Josh Groban brought the house down at a sold-out Tilles Center performance, creating a signature cultural moment that elevated the arts on Long Island while supporting education and community programming through the performing arts.

Alumni Steve Bandrowczak ’88, CEO of Xerox, and Howard Murad ’62, founder of Murad Skincare, returned to LIU to deliver commencement addresses that celebrated leadership, innovation, and the far-reaching impact of an LIU education.

LIU honored 40 exceptional young alumni during its inaugural 40 Under 40 Alumni Excellence Awards, recognizing rising leaders whose achievements and service reflect the strength of Shark Nation across industries and communities.

Women’s volleyball will take on the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The team punched their ticket after winning the NEC Tournament Championship for the 13th time in program history. The Sharks also claimed their 12th regular season title with a 15-1 record in league matches.

In partnership with biotech start-up Aneuryst, Long Island University is developing fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor with the potential to redefine care for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), one of the deadliest forms of stroke. The project’s application to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research program earned a perfect score, an almost unprecedented achievement in federal funding.

Long Island University joined the RAMP UP USA Institute, a federally backed public-private initiative including top research universities, national labs, tech, and biopharma industries focused on building resilient medicine supply chains. The effort seeks to transform U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing and includes Standford, Purdue, Texas A&M, Kansas University, University of Oregon, and the University of Minnesota.

Infectious diseases research fellows Olivia Funk and Julian Azzouzi presented their latest research at the 2025 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Conference in Vienna, one of the world’s leading gatherings in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. Alongside faculty mentor Jaclyn Cusumano, they showcased new research examining biofilm formation in Enterococcus faecalis, bacterium found in human gastrointestinal tracts.

LIU is an inaugural member of the newly launched ECAC Women’s Flag Football League, created through a $1 million investment from the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation in partnership with the New York Jets. Earlier this year, LIU announced Jimmy Barbarise as the first head coach of the program. Barbarise joined LIU after three seasons as the head coach at the University of Tampa, where he led the Spartans to a No. 3 national ranking last season.

The Honorable Steve Israel discussed his newest novel, The Einstein Conspiracy, with bestselling author Alex DeMille. Israel and DeMille discussed the inspiration, craft, and intrigue behind the novel, as part of LIU’s Centennial Author Series, showcasing extraordinary voices in celebration of the University’s 100-year legacy.

Men’s ice hockey team toppled powerhouse University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten). Six different Sharks scored goals in the program’s first meeting with the five-time national champions and their 13 current NHL draft picks. The game marked the third Big Ten victory for the Sharks, with previous wins over Notre Dame and Ohio State in the 2024–25 and 2022–23 seasons. LIU is ranked #15 in the nation by the NCAA National Power Index.