Tom Howard ’89 was hired by the Manhasset School District as the new interim director of physical education, health and interscholastic athletics. Howard’s experience includes more than 40 years in education, including as the director of health, physical education and athletics for the Farmingdale Public Schools.

The Long Island University Sharks continue to excel in the classroom and on the field, as the Northeast Conference announced that LIU claimed a league-high six Team GPA Awards. The LIU teams honored for compiling the best overall GPAs in the respective sports were football, men’s swimming, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, women’s swimming and women’s volleyball.

Jonathan Stockman, DVM, assistant professor for the College of Veterinary Medicine was recently published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. His study analyzed the phosphorus content in dog and cat foods and the lack of regulatory guidelines, concluding that many commercial feline diets are high in dietary phosphorus content and can cause chronic kidney disease if phosphorus intake is not restricted.

Jeffrey T. White ’02 was recently named as the next superintendent for the award-winning Tuxedo Union Free School District in Orange County, New York. White served as an assistant superintendent in varying capacities for the Copiague School District, the City School District of New Rochelle, and for the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District.

The Hispanic Health Council announced Karla Wurzel Marco ’11 as its new chief program officer responsible for overseeing and managing all services and programs in the organization. Marco most recently served in various director roles for NYC Health + Hospitals and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and previously taught elementary special education in the New York City Department of Education.

Long Island University’s new 3D simulation laboratory featuring Dassault Systémes’ 3DExperience platform officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Twelve high schools toured the facility to allow their students to utilize the revolutionary platform for field trips and research projects. The Dassault Systémes technology is a key component to LIU’s artificial intelligence degree program and provides students in various fields of study the opportunity to engage in real-world solutions through digital simulations. News12 provided media coverage and an interview with Dr. Mohammed Ghriga, chair of the Department of Technology, Innovation and Computer Science.

The National Science Foundation awarded Dr. Maria Forzan, assistant professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine, with a grant to fund her continued investigation of host response in the pathogenesis of Ranavirus in wood frogs. The award is part of the NSF’s prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Program to support early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. Dr. Forzan’s veterinary students will have the opportunity to actively participate in the research project.

Stratford Elementary School in Garden City promoted Assistant Principal Christopher Hartigan ’10 to assume the role of principal after a Board of Education vote. Hartigan joined the school district in 2017 in an administrative position after serving as a model teacher, teacher leader and administrative intern at PS253Q in Far Rockaway, Queens. He previously taught grade levels from kindergarten through fifth grade, and was a special education teacher for the New York City Department of Education and in the Lynbrook School District.

The Northeast Conference announced that 102 LIU student-athletes made the 2020-21 Winter Academic Honor Roll, and 30 qualified for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. LIU softball graduate student Patricia Griffin earned her second consecutive Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, while men’s soccer junior Fridtjof Andberg and women’s volleyball junior Anastasia Scott also earned Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards.

The Hawaii Department of Health appointed Marian Tsuji ‘82 to serve as deputy director of behavioral health administration. Tsuji previously served as the Oahu Branch administrator of the state’s Department of Human Sevices, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. She also spent 12 years as president and CEO of Lanakila Pacific, a social services organization that includes programs for adults with disabilities.