As we open our doors for Spring 2026, I hope you are feeling rejuvenated and ready for a great semester ahead. Whether you are returning to campus, joining us for the first time or logging in online, welcome to Adelphi!

Over the next few months, I encourage you to take advantage of everything Adelphi has to offer and maximize your time here. Be exceptional in your studies and your work. Be supportive of your classmates and colleagues. Be involved in community service, clubs and activities. And above all, be open to new perspectives and opportunities.

The spring includes some of Adelphi’s signature events, from the Women’s Leadership Conference in March to the Writers & Readers Festival and the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference in April. The Performing Arts Center has a full slate of fantastic student and guest performances, the SPARK Center is expanding student research projects, and the Innovation Center is your hub for exploring new ideas and technology. Our also need our enthusiastic support as they strive for more championships and a third straight NE10 Presidents Cup.

The more you engage in the Adelphi community, the more you will see its true impact. Remember the critical role that higher education plays in our society, and that we are cultivating the future right here on our campus through inquiry and dialogue. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together to make our world brighter.

Have a successful semester, and don’t hesitate to contact my office with any questions or say hello when you see me.

Onwards and upwards,

Chris Storm, PhD
Interim President

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Nearly 400 Adelphi students currently rely on federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to meet their basic food needs. With reports that these benefits could be halted as soon as November 1 due to the , many in our community may soon face serious food insecurity.

We also know of 25 students whose homes have been affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and Haiti. Our Division of Student Affairs is reaching out directly to offer assistance, and these students will likewise benefit from our support resources.

At Adelphi, we believe food insecurity should never stand in the way of student success or Adelphi’s mission to transform lives. To prepare and respond, we are taking proactive steps by:

Our community may also support the expanded operations of our Panther Pantry in a few ways:

• Make a .
• Donate nonperishable food, personal care and household items. Donations can be brought to the Center for Student and Community Engagement office in the University Center, Room 123, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Volunteer to assist with pantry operations, food distribution or outreach. To volunteer, email divisionofstudentaffairs@adelphi.edu.
• Help spread the word to ensure every Panther knows this resource is here for them.

Even if SNAP is preserved through last-minute emergency funding by government entities, we see this as a call to action to do all we can to reduce food insecurity, which should never stand in the way of student success or Adelphi’s mission to transform lives. Together, our caring, connected community acts with compassion and purpose when they are needed the most. This is the heart of Adelphi.

With gratitude,

Chris Storm, PhD, Interim President, with Executive Leadership:

Susan Dinan, PhD, Interim Provost
R. Sentwali Bakari, PhD, Vice President for Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Carol Ann Boyle, MBA ’17, Vice President of Infrastructure, Technology and Safety
Thomas Kline, EdD, Vice President of University Advancement and External Relations
Michael Rhattigan, Vice President of Finance

How You Can Help

• Give to the
• Volunteer at the pantry: email divisionofstudentaffairs@adelphi.edu
• Donate nonperishable items to the pantry at the Center for Student and Community Engagement, University Center, Room 123, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

How You Can Get Help

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According to , Adelphi’s next president will be asked “to lead with strategic vision, passion, and optimism and serve as a tireless advocate for the University’s mission and its students, staff, and faculty.” Adelphi’s mission is to transform lives through intellectual rigor, creativity, research, and deep community engagement across the arts and humanities, STEM and social sciences, and health and wellness. Rooted in tradition and boldly focused on the future, Adelphi is poised for its next era of innovation, growth, and success.

, posted nationally by higher education search firm DSG/Storbeck, highlights Adelphi’s six core values:

1. Academic excellence
2. Community and collaboration
3. Creativity and Innovation
4. Global awareness and diversity
5. Respect for the individual
6. Truth and integrity

The document also emphasizes Adelphi’s commitment to student success, noting “small classes, first-class faculty, and an award-winning commitment to student success and mobility.” This approach allows Adelphi to successfully blend the experiences, resources, and opportunities of a major university with the personalized feel of a small college.

Adelphi is committed to full transparency throughout the presidential search process, and updates will be shared on the Presidential Search website.

Review of applications will begin in Fall 2025. , and all outreach will be kept confidential. The expected start date for the next president is Summer 2026.

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“Our faculty engage in self-development, strategic planning and scholarship to prepare students for their future roles,” said Deborah Hunt, PhD’12, dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health. “We also attribute these rankings to our students who are steadfast in their pursuit of knowledge and development of their skills while providing humanistic care grounded in the evidence to all patients across the lifespan.”

Adelphi earned national recognition in several other categories in the :

• National Universities: ranked among the top 45 percent of universities in the United States
• Top Performers in Social Mobility (National Universities): tied at 117, this ranking recognizes Adelphi’s success in supporting students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and helping them achieve strong outcomes
• Undergraduate Psychology: Programs in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, the country’s first university-based professional school of psychology, made the list of top programs for the third year in a row.

“This recognition underscores the strength of Adelphi’s academic programs, especially in nursing, where we are meeting one of the country’s most pressing workforce needs,” said 91�Թ��� Interim President Chris Storm, PhD. “We are proud that our commitment to personalized learning and student success continues to gain national recognition.”

“These rankings are more than numbers,” Dr. Storm added. “They represent the impact Adelphi has on students’ lives and the confidence employers and graduate schools have in our graduates.”

For more than four decades, the U.S. News & World Report have guided millions of students and families in their college search. The 2026 edition evaluates more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, using up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success.

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Search Process and Leadership

We have retained , a premier executive search firm with extensive experience in higher education leadership recruitment, to facilitate our deliberations throughout this important process.

The presidential search committee so far has been assembled to reflect the character, experience, value and opportunity that is Adelphi. As Chair of the Presidential Search Committee, I have asked several members of the Board of Trustees to join me in this effort. In addition, the committee will include administrative leadership, faculty and student representatives, and alumni. The composition of the committee will ensure that our search process will be thorough, inclusive and reflective of the many perspectives that make 91�Թ��� the vibrant academic community it is today.

I have asked Cara Terzulli, Associate Vice President and Deputy to the Provost, to serve as the primary point of contact for the committee and the campus community throughout this process.

Our Commitment

Throughout this search, we remain committed to:

• Transparency: Regular updates on progress and key milestones
• Community Input: Opportunities for community members to participate and share insights
• Excellence: A rigorous process to attract and identify the most qualified candidates
• Continuity: Ensuring seamless university operations during the transition period

Looking Ahead

The search for our next president represents more than filling a position—it’s about finding a leader who will build upon Adelphi’s proud tradition while positioning us for continued growth and innovation and who shares our commitment to academic excellence, student success and the transformative power of higher education.

In the coming weeks, we will provide more information about our timeline, opportunities for input, and ways to stay engaged throughout the process. I encourage all members of our community to participate in this important endeavor.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our students, our mission and our shared values as we usher in a new era at Adelphi.

With appreciation and optimism for our future,

Michael Balboni
Chair, Board of Trustees
91�Թ���

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Please join us in welcoming Jennifer M. Lancaster, PhD, to Adelphi as the new dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies (CPCS) and executive director of Adelphi’s Manhattan Center—a dual role requiring innovative and experienced leadership to meet the needs of modern students and working professionals. Dr. Lancaster will begin her appointment on August 1, 2025.

Tapping into her extensive academic leadership expertise, Dr. Lancaster will guide CPCS through continued expansion of its educational and supportive programs serving adult learners and nontraditional students, collaborating across the University to develop and implement online programs and spearhead an ambitious agenda to make an Adelphi education accessible to students from all backgrounds. Dr. Lancaster will also oversee administrative and academic operations at the Manhattan Center, Adelphi’s new 51,000-square-foot academic center scheduled to open in the heart of Midtown Manhattan in 2026. Working with the provost, academic deans and University leadership, she will lead program recruitment, academic administration, employee supervision and student advisement for this dynamic new location.

Dr. Lancaster brings to Adelphi more than two decades of progressively responsible academic and leadership experience at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York. She was most recently vice president for academic affairs and academic dean, with responsibility for planning, managing and evaluating all academic programs offered by the college, as well as oversight of academic advisement, library services, online learning, first year experience, academic support, the registrar, grant management, program planning and development, and regular evaluation of academic personnel. In addition, she led strategic planning and accreditation studies by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, represented the college at local, regional and national meetings and events, served as chief administrative officer of the college during the absence of the president, and was chief of the college’s emergency action plan team. Dr. Lancaster served on the executive committee for St. Francis College’s complete campus relocation from 2021 to 2023.

Prior to this role, Dr. Lancaster was chair of the St. Francis College Department of Psychology, managing the departmental budget, directing student learning assessment, and conducting course scheduling and faculty assignment, academic advisement, as well as faculty hiring, observation and development. As a faculty member, she taught undergraduate and graduate courses, served as mentor for undergraduate research projects and graduate theses, and participated in a variety of college committees. Throughout her career, Dr. Lancaster had championed equity, promoting student success across all domains of university life.

Dr. Lancaster earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical-School Psychology and a Master of Arts with Distinction at Hofstra University. A licensed clinical psychologist for more than 20 years, Dr. Lancaster has served as clinical director of the New York Cognitive Therapy & Wellness Center since 2005.

Special thanks to Sandra Castro, PhD, who stepped up to serve as interim dean of CPCS following the retirement of past dean Andy Atzert, EdD, in March. Dr. Castro’s leadership and enthusiasm have made for a successful transitional period, and we appreciate her many contributions.

We are so pleased to have Dr. Lancaster guiding two pivotal aspects of Adelphi academics—one that has served the educational needs of students since 1973 and another that represents a bold new step toward the University’s future. We look forward to seeing the impact of her work, and wish her tremendous success.

Warm regards,

Christopher Storm, PhD
Interim President

Susan Dinan, PhD
Interim Provost

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