Dr. Susan Poser Inauguration Ceremony of
The Ninth President of Hofstra University
Painting by Kelly Elkowitz ’23, in honor of the inaugural celebration.
Friday, October 1, 2021
ALMA MATER “Blue
and Gold”
Composed by Robert Rosen, BS, ’16
Where minds are filled with wonder, and hearts are full of pride, There stands our Alma Mater, so radiant a shine. Nurturing thy scholars, like parents raise their young. Dear Hofstra, we are grateful, and thus we thank thee for ... Inspiring us, and guiding us through all the great unknown. Oh hail the blue and gold! Unrivaled motivation, invaluable and true. Selfless with thy knowledge, and vision to pursue. Through all the lands we journey, thou shall remain our home, Dear Hofstra, we are grateful, and thus we thank thee for ... Inspiring us, and guiding us through all the great unknown. Oh hail the blue and gold!
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INAUGURATION CEREMONY Friday, October 1, 2021, 11 a.m. David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, North Campus
PROGRAM Processional Trumpet Tune Henry Purcell, Composer
Welcome and Opening Remarks Donald M. Schaeffer, JD Chair, Hofstra University Board of Trustees
Master of Ceremonies Janet A. Lenaghan, MBA, DPS Interim Provost Walter H. “Bud” Miller Distinguished Professor in Business
Invocation, the audience standing University Board of Chaplains, Hofstra University Interfaith Center
Rev. Joyce P. Brandon Dugger, MDiv Fr. Sean Magaldi, MA Rabbi Dave Siegel, MA, MPA Shaykh Ibad Wali, MA
National Anthem, the audience standing “The Star-Spangled Banner” Kyla Surajbali, Class of 2023, soprano Adam Glaser, MBA, MM, piano Associate Professor of Music
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Alma Mater, the audience standing
“Blue and Gold” Arrangement and accompaniment by Adam Glaser, MBA, MM Hofstra Inauguration Vocal Ensemble Conducted by David Fryling, MM, PhD Professor of Music Kyla Surajbali, Class of 2023, and Jade Vila, Class of 2024, soprano Natalia Antkowiak, Class of 2022, and Elizabeth Byrne, Class of 2025, alto Samir Chopra, Class of 2023, and Charles Colasanti, Class of 2022, tenor Brenden Caroppoli, Class of 2022, and Evan Licari, Class of 2024, bass
The audience may be seated.
Welcome and Recognition From the Hofstra Community Introduction of Student Artist and Inaugural Painting Kelly Elkowitz, Class of 2023 Student Government Association President Khiya Connolly-Sisk, Class of 2022 Introduction of Student Poet and Inaugural Poem Nicole Wong, Class of 2022, Maurice A. Deane School of Law Alumni Organization President Hillary Serota Needle, BA, ’89 Speaker of the Faculty William Nirode, PhD Professor of Chemistry
Students of the Department of Drama and Dance “Seasons of Love“ Accompanied by Kerry Prep, BFA Adjunct Assistant Professor of Drama and Dance
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Remarks and Introductions Daniel E. Dawes, JD Director, Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine Barbara Wilson, PhD President, University of Iowa
Harvey Perlman, JD Harvey and Susan Perlman Alumni Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law Chancellor, University of Nebraska (2001-2016)
Investiture Donald M. Schaeffer, JD Chair, Hofstra University Board of Trustees
Inaugural Address Susan Poser, JD, PhD President, Hofstra University
Recessional RONDEAU Jean-Joseph Mouret, Composer The audience is requested to remain in place until the academic procession has withdrawn. Following the ceremony, there will be a reception for all guests in front of the Mack Sports Complex.
Marshals for the Academic Procession Grand Marshal
Karyn Valerius, PhD Chair, Chairs Caucus Chair, Department of English Associate Professor of English
Faculty Marshal
William Caniano, MA, MS Chair, University Senate Executive Committee Associate Professor of Library Services
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SUSAN POSER, JD, PhD Dr. Susan Poser is the ninth president of Hofstra University. She assumed the office of the president on August 1, 2021. Prior to her appointment as president of Hofstra University, Dr. Poser served as the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), a Carnegie Research One university with 16 colleges, including seven health sciences colleges, and over 33,000 students, from 2016 to 2021. At UIC, Dr. Poser’s major accomplishments included UIC’s 2019 acquisition of the John Marshall Law School, creating the first and only public law school in Chicago. Another major focus was the creation of several initiatives to support faculty and enhance diversity, establishing pipeline programs for underrepresented faculty; overseeing a bridge program to hire underrepresented postdoctoral fellows and transition them to faculty positions; creating the Faculty Administrator Leadership Program to mentor faculty; and creating a new Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence with a special focus on assisting faculty in creating inclusive classrooms. She played a key role in creating two new cultural centers on campus – one focused on Arab American students and another focused on students with disabilities. An advocate of interdisciplinary work, Dr. Poser has created regular fora for faculty from across the disciplines to meet and share research in order to generate interdisciplinary research and scholarship. Dr. Poser’s work supporting data-driven student success using innovative approaches led to increases in student retention and graduation rates. Under her leadership, UIC implemented a multifaceted Student Success Initiative, which enhanced first-year and first-generation programming for undergraduates and promoted college completion. As the principal investigator on a $1 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, she created the Engaged Humanities Initiative at UIC, an undergraduate program where students work with faculty to connect the humanities to their own lived experiences. Prior to becoming provost at UIC, Dr. Poser served in several positions at the University of Nebraska. She was the dean of the College of Law from 2010 to 2016, the associate to the chancellor from 2007 to 2010, and a law professor for over 15 years. While she was dean, the College of Law moved up 35 points in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, and annual giving to the school increased significantly. Among her other accomplishments were the creation of an Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, an addition to the law school building to house the law clinics, and the formation of two new alumni boards, including the 2044 Alumni Board of Advisors, to make recommendations about diversity in admissions and climate at the law school.
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Dr. Poser grew up in New York City and majored in Ancient Greek at Swarthmore College, graduating with honors. She earned a JD and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Before beginning her academic career, Dr. Poser clerked for the Honorable Dolores K. Sloviter, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia, and served as the Zicklin Fellow in Ethics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Poser’s scholarly work is primarily in the areas of legal ethics and tort law and she has published widely, including in the Michigan Law Review and Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. Dr. Poser is a recently appointed member of the Long Island Association Board of Directors and looks forward to engaging with the Long Island community. Dr. Poser brings a history of institutional service and regional leadership, including an appointment to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s delegation to Israel in 2017. Her board service, past and present, includes the International Women’s Forum (Chicago chapter), the Nebraska Humanities Foundation, the Strategic Air & Space Museum (Omaha), and the ACLU (national board and Nebraska chapter). In Nebraska, she served as the reporter for adoption of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct by the Nebraska Supreme Court, and received the Shining Light Award from the Nebraska Bar Foundation for this work. She is a member of the American Law Institute and several bar associations and has served in leadership positions for the Association of Public & Land Grant Universities, the American Bar Association Section on Legal Education, and the Association of American Law Schools. Dr. Poser is married to Dr. Stephen DiMagno, an organic and medicinal chemist. They have two grown daughters. Dr. Poser is an avid swimmer and plays classical piano.
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SPEAKERS listed in alphabetical order
DANIEL E. DAWES, JD Daniel E. Dawes, a widely respected scholar, researcher, educator, and leader in the health equity, health reform, and mental health movements, is director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and a professor of health law, policy, and management. He is the co-founder of the Health Equity Leadership and Exchange Network (HELEN) – a nationwide network of governmental and nongovernmental leaders, researchers, and scholars focused on bolstering leadership and the exchange of research, information, and solutions to advance evidence-based health equity-focused policies and programs. Dawes’ research focuses on the drivers of health inequities among under-resourced, vulnerable, and marginalized communities. He is the pioneer of a new approach to examining inequities: the political determinants of health. He brings a forward-thinking, inclusive, and multidisciplinary approach to health policy, authoring two groundbreaking books, 150 Years of ObamaCare and The Political Determinants of Health, both published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
HARVEY S. PERLMAN, JD Harvey S. Perlman is the Harvey and Susan Perlman Alumni Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law. He holds a BA in History and JD from the University of Nebraska. He was a Bigelow Fellow at the University of Chicago from 1966 to 1967 before returning to Nebraska as an assistant professor of law. He served on the faculty of the University of Virginia Law School from 1974 to 1983, and he has taught as a visiting professor at the law schools of the University of Iowa, Florida State University, and the University of Puget Sound. In 1983, he returned to Nebraska as dean of the College of Law, where he served until 1998. During this time, Perlman spent one year as acting senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. In 2000, he was appointed interim chancellor of the University of Nebraska. He became the 19th chancellor of the University of Nebraska in 2001. He returned to his faculty position in 2016 and is currently teaching at both the College of Law and the College of Business. He is an emeritus member of the Council of The American Law Institute and represents Nebraska on the Uniform Law Commission.
BARBARA J. WILSON, PhD Dr. Barbara J. Wilson began her term as the 22nd president of the University of Iowa on July 15, 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree and PhD in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She most recently served as the executive vice president/vice president for academic affairs of the University of Illinois System. Prior to that, she served as head of the Department of Communication, vice provost for academic affairs, executive vice provost for faculty and academic affairs, Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and interim chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Wilson was a member of the Illinois faculty at Urbana-Champaign for 21 years. She was also a professor of communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Louisville. Her research focuses on the social and psychological effects of the media, particularly on youth. She is co-author or co-editor of four books and over 80 research articles, book chapters, and technical reports. In 2008, she was elected a Fellow of the International Communication Association. Wilson is a native of Appleton, Wisconsin. Her spouse, John Lammers, is a retired professor of communication. They have two grown daughters.
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KELLY ELKOWITZ, Hofstra University Class of 2023 Artist, Painting in honor of the inauguration of President Susan Poser Kelly Elkowitz is a senior fine arts major with a minor in political science at Hofstra University. Her art integrates abstraction with the figure, emphasizing construction and found materials. Her 2021 departmental end-of-year exhibit painting won Hofstra’s Presidential Purchase Award. Elkowitz provided the following thoughts on the painting: “Overall, the composition is meant to evoke an optimistic and hopeful tone, with the flowers looking up toward the future and the sunlight above. Spring often represents something new and hopeful to come, so I felt flowers in bloom would be perfect to welcome our new president, Dr. Poser. Individually, the yellow tulips are depicted because of Hofstra’s amazing flora during the spring, and I chose the iris for its strong bluish-purple color that complements the composition well. I felt the iris would be used best to contrast the yellow tulips and bring in bluer tones to represent Hofstra’s colors. I have a personal connection to irises, and have always associated them with Long Island, so I naturally gravitated toward the flower. As for the stitching together of the fabrics, I chose this element to bring a unique, beautiful, and diverse surface to the piece. While working on the painting, the unique surface informs the image, and overall adds to the character of the painting as a whole. I feel this painting would be a good choice for the event. It is positive and looks toward the future. The overall tone of the image represents Hofstra and its ideals well and would be a good choice to welcome our new president.”
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NICOLE WONG, Maurice A. Deane School of Law, Class of 2022 Winner, Inauguration Student Poetry Contest Nicole Wong is a third-year student at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. She grew up in the New York City foster care system, living with several diverse families. She holds a BA in Political Science from Queens College and a Master of Science in Teaching from Fordham University. She is currently finishing her last year of law school at Hofstra University, where she is a 2022 Pro Bono Scholar, associate editor for Vol. 50 of the Hofstra Law Review, member of the Moot Court Board and the Christian Legal Society, and a research assistant. Wong was also selected as a Latino Justice CLASP intern and will work at Paul Hastings LLP after graduation. Prior to law school, she served as a 12th grade English Language Arts teacher in the South Bronx with Teach for America. She also served as the tutor manager for the Dorm Project, where she oversaw the roll-out of tutoring services for approximately 125 college students in foster care at the City University of New York. Wong currently serves on the executive board for At the Table (a NYC-based academic support program for those with lived-experience in foster care); the trustee board for City of Refuge House of Prayer (a Christian ministry in Queens); and the selection committee for Project Fairness (a NYC-based scholarship fund for youth in foster care). In her spare time, she reads, makes music, and spends time with family.
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FORWARD The revelation of this genesis Is akin to the artless innocence Of rain falling over a well worn ground. They formed the foundation; we formed a sound. The sound of morning where mercies are new, And of thanking the past for seeds it grew. We roar as rushing waters ‘round a bend, Changing sediment for sentiment’s mend. We’ll prune, nurture, and edify the soil (So tomorrow’s fruit will prize today’s toil), Show them how to put their hands to the plow, And see success exist beyond the now. Use tools that worked for ye old pioneers And pass them along for the coming years. It takes a village — Nay, generations. Progress requires steadfast veneration. But, blind devotion? No, we must evolve. A problem persists with no resolve to solve. Narrow paths keep us steady and on course, But narrow minds only produce remorse. All we have to lose is the senseless weight Our shoulders bore until almost too late. Thank who you’ll thank for open eyes and grace To not fear change but run to its embrace. Here and now, welcome opportunity. Overcome the pause of adversity. Flow and carve the needed capacity So we can refine our humanity. Same book, different page. Far from perfect. Risky it may be but move toward it. All the sowed trials will reap a reward. Forward.
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SEASONS OF LOVE Performed by the students of Drama and Dance: MICHAEL ARTUSO, BA in Drama, Class of 2022 VICTORIA BOGACKI, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2023 NICOLE CULLEN, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2022 GIANNA DIREDA, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2022 AMELIA FIRESTONE, BA in Drama, Class of 2023 CHRISTIAN HARRIS, BA in Drama, Class of 2024 OLIVIA KEENA-ROSS, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2022 SYDNEY KENTON, BA in Drama, Class of 2023 MEREDITH MUIRHEAD, BA in Drama, Class of 2024 ALLISON PAUL, BA in Drama, Class of 2024 GAVIN PETERSEN, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2023 AVERY RUDD, BFA in Theater Arts, Class of 2022 “I would say the lyrics in this song ask us to reflect on our humanity and how we choose to live our lives. Jon Larson, a classmate of mine at Adelphi University, felt the proper way to quantify it was in the value of one year (525,600 minutes), exhorting each of us to examine how we choose to live our lives. Larson suggests the most effective way is to ‘measure in love.’ “As it pertains to Hofstra, specifically, and our new president, it is a continuation of making these years count and cherishing the memories and relationships formed among students, staff, and faculty ‘in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.’ ” – Kerry Prep, BFA Adjunct Assistant Professor of Drama and Dance
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MEMUNATU DUMASHIE, Hofstra University Class of 2022 Honorable Mention, Inauguration Student Poetry Contest Memunatu Dumashie graduated with honors this past May from Hofstra’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business with a BBA in Accounting and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Taxation. She is a New Mexico native who enjoys reading sci-fi novels, writing poetry, spending time with family, and cooking her favorite Ghanaian cuisines. On campus, Dumashie can be found working with Hofstra’s Tax Society or studying for the CPA exam.
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EARTHSEED One day people will look up into the heart of the night sky and they will know that we were Here. Our stories, ragged and bright, will be pinched in the fabric of time and they will know Our names. They will call us Change. They will examine the curvatures of our blueprints And wonder how we inherited a dull canvas And restored it. how we looked to our neighbors for the perfect hues to paint A more beautiful sun with the all of the Black, Brown, Gold, and Pink Of each everlasting day. Did we yearn for a perfect world? They will ask. Maybe. Or maybe we figured the sun could shine a little brighter, last a lit longer, feel a little warmer for every one. So They will see How we built bridges for the unseen. How we buried our minds in the creases of our textbooks to birth realms no man has ever been.
And while we donned the capes of Harriet and Nelson and Bill and Martin, Kings we became and ruled with the Kindness taught by our brothers Patience gifted from our sisters Hunger fueled by our teachers. When the people of tomorrow call themselves dreamers, They will find our faces etched in nebulous stone and ponder the ferocity of our minds. And when they question how we may have survived, at one point, with the ground crumbling at our feet. They will see how we did not fall with the demise of the landscape Rather we picked up what was beneath us, we made crumb cake out of our worries we did not bend with the wind or snap against the roaring tide. We banded together One face One palm One student body With our lab notes, We birthed the cure With our lectures, We eradicated poverty We stood on the shelves of the Axinn library We reached the sky And found the perfect place to etch our stories onto. They will know Our names. They will call us Change. But until then, We hope We dream We make way for new legacies In preparation for our departure to the stars.
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TRUSTEES OF HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY As of September 2021
OFFICERS
Donald M. Schaeffer, Chair Martha S. Pope, Vice Chair Michael Roberge,* Vice Chair David S. Mack,* Secretary Susan Poser, President
Alan J. Bernon,* Immediate Past Chair
MEMBERS
Kenneth Brodlieb Susan Catalano Michael DeDomenico* Michael P. Delaney* Arno H. Fried Leo A. Guthart Peter S. Kalikow* Arthur J. Kremer Diana E. Lake* Randy Levine* Elizabeth McCaul Stella Mendes* Janis M. Meyer* John D. Miller* Joanne Minieri* Marilyn B. Monter* Julio A. Portalatin* Samuel Ramos* Robert Rosenthal* Debra A. Sandler* Thomas J. Sanzone* Michael Seiman* Leonard H. Shapiro Joseph Sparacio* Steven C. Witkoff*
DELEGATES
William Nirode, Speaker of the Faculty William Caniano, Chair, University Senate Executive Committee Kathleen Wallace, Chair, University Senate Planning and Budget Committee Hillary Serota Needle,* President, Alumni Organization Khiya Connolly-Sisk, President, Student Government Association Bernice Aquino, Vice President, Student Government Association
____________________
Wilbur Breslin, Trustee Emeritus John J. Conefry, Jr., Chair Emeritus Helene Fortunoff, Chair Emerita Lawrence Herbert,* Trustee Emeritus Florence Kaufman, Trustee Emerita Walter B. Kissinger, Trustee Emeritus Ann M. Mallouk,* Chair Emerita Frank G. Zarb,* Chair Emeritus
____________________ *Hofstra alumni 20 Inauguration Ceremony of Dr. Susan Poser
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION Susan Poser, JD, PhD President Janet A. Lenaghan, MBA, DPS Interim Provost; Walter H. “Bud” Miller Distinguished Professor in Business Dolores Fredrich, JD Senior Vice President Catherine Hennessy, MBA, CPA Senior Vice President for Financial Affairs and Treasurer Joseph M. Barkwill, MBA, MS Vice President for Facilities and Operations Rick Cole Jr., EdM Vice President and Director of Athletics Melissa Kane Connolly, MFA Vice President for University Relations Cornell L. Craig, MBA Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer W. Houston Dougharty, MEd, MA Vice President for Student Affairs Jessica L. Eads, MA, MSEd Vice President for Enrollment Management Steve Fabiani, MS Vice President for Digital Innovation and Technology Alan J. Kelly, MS Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs and Chief Development Officer Jennifer M. Mone, JD Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC DEANS HOFSTRA COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES Acting Dean Daniel Seabold, PhD FRANK G. ZARB SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Interim Dean K.G. Viswanathan, PhD FRED DEMATTEIS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE Dean Sina Y. Rabbany, PhD; Jean Nerken Distinguished Professor of Engineering THE LAWRENCE HERBERT SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION Dean Mark Lukasiewicz, BA SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND HUMAN SERVICES Dean Holly J. Seirup, EdD STUART AND NANCY RABINOWITZ HONORS COLLEGE Dean Warren G. Frisina, PhD MAURICE A. DEANE SCHOOL OF LAW Dean A. Gail Prudenti, LLB DONALD AND BARBARA ZUCKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE at HOFSTRA/NORTHWELL Dean Lawrence G. Smith, MD, MACP HOFSTRA NORTHWELL SCHOOL OF NURSING AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES Dean Kathleen Gallo, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN Inauguration Ceremony of Dr. Susan Poser 21
HISTORY OF HOFSTRA In September 1935, Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New York University opened its doors in a three-story, white-shingled home that still stands on our South Campus, with 19 faculty, 159 day students, and 621 evening students. Today, Hofstra University is an institution of international reach and reputation with nearly 11,000 students, more than 143,000 alumni, 340 top-ranked undergraduate and graduate program options, and schools of law and medicine. The history of Hofstra is defined by the pioneering spirit of those first professors and students, whose pride and purpose are the foundation upon which our university continues to grow and thrive. But long before Hofstra was founded, indeed before there was “Long Island,” the Indigenous peoples called this region Sewanhacky, Wamponomon, and Paumanake – sacred territory inhabited by the Carnarsie, Rockaway, Matinecock, Merricks, Massapequa, Nissequoge, Secatoag, Seatauket, Patchoag, Corchaug, Shinnecock, Manhasset, and Montauk. Each tribe had its own territory, whose boundaries were respected by the others, and all inhabitants were united in their shared desire for peace. When we think about the history of Hofstra, the land that surrounds us is part of that history, and we want to protect that legacy and honor the Indigenous peoples who have made untold contributions to our region. Hofstra University owes its name to lumber magnate William Hofstra and his wife, Kate, who purchased 15 acres in Hempstead in 1903. There, they built the family home – now known as Hofstra Hall – amid the estates and farms along Fulton Avenue. The home was dubbed “The Netherlands” in recognition of William Hofstra’s Dutch ancestry. When William Hofstra died in 1932, he left his estate in his wife’s hands. Kate Hofstra died just over a year later, and she specified that the bulk of the estate and property was to be used for charitable, scientific, or humanitarian purposes, to be named in honor of William. This set the stage for a partnership with New York University and the launch of Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New York University, a coeducational commuter college with day and evening classes. The affiliation with NYU didn’t last long. By 1939, Hofstra College had established itself as an independent institution of higher education. From the mid-1940s to late-1960s, enrollment mushroomed and 13 new academic buildings, including the John Cranford Adams Playhouse, named for Hofstra’s president at the time, were constructed. It was during this period that the annual Shakespeare Festival – now in its 71st year and performed on Hofstra’s historically accurate replica of the Bard’s Globe Stage – began. The University’s growth continued as divisions were reorganized into schools, groundbreaking programs were created, and historic milestones were reached. Hofstra became one of the first universities to be fully accessible to individuals with physical disabilities – years before a federal law was enacted. And the University’s program to provide highly motivated and diverse students with access to higher education – called NOAH – became a model for a similar New York state program. Hofstra became Long Island’s first private university in 1963. Two years later, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the commencement address.
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By 1970, when the School of Law welcomed its first class, Hofstra was a residential campus, with six towers, a student center, and the Unispan pedestrian bridge rising above Hempstead Turnpike. By the 1980s, the University was hosting more than 500 cultural events annually, including art shows, film festivals, seminars, concerts, drama and dance programs, and national and international conferences. During this period, the campus grounds, blanketed with trees and blooming with thousands of tulips every spring, won official recognition as an arboretum from the prestigious American Public Gardens Association. Today, the campus is landscaped with more than 12,000 evergreen and deciduous trees representing more than 600 species and dotted with more than 70 outdoor sculptures that are part of the permanent collection of the Hofstra University Museum of Art. In 1982, Hofstra’s distinction as a center for presidential study began with a conference that brought together government officials, journalists, and historians to examine the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The University has since hosted presidential conferences on every president from FDR to George W. Bush. This scholarly tradition led directly to the establishment of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency and, eventually, to Hofstra becoming the only university in the nation to host three consecutive U.S. presidential debates (2008, 2012, and 2016). Two Hofstra presidential debates rank among the top 10 most watched in television history. The presidential debates drew thousands of international media to campus, provided extraordinary civic engagement opportunities for students, and solidified Hofstra’s reputation as a university dedicated to the study of the politics and policy of the presidency. In all, seven U.S. presidents have visited Hofstra’s campus: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. As the 20th century ended, the University opened Breslin Hall, a building dedicated to classrooms; established the School of Communication; named the School of Business for alumnus, trustee, and former NASDAQ Chairman and CEO Frank G. Zarb; and welcomed among its commencement speakers, Long Island native Billy Joel.
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The young commuter school had grown into a global institution that drew students from 52 U.S. states and territories and nearly 100 countries. At the dawn of the new millennium, Hofstra was about to embark on the most transformative period in its history. In 2011 and 2015, respectively, Hofstra and Northwell Health launched the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies – both dedicated to training the next generation of healthcare providers with a new model focused on community-based care. The creation of the School of Health Professions and Human Services, the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs followed. Meanwhile, the School of Law was named for law alumnus, chair emeritus of the Hofstra Board of Trustees, and former Endo Laboratories executive Maurice A. Deane, and the School of Communication was named for Pantone Matching System inventor, Hofstra alumnus, and trustee emeritus Lawrence Herbert. Modern buildings were constructed for the medical school and the Zarb School of Business, which turned 50 in 2016. The Leo A. Guthart Hall for Innovation and Discovery is a high-tech wonder that includes a behavioral research in business lab, an enhanced business incubator, and Hofstra’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Innovation and Research Center trains students to detect and defend against cybercrime and created partnerships among industry, government, and education to analyze threats and strengthen network security. The University is now building a Science and Innovation Center, expected to be completed in late 2022. This modern building will serve as the new home for our engineering, applied science, and nursing students. In August 2021, Hofstra welcomed Dr. Susan Poser as its ninth president and first woman to lead the University, and named Hofstra University Honors College for retiring President Stuart Rabinowitz and his wife, Nancy. Hofstra continues to invest heavily in programs that encourage civic engagement and community service, including The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, Center for Civic Engagement, and Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice. Our schools continue to innovate across the curriculum with new programs, including the nation’s first Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) that leads to a combined Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. We continue to offer award-winning programs such as our student-run radio station, WRHU, which is a three-time Marconi Award winner and a finalist again this year. It also was named the recipient of 2021 World Radio Day Award by the Academy of Radio Arts and Sciences of America. A cornerstone of our curriculum is impactful experiential learning — leveraging our strong connections to industry to provide students with internships, co-ops, and career outcomes. These connections also provide research opportunities such as producing the Marcum-Hofstra CEO Survey and the Long Island Supply Chain Index. Our schools also enjoy national recognition, including the DeMatteis School, which was recently recognized for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by the American Society for Engineering Education.
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Hofstra’s commitment to our community is evident in all we do — from programs such as the NSF scholars, which supports making math and science instruction more equitable and inclusive to students from underrepresented communities, to our medical-legal partnership with the Deane School of Law, Northwell Health, and the New York State Bar Association, which provides much-needed legal and medical care to community members across Long Island and New York City, regardless of the ability to pay. In the years to come, Hofstra University will continue in its unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching and research, to public service and civic engagement, to the free expression of ideas in robust but respectful discourse, and to diversity and global understanding. Much has changed since those first students and faculty arrived, but Hofstra’s core values are enduring. Eighty-two years ago, when Hofstra separated from New York University, members of the first graduating class were given a choice. They could receive their degrees from NYU, or from Hofstra. They chose Hofstra. Hofstra Pride and Purpose. Then, now, and forever.
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NOTES THE FLAG The Hofstra flag, bearing the seal of the University, was presented to Hofstra on April 19, 1940, by Dr. Alexander Loudon, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, in the name of Her Majesty, Wilhelmina, queen of the Netherlands. The seal is derived from the coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau. The motto, “Je maintiendray,” means “I stand steadfast.”
THE CEREMONIAL MACE The ceremonial mace, carried by the grand marshal in the academic procession, was given to Hofstra by Halsted Billings Vander Poel, son of former Trustee W. Halsted Vander Poel. The mace is made of silver with a shaft of ebony. Its design is based upon one of the oldest maces of Yale University, dating from the time of Queen Anne. Engraved upon the head is the Hofstra seal. Around the upper portion of the haft appears the quotation from the Book of Proverbs: “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.” The history of the mace in ceremonies begins in the 13th century when ceremonial maces were borne by the sergeant at arms, a royal bodyguard established in France by Phillip II and in England by Richard I.
THE MARSHALS’ SCAPULARS The marshals in the academic procession wear specially designed scapulars of their offices. The scapulars draw their basic characteristics from the official seal of the University. Each is designed against a background of silver thread, laid with gold lace and embroidered threads of red, blue, and green, the colors of the Hofstra seal. The scapular of the grand marshal carries the University seal in full color as the breastplate. The breastplates of the other marshals are linked with other significant sections of the seal. The badges of the trustee and guest marshal, faculty marshal, and graduate marshal carry four, three, or two tassels of gold, in order of rank, while the scapulars of the highest rank, grand marshal, and the baccalaureate marshal are without tassels. Assistant marshals carry batons.
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THE GONFALONS Of the 14 gonfalons, three of the fishtail ensigns plus the Hofstra seal were first presented in University ceremonies during the dedication of the Hofstra Library in 1967. The gonfalon for the Maurice A. Deane School of Law was added in 1970, followed by the Hofstra University Libraries gonfalon in 1993, The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication gonfalon in 1996, the Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College gonfalon in 2001, the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell gonfalon in 2009, and the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Health Professions and Human Services gonfalons, both dedicated in 2013. The gonfalons of the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies; Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs; School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts were dedicated in 2015. The history of the ceremonial use of gonfalons seems lost in antiquity. Probably best remembered is their appearance at the head of the parades of the Crusades where they presented the coats of arms of legion commanders. The gonfalons of Hofstra carry the seals of the colleges and schools of the University. The seal of Hofstra is worked in threads of gold, silver, red, blue, and green against a background of white silk, derived from the great seal of the House of Orange-Nassau. The gonfalons are displayed from left to right. The gonfalon of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences carries the seal of the province of Friesland, the original home of the Hofstra family. The fishtail below the seal has the colors of Hofstra, blue and gold, at the left and right, and the colors of the college, white for arts and gold for sciences, through the center. The gonfalon of the School of Education carries the seal of the province of Groningen. The colors of Hofstra, blue and gold, trim the gonfalon, while the light blue of education is the center color. The gonfalon of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business carries the seal of the province of Gelderland. The University colors of blue and gold trim the gonfalon, with the traditional “drab” filling the center stripe of the fishtail. The gonfalon of the Maurice A. Deane School of Law carries the seal of Noord Brabant province, is trimmed in the University colors of blue and gold, and carries a band of purple through the center to indicate law. The gonfalon of the Hofstra University Libraries carries the seal of the province of Rotterdam. University colors of blue and gold trim the gonfalon. The center area carries the colors of the Hofstra colleges and schools and is overlaid with a band of lemon yellow, representing the discipline of library science. 28 Inauguration Ceremony of Dr. Susan Poser
The gonfalon of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication carries the seal of the province of Arnhem. The University colors of blue and gold trim a center panel of crimson representing communication. The gonfalon of the Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College adapts the seal of the Frisian town of Tytsjerksteradiel. The gonfalon design uses the University colors in a traditional woven heraldic pattern representing the interrelationship of disciplines in Honors College. The gonfalon of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell carries an emblem representing the “staff of Asclepius,” the traditional symbol of medicine. It is trimmed in green to represent the discipline of medicine, and carries bands of the University’s and Northwell Health’s colors. The gonfalon of the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science carries the seal of the House of Orange-Nassau coat of arms. University colors of blue and gold trim the gonfalon. The orange center represents the degrees conferred by the school. The gonfalon of the School of Health Professions and Human Services carries the seal of the province of Overijssel. The University colors of blue and gold trim the center panel of sage green, representing health professions and human services. The gonfalon of the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies carries an emblem of a shield and flame to represent the professions of nursing and physician assistant studies. It is trimmed in purple to represent leadership, and carries the colors of blue, orange, red, and yellow to represent collaboration, humanism, courage, and innovation. The flame breaking through the shield embodies the break from the traditional model of education. The gonfalon of the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs is derived from the Dutch city of The Hague, the seat of government of the Netherlands and the seat of the United Nations International Court of Justice. The words “vrede” and “recht” translate into “peace” and “justice,” the cornerstones of the Kalikow School. The center of the gonfalon includes the three branches of the U.S. government, with the crown being replaced by people, symbolizing a government “by the people.” The gonfalon was created by Peter S. Kalikow, a proud alumnus of Hofstra University. The gonfalon of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics displays symbols within a shield that represent the atom, symbolizing the natural sciences; pi (π), symbolizing mathematics; and two lions, symbolizing Hofstra pride. The colors represented in the gonfalon symbolize pure reason (white), growth (green), clarity (black), and order (purple), along with the University’s traditional blue and gold. The gonfalon of the School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts displays symbols within a shield that represent the key to learning, symbolizing humanities; eye and primary colors, symbolizing the visual arts; masks of comedy and tragedy placed on a musical scale, symbolizing performing arts; and lions, representing Hofstra pride. The colors represented in the fishtail symbolize the array of disciplines incorporated in the school, along with the University’s traditional blue and gold. Inauguration Ceremony of Dr. Susan Poser 29
ACADEMIC HERALDRY The wearing of caps, gowns, and hoods at college and university functions dates to the Middle Ages, when they were first worn by monks and students for warmth in the damp and drafty 12th-century castles and halls of learning. Through the years, their styles and colors have come to represent certain specific meanings. Gowns for the bachelor’s degree have a semistiff yoke, long pleated front, and intricate shirring across the shoulders and back. The bachelor’s gown is worn closed and is distinguished primarily by its long pointed sleeves. The gown for the master’s degree has the same yoke effect as that of the bachelor’s, but is designed so that it may be worn open or closed. The back of the sleeve is oblong and cut square, with the front part carrying a cutaway arc. Gowns for the doctoral degree may also be worn open or closed. They have long velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on the bell-shaped sleeves. This velvet trimming may be either black or the color distinctive of the field of learning to which the degree pertains. Members of the Hofstra University Board of Trustees wear academic robes and caps in the distinctive colors of the University. A small, embroidered replica of the seal of the University is worn on each lapel. It is the hood that gives color and definitive meaning to the academic costume. The hood is of varying sizes for master’s and doctoral degrees and of material to match the gown. It is lined with the color or colors of the institution conferring the degree. The hood is bordered with velvet of the proper width and color to indicate the field of learning.*
Business.................................................................. Communication.................................................... Education............................................................... Engineering and Applied Science..................... Health Professions and Human Services........ Law.......................................................................... Liberal Arts and Sciences................................... Medicine................................................................. Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies........ Philosophy..............................................................
Drab Crimson Light Blue Orange Sage Green Purple White Green Apricot Dark Blue
*The colors above represent Hofstra University degree-granting schools and colleges. It is also acceptable for PhD graduates to receive dark blue academic regalia regardless of school or college.
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