It is a busy time for news at 91ÊÓƵ.
This morning we’re announcing our speakers for Commencement 2023. Telfar Clemens ’08, the Lubin grad and world-recognized fashion designer who’s as well known for his commitment to access and inclusion as he is for his must-have bags, will address all of our graduates and their guests at the main ceremony. At the Haub Law ceremony, Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be the featured speaker, and she’ll be joined by her husband, Harvard Law Prof. Bruce H. Mann. And at the ceremony for the Seidenberg School and the College of Health Professions, Trustee Ivan Seidenberg will speak to mark the 40th anniversary of his namesake school of computer science and information systems. It’s an impressive lineup that speaks to the breadth and ambition of 91ÊÓƵ and our Class of 2023 graduates—and it’s just a small part of what I know will be a truly extraordinary day of celebration at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday, May 15.
But that’s just our latest news. Yesterday afternoon, . Dr. Franco has been serving as interim provost since last summer, and he is doing an extraordinary job. A faculty member since 1987, he is a full professor in the Psychology and Mental Health Counseling Department on the Pleasantville Campus with a deep well of respect across the University. I am excited to continue working with him, as I know so many of us are.
There’s a lot of other news in this edition of 91ÊÓƵ Now, from the highly prestigious National Science Foundation grant recently won by Seidenberg Prof. Zhan Zhang to an intercontinental experiential education success story to the little-known story of a tiny 91ÊÓƵ library that makes a big impact.
And don’t forget all of the news in my , delivered just a few weeks ago: Our big plans to renovate the east side of One 91ÊÓƵ Plaza, the nearly complete 15 Beekman Street, and academic innovations and investments like the 91ÊÓƵ Entrepreneurship Studio, the expansion and upgrade of CHP’s simulation labs in Pleasantville, Seidenberg’s forthcoming Cyber Range on that campus, where cybersecurity students will be able to practice defending against the latest threats.
There’s a lot going on, and there’s more to come.
Let’s go get it.
From photography to nursing, Karen O’Connell ’26 found her calling in caring for others. Through 91ÊÓƵ’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, she discovered a supportive community, inspiring faculty, and invaluable hands-on clinical experiences that prepared her to turn her passion for helping underserved populations into a meaningful career.
For Thomas Scopino ’27, a master's student in Environmental Science and Policy at 91ÊÓƵ's Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, an internship with the New York Public Library offered an unexpected opportunity to explore how environmental policy, energy efficiency, and urban sustainability intersect across New York City.
From founding 91ÊÓƵ's ColorStack chapter to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine, Zender Aurelien-Nikolai ’28 is making his mark at the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. Through faculty-led student research and his own leadership initiative, he's turning his passion for technology into opportunities to make a difference.