like.

An Emmy to Call His Own

Dr. Shore originally assumed the Emmy recognition belonged purely to the series. “My thought was that the Emmy was awarded to the show, and we all got to share in the Emmy, and that was great,” he recalled. Then, in May, a large box arrived at his home.

Inside was an Emmy statue with his own name on it, honoring his individual contribution.

“It made me very proud,” he said. “I’m so pleased that others have found my experiences and what I have to say about them to be worthy of inclusion and on such a massive and grand scale.”

A Warmhearted World for Kids—and Adults

Carl the Collector follows Carl, a logical young raccoon on the autism spectrum who loves amassing meticulous collections of everything from rare leaves to unique bottle caps. Carl uses his extraordinary attention to detail to help his neurodivergent and neurotypical friends solve everyday dilemmas. Alongside his best friend, Sheldon the beaver, and Lotta, a talented neurodivergent and artistic fox, Carl learns to navigate big emotions and unexpected changes in plans within a supportive community that celebrates everyone’s unique traits.

Beneath the visual charm is a clear purpose: acceptance. “Everybody helps each other out,” Dr. Shore said. “Sometimes there are misunderstandings, but they all work out in those 11 minutes and four seconds and seven hundredths of a second.”

From “Institutionalization” to Institutions of Honor

The Emmy resonates deeply against the backdrop of Dr. Shore’s childhood. As he notes in his autobiographical presentations, professionals wanted to admit him to an institution. His parents declined.

“Perhaps, in a way, those diagnosing professionals were correct, and that I needed to be in an institution,” he notes wryly. “An institution of higher education.”

Now, he adds with a smile, he’s also part of the “institution called the Emmy Awards.”

Bringing Carl Into the Classroom—and Beyond

Dr. Shore’s involvement with Carl the Collector is tightly woven into his education classes at Adelphi and his advocacy work. During production, final episodes were embargoed until broadcast, but once released, he said he “went wild” incorporating them into his Special Education (Teaching Students With Disabilities) classes and presentations. For his students, Carl the Collector is a case study in authentic representation. For conference audiences of educators and clinicians, it’s a model of how media can portray autism with accuracy, warmth and respect.

Production on a second season of Carl is currently up in the air due to funding shortages at PBS, Dr. Shore said, although other organizations have expressed interest in sponsoring the show. “When we get the green light … we open those toolboxes, fire up all the engines and get going again.”

Until then, the Emmy on the shelf is a tangible reminder of how far he—and the broader understanding of autism—have come.

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Morsello’s work analyzed how microstructure of white matter relates to memory recall performance and how that relationship could be moderated by sex. When averaging across pathways, findings showed biological sex significantly influenced how white matter integrity (WMI) related to memory performance in some cases. This suggests that the connection between brain structure and memory may not be the same for all individuals and could help explain differences in memory performance on tasks such as the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test.

But Morsello’s ultimate goal is not just data—it’s accessibility. She wants to help science make sense to everyone—not just other scientists.

“My goal is to earn a PhD and become a civic neuroscientist,” Morsello explained, “someone who bridges the gap between scientific research and the public.”

And Morsello is well on her way. At Irvine, where she worked in Professor Michael Yassa, PhD’s lab, Morsello was one of only 20 students (out of 788 applicants) selected for this program. At summer’s end, she creatively explained her complex findings at a symposium by comparing WMI to roads on a highway, with water molecules acting like cars that move differently if someone is developing Alzheimer’s. That simple analogy is consistent with Morsello’s desire to serve as a conduit between real science and real people.

What Drew Morsello to Study Neuroscience

Growing up in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York, Morsello became intrigued by the differences in how people think and behave—and what causes those anomalies. She was particularly attracted to Adelphi’s Cognitive Neuroscience Program, noting that few undergraduate schools offer such a clear disciplinary path.

“I wanted to focus my studies on a mix of psychology and biology courses,” she explained, “to learn more about cognition, as opposed to limiting my studies to more traditional science coursework.”

She was also drawn to the small class sizes, which have allowed her to build relationships with professors, and is inspired by the faculty’s “air of enthusiasm,” regarding sharing opportunities for growth. As a junior in Adelphi’s Emerging Scholars Program, Morsello worked with Associate Professor Christina Marini ’11, PhD, who, along with Associate Professor Dominic Fareri, PhD, directorr of the Neuroscience Program and co-chair of Undergraduate Psychology, supported her Irvine application with detailed letters of recommendation.

The Emerging Scholar Experience

Through Emerging Scholars, Morsello wrote a paper with Dr. Marini on aging veterans, examining how types of social support affect the relationship between rumination and depressive symptoms. The research, scheduled for publication in the , found that social support from military friends weakened the significant association between those symptoms. Dr. Marini insisted that Morsello serve as first author on the paper, a rare opportunity for an undergraduate, and Morsello presented her work at Adelphi’s Scholarship and Creative Works Conference and the 2025 Annual Meeting of the .

“Juliana has a genuine passion and interest for pursuing scientific questions and using data to help answer them,” Dr. Marini said. “The clarity of her writing, along with her ability to integrate existing research findings as a means for justifying her hypotheses, impressed me.”

Dr. Fareri serves as Morsello’s academic adviser and has watched her grow as a researcher through Emerging Scholars. The professor appreciates her combination of academic excellence, “insatiable curiosity and a remarkable ability to digest complex material and communicate it to her peers and faculty with a level of sophistication I would expect to see in advanced doctoral students.

“At Adelphi, we designed our neuroscience program to be deeply integrative, bridging the gap between molecular biology and human behavior,” Dr. Fareri explained. “Because we maintain a close-knit community, faculty can provide unique mentoring experiences that push students like Juliana to go beyond the textbook. The independent research opportunities we provide allow undergraduates to function as ‘junior colleagues,’ giving them the opportunity to propose original studies and the support to pursue prestigious national research opportunities.”

Beyond those opportunities, Morsello serves as a certified peer health and wellness educator and as an academic supervisor for Bridges to Adelphi, where she supports neurodiverse students. As she prepares to pursue doctoral studies at a destination still unknown, she remains grateful for the skills and relationships she’s built at the Derner School of Psychology and beyond, noting she might not have been able to develop them at a larger institution.

While Morsello herself is a rising star in the field, she plans to remain grounded in her desire to become a scientist who untangles the complicated, with leadership that leads to understanding.

She said, “I really want to dedicate my career to demystifying neuroscience research and supporting people in understanding and interpreting it.”

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This March, Dr. Shore is set to deliver the opening keynote address at the in Berlin, Germany. The global forum brings together leaders in autism research, clinical practice and education to share cutting-edge insights, build meaningful connections and advance their collective knowledge.

“I deliver this keynote several times around the world each year, and it’s the most popular of my presentations because it’s autobiographically based,” said Dr. Shore, who was himself diagnosed on the spectrum at an early age. “People are often interested in learning about the lives of autistic people from autistic people.”

While Dr. Shore was nonspeaking until age four, he went on to build a renowned career as a full-time faculty member at Adelphi, adjunct professor at NYU, author and editor of books, including , and board member for and other organizations. Just last year, Dr. Shore also advised on Carl the Collector, the first PBS Kids show headlined by a character with autism.

Understanding and appreciating neurodivergent individuals

Dr. Shore will join more than 50 international speakers in presenting at the 2026 Euro-Global Summit. As a keynote speaker, he’ll deliver a customized version of his talk, “The 4 A’s of Autism for Promoting Fulfilling and Productive Lives.” Those 4 A’s—awareness, acceptance, appreciation and action—are all necessary in order to fully support individuals with autism and others with neurodivergent conditions.

“We’ve gone from the perception of autism as being a very rare psychiatric condition caused by poor parenting to it being much better known, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a prevalence rate of one in 31,” Dr. Shore explained of the “awareness” component. “Now, society is much better at recognizing autism when it occurs at home, in jobs, in school or in the community.”

Meanwhile, acceptance and appreciation are essential to helping these individuals to understand and harness their differences as strengths as opposed to “curing” or “fixing” them. This is an evolution from the medical approach, which sought to treat or eliminate their differences.

“If you have a heart attack or a broken bone, you want the doctor to identify and fix the problem,” Dr. Shore said. “However, people with autism aren’t broken. It’s about working with these characteristics instead of against them.”

Connecting Adelphi to the global conversation on neurodivergence

Dr. Shore’s international advocacy runs parallel to his work teaching and consulting at Adelphi.

“The work that I do preparing for my courses to teach my students definitely has an influence on my presentations and, similarly, the work I do to present and consult around the world informs my teachings,” he said. “It’s a great symbiotic relationship.”

For example, Dr. Shore has been a longtime special adviser to the Bridges to Adelphi program, which provides personalized academic, social and career support for neurodivergent students. Bridges to Adelphi was one of the nation’s first college programs for neurodivergent students and recently expanded its support for students and alumni by that focuses on career success.

“I often meet with the director of the program and give workshops, both for the students who are involved with the Bridges program and for faculty and staff at Adelphi,” Dr. Shore said.

He also stresses the ripple effects of understanding and accommodating the needs of neurodivergent students on campus.

“When we talk about helping students better receive and process information in order to demonstrate their mastery of material, perhaps by providing a copy of the instructor’s notes or visual supports, these accommodations tend to help everybody else as well,” ” he said. “As we learn more about supporting neurodivergent students, we become better educators overall.”

Working alongside Temple Grandin, PhD

Dr. Shore already has a full schedule for 2026. He’s running a workshop for neurodivergent parents and parents of neurodivergent children at the the New York City Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance Center, part of the . He’ll also be introduced by Temple Grandin, PhD—one of the most renowned autism advocates—at the Gillen Brewer School in Manhattan and give his own presentation on sensory differences in autistic people. And before he heads to Germany, he’ll first present to a collaborative of English-speaking international schools in Bangkok, Thailand.

So the question remains: After visiting more than 50 countries, where will Dr. Shore’s advocacy work bring him next?

According to Dr. Shore, not even the sky’s the limit.

“Where does it go next? That’s unpredictable,” he said. “Maybe there will eventually be an autism conference on the moon, for example. I could go there.”

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The brand-new program is being led by Diana Damilatis-Kull ’10, MA ’12, MA ’14, director of the Bridges to Adelphi program. Their new efforts build upon the University’s long-standing mission of supporting neurodiverse students, this time extending that support beyond senior year and into the seemingly alien territory beyond graduation.

Connecting Neurodivergent Students With Employers

Bridges to Adelphi alumni, left to right: Nick Troiano ’21, Hannah Schultz ’22, Scott Schiff ’24, Declan Carey ’23

Bridges Board of Advisors member Nicholas Hagedorn ’19 describes the program this way: “It helps connect Bridges graduates to employers to gain employment, and then, just as importantly, it helps them maintain that employment by helping them by training employers to understand the nuances to managing a neurodivergent employee.”

“We’ve seen that about 85 percent of neurodivergent college graduates are unemployed or underemployed,” said Damilatis-Kull. “That statistic alone shows us that our alumni still need guidance and support after college. Bridges From Adelphi was created to help fill that gap.”

A New Network of Career Advocates

Bridges From Adelphi will soon form a corporate advisory board, inviting representatives from businesses such as Northwell Health and other local employers to collaborate directly with Adelphi. The goal in mind is to establish a strong network of advocates committed to creating inclusive hiring pipelines for neurodivergent graduates.

“We’ve seen such a positive shift under [Interim President Christopher Storm, PhD’s] leadership,” she said. “He’s been vocal about embracing neurodivergent students and ensuring they’re valued at every level of the University.”

She emphasizes that Adelphi’s broad culture has been instrumental and vocal in supporting these advances and commitments. This dedication was especially evident at the recent Adelphi University Gala, which focused on neurodiversity and where all funds raised went directly to the Bridges program and its new initiatives. For many families, the expansion of support into postgraduation life brings a new sense of relief and reassurance.

What Comes Next? Adelphi Offers an Answer.

Diana Damilatis-Kull ’10, MA ’12, MA ’14, director of the Bridges to Adelphi program, at her desk in the Bridges office (photo credit: James Beamer)

“When a student graduates, parents often worry: What comes next?” Damilatis-Kull said. “We want to give them peace of mind knowing their child has continued guidance—that they’re not alone after college.”

While Bridges From Adelphi focuses on alumni, the current students in the Bridges community are already feeling its impact. One student, Giovan Bertuccio, shared how much the program has shaped their college experience.

“I find it very helpful because you can get better as you go to the meetings, or you can make more friends by going to the events they offer,” Bertuccio said. “I’d recommend it to future Adelphi students because of all the things they offer.”

Career Pathways

Looking ahead, the Bridges team plans to launch the program officially in the coming year, with the hope that at least half of the alums who enroll will secure meaningful employment soon after. Future goals include developing a high school preparatory program to help younger students explore college readiness.

“Each student’s success is going to look different,” said Damilatis-Kull. “But if we can help them find confidence, independence and belonging beyond Adelphi, that’s what success truly means.”

With Bridges From Adelphi, the University continues to build not just career pathways, but a community that supports neurodivergent individuals every step of the way, from the University’s classrooms to their offices and workspaces.

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At first I thought the creators had taken inspiration from me, because in the reel, the character of Carl was wearing the same kind of clothing I wear, and like me, he was interested in watches and bicycles. But I found out they’d never heard of me when they were putting the character together. They’d just done their research.”

Carl, the hero of the PBS Kids show Carl the Collector, is a young raccoon who loves collecting objects and playing with his animal friends. Carl also has autism, making him the network’s first-ever lead on the spectrum. The show follows Carl as he plans sleepovers, tries to keep his room clean and hashes out disagreements with friends, providing viewers with an up-close look at how people with autism navigate everyday life. “The show did it right from the very beginning,” said Stephen Shore, EdD, clinical associate professor of education at Adelphi, who served as an autism adviser on Carl. “Its creators worked hard to meaningfully involve the autism community and commit to authentic representation.”

Dr. Shore, who is autistic, has traveled the world as a researcher, educator and speaker, appearing before audiences across more than 50 countries. With Carl, he added creative consultant to his résumé. “I had never consulted on a show before,” he said, “but the creators reached out to me out of the blue.” Initially, Dr. Shore was asked to share his thoughts on a promo reel. “At first, I thought the creators had taken inspiration from me, because in the reel, the character of Carl was wearing the same kind of clothing I wear, and like me, he was interested in watches and bicycles. But I found out they’d never heard of me when they were putting the character together. They’d just done their research.”

Stephen Shore, EdD, clinical associate professor at Adelphi

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What accounts for a string of successes that stretches back to 2018?

“We listen to the members of our community,” answered Chotsani Williams West, MA ’07, EdD, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). “We’ve been so intentional about our signature programs and are always working to grow and enhance them in response to the feedback we receive.”

An Evolving Mentoring Program Helps Eliminate the Achievement Gap

One of those signature initiatives is Adelphi’s Jovia Mentoring Program, which offers one-to-one guidance from trained faculty and staff mentors. Designed to support lasting success for first-generation college students, LGBTQIA+ students, veterans and active military, and students of color, it is open to all students.

“We hold exit interviews with all graduating student mentees, and what we found was that they often wished they’d had more group opportunities to meet with others in the mentoring network,” said Dr. West, who created and launched Adelphi’s Mentoring Program in 2014. “So we expanded the meetings and events we have each year beyond the annual get-togethers or during National Mentoring Month, giving our students more and more time with one another and access to other mentors.”

The program, which helped colleges and schools across the Adelphi campus form their own mentoring programs, has helped the University eliminate the achievement gap traditionally seen in higher education. The retention rates of students of color at Adelphi has been virtually identical to that of white students for the past two years.

Chotsani West at Adelphi’s 2024 National Mentoring Month Celebration. With her is Malcolm Bryan ’24, a mentee who earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and is now in Adelphi’s MS in Business Analytics program, and his mentor, Brent Russell ’13, MSW ’14.

A Multicultural Center as a Place of Belonging

Dr. West points to the opening of the Multicultural Center in Fall 2022 as another example of the Adelphi’s intentional approach.

“We discussed opening a center for a number of years, weighing the pros and cons and asking what the benefits would be,” she said. “Then we started hearing terms like ‘belonging’ from across the DEIB landscape at the same time our students were telling us they wanted a place to connect that reflects who they are. By the time colleges around the country began considering multicultural centers after 2020, we were already there. We just needed to move forward.”

Designing the center was a collaborative effort.

“We made sure to include student voices,” Dr. West explained. “Look at the artwork there. Students chose it and created it with help from the chair of the art and art history department, Kellyann Monaghan, and adjunct faculty member Cara Lynch ’12. It reflects what our students want to see.”

A Continuing Commitment as a Strategic Objective

Support of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging remains a foundation of Adelphi’s Momentum 2 strategic plan, building on the successes achieved since the first Momentum plan was established in 2015. In just the past year, Adelphi:

• Welcomed the most diverse first-year class in the University’s history, with a majority of students of color. Students of color now represent 47 percent of the student body, up from 44 percent in 2023.

• Was one of only 20 universities in the country ranked as a top university for equal opportunity and LGBTQIA+ support by Equal Opportunity Magazine. For the second year in a row, Adelphi was also recognized by Campus Pride as one of the 30 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Campuses in the United States.

• Was awarded a $2.49 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant designed to fund scholarships for high-achieving, Pell-eligible students from local high schools interested in majoring in STEM fields.

• Celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Bridges to Adelphi program, one of the nation’s first college programs for neurodivergent students.

All of these accomplishments are products of deliberative, collaborative efforts across the University to nurture a diverse, inclusive environment.

“We do spend a lot of time in committees, but it all produces results that are to everyone’s benefit,” Dr. West said. “It takes time, but it’s well worth it. It’s part of the reason our collective work stands out.

“I’m very fortunate to do this work, and I love what I do,” she continued. “I am truly honored to work with our community and our leadership and, while there is still more to be done, I am extremely pleased that our continuing efforts are again being recognized with a HEED Award.”

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