Ez-Zouhra Elmaaiden, PhD, is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. A research and development scientist with multidisciplinary expertise in bioanalysis, preclinical research and formulation development, her work focuses on bioactive compound extraction, molecular biology workflows and cosmeceutical innovation. She holds multiple patents in extraction technologies and natural product development, bringing extensive experience in interdisciplinary project management, commercialization and graduate student mentorship.

Wan Ling Fahrer is a visiting assistant professor of , bringing more than two decades of experience across higher education, K–12 schools, museums and community-based arts learning. Her work centers on art education, museum and object-based learning, and inclusive approaches to contemporary art and pedagogy. She has held appointments at Hunter College, Queens College and the School of Visual Arts, plus museum education roles at institutions including MoMA, the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, the Guggenheim and the New Museum. Fahrer has received the Keith Haring Scholarship Award and multiple outstanding art teacher awards from the NYC Department of Education, and previously served as president of the University Council for Art Education. She holds an MA in Art History from Hunter College and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts.

Marissa Galler, PhD ’26, is a clinical assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. With a clinical background spanning critical care, oncology and palliative care, her research focuses on nurse practitioner communication surrounding end-of-life conversations. An alumna of 91¹ú²ú, where she earned her PhD, she also holds degrees and advanced certifications from Hofstra University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Thomas Jefferson University and St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing.

Charleen Jacobs-Mcfarlane ’06, PhD ’23, is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. A nurse scientist, adult nurse practitioner and double alumna of 91¹ú²ú, her clinical practice and research focus on health equity and rare disease care, particularly sickle cell disease. She previously served as a clinician-scientist and nurse practitioner at the Mount Sinai Center for Sickle Cell Disease, a postdoctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a faculty member at Yale University and Columbia University. She earned both her BSN and PhD in nursing from 91¹ú²ú.

Susan Kang ’14, MS ’15, DPT, is a clinical assistant professor of health and sport sciences. An 91¹ú²ú alumna and former graduate assistant in the Human Performance Lab, Dr. Kang is excited to return to 91¹ú²ú and join her colleagues in the exercise science program. Her professional experience spans clinical testing and a variety of rehabilitation settings, including acute care, sports, neuromuscular and cardiac rehabilitation. Through her private practice, Blueprint Performance Physical Therapy, she helps active adults return to the activities and goals that matter most to them. Dr. Kang holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise physiology and earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

Kyungmin Lee, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences and sustainability director. Her research spans energy policy, climate policy, urban sustainability and community development, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her recent work focuses on applying AI techniques to analyze public responses to environmental issues through large-scale image analysis. Dr. Lee holds a doctoral degree in energy and environmental policy, a master’s degree in environmental studies, and a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Louise Lee, EdD, is associate professor and founding program director of 91¹ú²ú’s new Physician Assistant (PA) Program, to be housed within the College of Nursing and Public Health. Dr. Lee has worked as a PA educator for more than 26 years and as a clinically practicing PA in internal medicine and emergency medicine for nearly 40 years, holding leadership roles including department chair, program director, and director of didactic, clinical and research programs at universities across New England and New York. She has taught clinical medicine, patient assessment, and healthcare law and ethics, among other subjects. Dr. Lee holds a doctorate in education with a focus on higher education leadership, a master’s degree in healthcare administration and a bachelor’s degree in PA practice.

Yongjin Lee, PhD, is an assistant professor of health and sport sciences. Building on a decade as a K–12 physical education teacher and teacher community leader, Dr. Lee’s research examines how teacher and student reflection strengthens social and emotional development and informs curriculum design and instructional strategy. His recent work highlights physical education as a vehicle for building social awareness and responsible decision-making, and he is currently studying how artificial intelligence can support reflection among teachers and students to promote character and ethical growth.

Kathleen O’Connor is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. She is a PhD candidate at 91¹ú²ú and a nurse practitioner and clinical researcher whose background spans pulmonary medicine, post-operative surgical care and nursing education. She previously served as an adjunct instructor at 91¹ú²ú, a nurse practitioner and research coordinator at Northwell Health, and a clinical nurse at the Hospital for Special Surgery. O’Connor’s dissertation is focused on Rosemarie Rizzo Parse, PhD’s humanbecoming paradigm. She currently teaches pharmacology, fundamentals of nursing lab and health assessment lab at the undergraduate level, and her scholarly interests include nursing theory, competency-based nursing education and the human experience of isolation. She earned an MS from Pace University and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Carlos Encina Oleart, PhD, is a visiting associate professor of sociology. A sociologist, journalist and organizational researcher, his work spans policy research, societal analytics, strategic communications and qualitative methodology. As a former investigative journalist and international correspondent for Chile’s La Tercera, he covered major national and global events, including human rights abuses during the Pinochet regime, the 2008 Wall Street financial crisis and international politics. He has advised multinational technology companies on strategic content and taught courses in criminology, gender studies, Latin American politics, the sociology of race and qualitative research methods.

Esi Quaidoo, PhD, is an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics. A registered dietitian nutritionist and public health researcher, her work spans clinical nutrition consulting, community health and dietetic practice. She previously served as a nutrition consultant at Mission Clinic Accra and worked as a researcher and educator at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a PhD in Public Health from UMass Amherst, an MPhil in Human Nutrition from the University of Ghana and a BSc in Biochemistry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology.

K. Lynn Robinson, PhD, is assistant professor of . She holds a PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy (concentration in art education) from The Ohio State University, began her studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a Master of Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She brings extensive experience in exhibit design and activation for arts institutions as a curatorial and archival assistant, and as a facilitator of community-based art and teacher development in arts integration. Her research expands the definition of educators to include caregivers exploring the arts and community-based interventions to support a “village� model for young Black learners and their caregivers, within and beyond formal schooling. She serves on the editorial review boards of Art Education, Visual Arts Research and the Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, and as an editorial assistant for the Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education.

Jason Spencer, PhD, is assistant professor of communications, teaching and researching AI, emerging media, podcasting, virtual production and immersive storytelling, with a focus on how AI, XR and adaptive learning can support creative practice, personalized education and public communication. He earned his PhD from Texas A&M University, where his work in virtual production and AI-assisted education produced six intellectual property disclosures. His 20-plus years in film, TV and emerging tech include work with PBS, MTV Networks, Bravo, and documentaries by Blackside and Florentine Films, as well as teaching 1,800-plus students at Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M University, The Art Institutes and CUNY. Dr. Spencer’s current work explores how emerging tech can expand human creativity and learning while preserving human judgment, authorship and agency.

Sloan Vahldieck is an assistant teaching professor in the College of Nursing and Public Health. She is a nurse educator and adult nurse practitioner whose career reflects a deep commitment to clinical excellence, student development and community service. She has taught at 91¹ú²ú since 2018; after discovering how much she loved teaching, Vahldieck returned to graduate school to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at 91¹ú²ú. As an adult nurse practitioner at St. Francis Hospital, she provides comprehensive occupational health services, diagnostic interpretation and employee wellness support. Her earlier roles in the emergency department shaped her expertise in triage, quality assurance, interdisciplinary teamwork and high‑acuity patient care and developed her focus on initiatives that improve safety, strengthen clinical practice and enhance patient outcomes.

Eric Dean Wilson, PhD, is an assistant professor of English and faculty member in the Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program. He is the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort (Simon & Schuster, 2021), a work of literary nonfiction weaving the science and history of Freon with reflections on living meaningfully in a warming world. His essays have appeared in The Baffler, Orion, Esquire, Time, and Evergreen Review, among other publications. He holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from The New School and a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center, and previously taught at Wagner College. He is currently writing a book-length work of literary nonfiction for Timber Press.

James Zahardis, PhD, is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. He earned his doctorate at the University of Vermont and completed postdoctoral fellowships at both The University of Iowa and the University of Vermont. His research expertise centers on physical chemistry, with specializations in aerosols, mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy.

To learn more about the members of 91¹ú²ú’s faculty, visit our Faculty Profiles.

The post Adelphi Welcomes New Faculty for 2026–2027 appeared first on Adelphi.

An internship at Random House during the summer before her senior year clarified her path. After graduation, DeBois joined Random House Children’s Books as a marketing assistant and has continued to grow with the company. She now serves as assistant director, licensed marketing, overseeing campaigns for licensed publishing programs and collaborating with partners including Disney, Sesame Street and Nickelodeon to connect young readers with beloved characters and stories.

DeBois has also become a published children’s author of Little Golden Books featuring properties from Nickelodeon, Star Wars, Marvel and Sesame Street.

Her career began taking shape on campus in another important way. During four years as an 91¹ú²ú Admissions Ambassador, DeBois learned the power of branding and authentic storytelling while helping prospective students envision their own futures at the University. She remains close to friends she met at 91¹ú²ú, including through a shared book club.

Adelphi recognizes DeBois for building a creative career that brings books to young audiences and for using stories to help people find connection, possibility and joy.

Member of 91¹ú²ú’s

The post Jeneanne DeBois ’16 appeared first on Adelphi.

A 75-Year Legacy on Campus

Hitting a 75th anniversary isn’t just a fun milestone—it’s a testament to student grit.

Launching right after World War II, The Delphian quickly became the heart of campus conversation. Whenever history unfolded, 91¹ú²ú communications, history and political science majors were on the front lines, documenting everything from cafeteria menus to major national turning points like the Vietnam War protests, the Civil Rights Movement, Watergate and the COVID-19 pandemic.

While earlier publications existed—like the Adelphi College Fortnightly (1921–1946) and the Adelphi Guidon (1946–1951)—it was The Delphian that truly took root, growing from a scrappy four-page weekly paper into an award-winning newsroom.

In its very first issue, the inaugural student editors issued a bold call to action that still drives the team today:

“Take notice, 91¹ú²ú, and give your representative voice all your backing. The Delphian is new, but most of all, the year is new. What better time is there to get those dingy scowls off our faces and ‘do something’?â€�

Today, The Delphian is winning recognition—including three awards in 2025 from the Press Club of Long Island, and many others over the years, including Best College Newspaper and Best College Reporter.

Time Travel in the Campus Archives

How did past generations handle absolute chaos? In the spring of 2026, Professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD, took students from her sophomore history deep into the archives at Swirbul Library to find out.

Heading down the stairs and into the stacks, students cracked open old issues of The Delphian from the 1960s and 1970s, analyzing how past Panthers reacted to the Vietnam War, the political earthquake of Watergate and the fight for gender equality.

“91¹ú²ú was ahead of the curve in many ways with the free speech movement and protesting the Vietnam War,â€� Dr. Zaccarini explained. “There were incredible insights that made you understand the mindset of the entire community, just like our newspaper today helps us understand who we are right now.”

Launching Real Careers (and Bestselling Authors)

Joining the Delphian team isn’t just an extracurricular—it’s a hands-on career accelerator. You learn how to ask tough questions, connect with people of all kinds, meet real deadlines and lead teams.

Consider Alice Hoffman ’73, ’02 (Hon.). Before she became the New York Times bestselling author of the hit novel Practical Magic, she was sitting in the Delphian newsroom developing her writing voice.

Liza Burby, senior adjunct at 91¹ú²ú and faculty adviser for The Delphian from 2013 to 2025, emphasizes that student journalism pushes people out of their comfort zones in the best way possible, preparing them for their careers.

“Having to come up with article ideas, figure out how to get the information you need to tell the story, and then being able to either interview someone on the phone or across a table—those are skills that a lot of people are really hesitant to pursue,� she said.

Professor of communications Paul Thaler, PhD, who preceded Burby as advisor to the paper, sees work on the paper as a powerful rite of passage for students.

“As a student-journalist, you are an active witness to events and also a commentator to ongoing matters of importance on campus, with the power to heighten the collective consciousness of the University,� he said. “In short, a student writing for The Delphian now wears the badge of a journalist—and that is an empowering feeling.�

That culture of mentorship creates a chain reaction where experienced editors help train the newest writers on campus.

“I’ve grown so much as a writer,” said Arpan Josan, a recent editor-in-chief who will graduate in December 2026. “It has challenged me to create meaningful articles and engage with different topics. As an editor, I’ve been able to help younger writers develop their skills while sharpening my own.

The Next Page

The Delphian is not standing still. Current faculty adviser Suzanne Valenza and the student staff are focused on leveling up their digital footprint.

“Our goal is to make the absolute go-to spot for campus news,� Valenza said. “We are building a strong staff with regular meetings in our redesigned office—a space where students can hang out, swap story ideas, debate current events or just kick back with friends.�

Alumni and current students are also invited to celebrate 75 years of student voices at a special anniversary event on October 17 as part of Spirit Weekend.

It’s a homecoming for generations of writers, photographers and designers who left their mark on campus—and proof that student voices at 91¹ú²ú continue to shape the future.

The post 75 Years of Unfiltered Student Voices: Inside 91¹ú²ú’s Award-Winning Newspaper, The Delphian appeared first on Adelphi.

The film, What the Notes Say, was created under the guidance of three faculty mentors and ultimately submitted to the prestigious competition. For the students involved, the project became far more than an academic assignment—it was an unforgettable lesson in the power of storytelling, creativity and collaboration.

Working as a team, the students learned firsthand what it takes to bring a meaningful vision to life: balancing roles, supporting one another through challenges, and combining individual talents into a shared success. The experience underscored how teamwork and dedication can transform a student project into something with lasting impact.

Two students were flown to Hollywood to attend the awards ceremony, where the project received national recognition. When the moment arrived, the announcement was unforgettable:

“And the winner is… What the Notes Say!�

As then-Department Chair and 91¹ú²ú alumnus Paul Pitcoff ’65 reflected, the honor was “a testament to how significant student hard work, dedication, and passion can guide and affect educational advancement.â€�

Their achievement remains a lasting example of the creativity, teamwork, and excellence that define our alumni community—and a reminder of what students can accomplish when they come together with purpose.

We proudly recognize the talented student filmmakers from the Classes of 1974, 1975 and 1976: Rich Baron, Patrice Benneward, John Bencivenga, John Costello, Kurt Derner, Rosemary Ravinal, Sharon Thompson, Walter Trepashko, Tom Bisset, Sean Britt, Ken Cohn, Dorie Hightower, Karen Grossman and Rich O’Neill, along with their faculty mentors Marge Hudson, Len Price and Paul Pitcoff.

The post Celebrating an Award-Winning Legacy in Film appeared first on Adelphi.

Liza N. Burby, 91¹ú²ú senior adjunct professor and Delphian faculty adviser, was also recognized as a reporter of the year. They were honored among hundreds of top journalists on Long Island on June 5 at the 2025 PCLI Media Awards at The Fox Hollow restaurant and hotel in Woodbury, New York.

The Delphian took second place in the Best College Newspaper category. In addition, 91¹ú²ú student William Conboy won second place in the features category for his article “How a Class Project Turned into a New ASL Club.â€� And 91¹ú²ú student Karla Pena won third place in the editorial/commentary category for “Slowing Down the Pace of Fast Fashion.â€�

Burby won six awards, including second place for reporter of the year for her reporting in Newsday and other publications. Burby, who teaches in 91¹ú²ú’s Department of Communications and serves as the student newspaper faculty adviser, also won first and third place in the narrative arts category, first place in real estate, third place in race and diversity, and third place in profiles.

Learn more about Adelphi’s The Delphian.

The post Adelphi’s Student Newspaper Wins Three Awards at 2025 PCLI Media Awards appeared first on Adelphi.

Akuya earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, focusing on children’s media and showcasing her leadership skills as class president and an Orientation leader. After graduating, she went on to build up her career, from a senior brand director at Nike up to her current role at Lego, a position she’s held since 2021.

Pharrell Williams Tells His Story in Lego

The company got into Lego-themed movies in 2014 with The Lego Movie. The new film project, , is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams to tell the multi-Grammy Award-winning artist’s life story in brick form. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 10 and released in theaters on October 11. In addition to Williams, the film portrays—and features the voices of—artists such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z.

Akuya recently : “Inspired by Pharrell’s passion for space, together with The Lego Group, we have embarked on a mission to inspire creativity and curiosity through Lego play.”

.

Lego Superpower Studios

Continuing to expand the brand’s universal appeal, Lego’s new collaborated with several artists to create the first Lego Superpower Studios, which opened its doors to guests in Paris in September.

In a story in , “It’s probably the most experiential brand in the world—so how do you demonstrate that at scale?” She added, “There’s always a wow factor with Lego. It’s about creative problem-solving.”

Lego and Nike Join Forces

As announced in a news release on the in August 2024, Lego and Nike will begin partnering next year.

In the release, Akuya said, “By combining the creativity of Lego play with the energy and passion of sport, we want to inspire new ways for kids to play and be creative. We are excited to partner with Nike, Inc., on this journey and help reimagine how creative play and sport can unite. Together, we will create unique experiences that will engage and excite kids around the world, inspiring them to explore their imaginations.â€�

Building a Community Around Play

“The best part about the job is that, at the end of the day, we’re talking about play,� . “And we get to play all day long if we so choose—it’s really welcome in the workplace. We have Lego bricks in every conference room, table or desk. It’s encouraged in meetings that we make playful games and incorporate that into our dialogues, or we think playfully about the ideas that we’re developing. For me, it’s the playfulness of the work environment and the playfulness of my colleagues that’s really enjoyable.�

The Media Takes Notice

Many media outlets are reporting on Lego’s moves. Here are a few:

The post Alero Akuya ’05, VP of Global Brand Development, Is Helping Lego Build on Success appeared first on Adelphi.

Two examples are graduate students Mujjabi Ian Sebbowa and Peace Olutoye. Although they are in very different programs at 91¹ú²ú, they each share a common interest in inspiring a love of STEM subjects in younger students.

Teaching the Next Generation of STEM Students

Sebbowa, who will graduate with his MBA in December 2024, and Olutoye, who is getting her MS in Biology, spent the summer as interns at Arthur Morrison Mentors, a nonprofit that holds STEM classes for students in the Hempstead Union Free School District on Long Island.

MBA student Mujjabi Ian Sebbowa helping students develop professional skills with the STEMpower Scholars program.

As program coordinator for the STEMpower Scholars program at Morrison Mentors, Sebbowa led daily sessions to help students develop professional skills and created personalized practice plans for each student.

“Leading personal development sessions for the scholars has allowed me to apply concepts from my organizational behavior and leadership courses, helping me develop my coaching and mentoring abilities,â€� he said. “This experience has been particularly rewarding as it combines the business acumen I’m gaining from my MBA with the opportunity to make a positive impact on young minds in STEM fields.â€�

As a tutor for students from Pre-K to fifth grade, Olutoye designed and delivered lessons and hands-on experiments to help students grasp topics such as scientific methods, weather and climate.

“Morrison Mentors’ focus on STEM education for young students aligned perfectly with my desire to promote scientific literacy from an early age,� said Olutoye, who will graduate with an MS in Biochemistry in December 2024 and plans to become a researcher and biology teacher. “The excitement on a child’s face when they grasp a new concept or successfully complete an experiment is incredibly rewarding.�

Paid Summer Internships at Nonprofits

Sebbowa and Olutoye were members of this year’s class of 91¹ú²ú’s prestigious Jaggar Community Fellows, a competitive program that connects students with local nonprofits for paid summer internship placements.

Twenty-five graduate and undergraduate students won fellowships this summer, including Annabelle Ali, a communications major with a media studies concentration, who worked as a production intern at North Shore TV (NSTV). Other fellows interned at a wide range of nonprofits, including the American Cancer Society, the National Urban League, the Northwell Institute for Nursing, Community Counseling and Mediation, the Financial Women’s Association and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association.

Biology Graduate Student Peace Olutoye mentoring students in STEM studies as part of her Arthur Morrison Mentors internship.

Senior Joe Sawma, a pre-med biology major and marketing minor, used his fellowship to combine his two passions in one internship. At Northwell Health’s Lions Eye Bank, a nonprofit fighting corneal blindness, Sawma not only shadowed surgical technicians but also pitched marketing campaigns to the hospital’s CFO.

“This internship has been extremely valuable and certainly indispensable to my 91¹ú²ú experience and future career goals,â€� said Sawma, who received Adelphi’s Outstanding First-Year Student Award in 2022 and won a prestigious Newman Civic Fellowship from Campus Compact the following year. “I’ve enjoyed coming to work this summer as every day has been a new experience and a new discovery for me.â€�

Researching Nanotechnologies in Poland

Summer internships took 91¹ú²ú students abroad as well. Chemistry major Joshuah Tavarez conducted research on nanotechnologies in Poland as part of International Research Experiences for Students (IRES), a program led by Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, PhD, professor of chemistry and director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, and funded by the National Science Foundation. President of the 91¹ú²ú Chemistry Club on campus, Tavarez spent his summer conducting research at the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.

“Our lab focused on the use of absorbents to purify wastewater,â€� Tavarez said. “Many people don’t realize how polluted water can be; pollutants can range from dyes to antibiotics.â€�

After graduation next year, Tavarez aspires to pursue a PhD in Chemistry and “help the world, using science.�

Launching an Accelerated Career in Finance

Closer to home, Monish Churaman interned as a global markets analyst at the financial services company Société Générale in New York City. Churaman, who received his degree in finance this May after completing Adelphi’s accelerated three-year business track, shadowed junior and senior analysts, completed his own projects, and participated in “Lunch & Learnâ€� meetings with senior analysts.

“Working as a summer analyst at Société Générale has been nothing but an incredible experience,â€� he said. “I can confidently say that this is one of the best financial firms to work at, and an even better place to build the foundation of a banking career in my short time there.”

Churaman has had a great deal of success on the 91¹ú²ú campus as well. He received a 2024 President’s Student Leadership Award and won the 2023 Business Plan Competition with his partner Amita Radakichenane; they pitched an innovative business called SmileLab Printing Technologies, which would allow dental clinics to print crowns, bridges and dentures on-site instead of in a lab.

“This accelerated three-year business program has freed up a significant amount of time for myself, allowing me to get into the industry as quick as possible,� he said. “I can’t say enough positive things about the program, as my professors, advisers and other leaders at the business school have all played an integral part in shaping me into the person I am today and helping me move towards the goals I have set for myself.�

The post For Students Going Places, Summer Internships Are Helping Them Get There appeared first on Adelphi.

Every semester, students taking film, screenwriting and production classes offered by the Department of Communications work hard on creating their individual short films. They work under the guidance of professors in the department, including Joan Stein Schimke and Terrence Ross. While the films, which range from comedy to thriller to documentary, reflect each student’s vision, the students collaborate with one another, giving them the opportunity to highlight their work at the end of each semester. And then there’s Jack.

Jack Furtado, technical director, has become a legend in the department, from offering production assistantships to students, to production club and being a mentor to students. He’s teaching a new class next semester called “S/T: Audio Production and Post Production for Film.� Once again, he hosted the department’s , where filmmakers discussed a little snippet of what their films are about. And student Landon Ohanian even made him the star of the opening segment shown in the beginning of the festival as a theater-like promo for what was to come.

After the screening, attendees headed to the production room of Blodgett Hall for an after-party, which is held at the end of every film festival and where winners are announced. Alumni and faculty judges, including Sebastiano Ricci ’20, now a professional puppeteer, met with students along with Gabriel Flores ’19 and adjunct faculty member Erika Bagnarello-Arguello.

“The best part of the festival is that students get a chance to share with the larger community what they have worked to create,â€� Ross said. “It is a great motivator to get students to complete their movies—their knowing it might be screened for an audience on the big screen. It also creates such a strong sense of community—since everyone works on everyone else’s movies and then we come together to celebrate them.

This year, a new category was introduced for best screenplay to acknowledge student screenwriters who did not submit a film but still wanted to share their work.

The award for Best Screenplay went to Mariane Sagna for Please Listen. Ethan Bloch ’24 and Ghila McBrien were named finalists for Damage Control and With Love, A Goodbye, respectively.

Student Films and Filmmakers

The films screened, in order of appearance, and their filmmakers are:

• Absence of Color, Gabbie Banton ’24
• American Dream, Mariam Shvangiradze
• Undetected, Nina Berntzen ’24
• Green Your Block, Eva Haishun ’24, first place, best editing
• Blacking Out, Harrison Borod
• Resonance, Jonathan Bauman, second place, best cinematography, best sound design
• Que Quieres Decir, Kennie Dionisio ’24, best comedy
• Gemini, Olivia Reid
• Mystery Trip, Emily Kelliher
• Andrea, Brian Bucalo ’24
• Get a Clue, Lizz Panchyk ’24
• Chant du Cygne, Emilia Matarrese ’24, audience choice

Student filmmaker Olivia Reid said, “I would encourage people to submit to the festival or simply attend because it’s fun, first and foremost. Especially if you have friends whose films are being shown, the festival at its heart is just a fun community experience at the end of the semester.”

Watch more .

The post Student Film Festival Shines a Spotlight on Students’ Creativity appeared first on Adelphi.