Stay Connected with Hofstra

Greetings,

As we approach the end of another academic year, it is with great pride that we prepare to celebrate Hofstra’s Commencement 2025, honoring the perseverance and achievements of the graduating students.

I am pleased to welcome this year’s commencement speakers.

For the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell Ceremony on May 12, at 2:00 p.m.: Wayne Riley, MD, President of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

For the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies on May 18:

At 9:00 a.m.: James D’Addario ’71, Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer of D’Addario & Company Inc.

At 1:00 p.m.: Heather Cohen ’98, President of The Weiss Agency

At 5:00 p.m.: John C. Williams, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York

For the Maurice A. Dean School of Law ceremony on May 19, at 7:00 p.m.: The Honorable Rowan Wilson, Chief Judge of the State of New York and the New York Court of Appeals

To learn more about this year’s commencement speakers, read more here. Thank you for your continued support of Hofstra.

Sincerely,

Susan Poser

President, Hofstra University

Hofstra University recently hosted its inaugural Women in Leadership Symposium, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue among thought leaders, advocates, professionals, alumnae, and students from various fields. The symposium, organized by the Hofstra University Women in Leadership Advisory Board, served as a platform to celebrate women’s achievements and provide valuable mentorship opportunities. Read more here.

The event, Evaluating Power, Policy Making, and Accountability in the Trump Presidency, brought together bipartisan voices from two presidential administrations to explore the current state of the federal government. The panel featured Kalikow Senior Presidential Fellows: Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary during the George W. Bush administration, and Phil Schiliro, former director of legislative affairs for the Obama administration. Dr. Meena Bose, the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies and professor of political science, served as moderator. Read more here.

Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication hosted and produced a special evening of Latin American music that will be broadcast on television later this year on WLIW-TV as part of its All Arts programming series. EscuchARTE: Latin America Through Words and Song brought the talents of more than 50 students and faculty members together with an international roster of Grammy Award-winning and nominated artists. The ensemble was co-produced by Herbert School Vice Dean and Professor Mario A. Murillo and Adjunct Associate Professor of Radio, Television, Film Randy Hillebrand. EscuchARTE was headlined by Adjunct Associate Professor of Music Hector Martignon, a renowned pianist, accordionist, arranger and composer. Read more here.

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. The students worked alongside faculty in refugee camps and surrounding communities, providing home visits, health assessments, and trauma-informed care. They also facilitated art workshops and recreational activities, including soccer and jewelry making, to promote emotional expression and healing. Read more here.

The Hofstra University Museum of Art has been awarded a $15,000 grant from The New York Community Trust for its award-winning Art Travelers through Time: Literacy and History through Art program. Art Travelers is an educational partnership program that integrates the study of cultural artifacts with elementary curricula and New York state standards in social studies and ELA, run by Museum Director Sasha Giordano and Director of Education Amy Solomon. The University hosts third-grade students from eight local school districts each year, engaging the students directly with the Museum’s diverse collection of African, Asian, Melanesian, and Central and South American art and artifacts. Read more here.